RXKIV 
INTRODUCTION. 
The iftrong opinion which then prevailed in ~ 
Europe refpecting the probability of a North 
Weit paflage by the way of Hudfon’s Bay, made 
many conjecture that Mefirs. Knight and Barlow 
had found that paflage, and had gone through it 
into the South Sea, by the way of California. 
Many yearselapfed without any other convincing 
proof occurring to the contrary, except that 
‘Middleton, Ellis, Bean, Chriftopher, and John- 
fton, had not been able to find any fuch paflage. 
And notwithftanding a floop was annually fent to 
the Northward on difcovery, and to trade with 
‘the Efquimaux, it was the {ummer of one thoufand 
feven hundred and fixty feven, before we had po- 
fitive proofs that poor Mr. Knight and Captain 
‘Barlow had been loft in Hudfon’s Bav. 
The Company were now carrying on a black 
~whale fifhery, and Marble Ifland was made the 
place of rendezvous’not only on account of the 
commodiouine{s of the harbour, but becaufe it 
“had been obferved that the whales were more 
‘plentiful about that ifland than on any other part 
-of the coaft. ‘This being the cafe, the boats, 
»when on the look-out for fith, had frequent oc- 
cafion to row clofe to the ifland, by which means 
they difcovered a new :harbour near the Eaft end 
of it, atthe head of which they found guns, - 
anchors, cables, bricks, a:fmith’s anvil, and many 
other articles, which the hand of time had not 
‘defaced, and which being of no ufe to the na- 
tives, or too heavy to be removed by them, had 
not 
