106 J^oyagc undertaken hj the Span'tards 



Tt&it Carpentaria, but was prevented by a south-eastern gale, 

 ©n which account he relumed to Timor. J3ernier, who had 

 long been struggling with bad health, when he arrived here 

 found himself exceeding weak j he was seized with an ia- 

 llammatory fever, the consequence of bad weather; vet he 

 again went on board the vessel in the beginning of June, 

 but died a few da)'s after. His death is a real loss to astro- 

 nomv, as vvell as to all his acquaintance. Though a youth, 

 be displayed all the experience and reflection of maturcr 

 years, and distinguished himself as a dutiful son, a sincere 

 friend, and an useful citizen. 



XVn. Account of the P^oyage i/ndertaken hy the Spaniards to 

 the North- iPlst Coast of America in the Year 1792. 



[Continued from page 14.] 



J. HE writer who drew up the account of this expedition 

 acknowledges that the only result of it was, to ascertain, in 

 3 decisive manner, that there is no passage into the Atlantic 

 through the strait of Fuca. But this uavirratinn must in 

 future appear as useless as it is uninviting. The barren and 

 titrsolate coasts by which this strait is bordered, present no- 

 thing that can induce navigators to expose themselves to the 

 dangers of a long voyage, through narrow channels inter- 

 spersed with quicksands and shoals. The philosopher only, 

 adds he, can find here subjects for meditation, when he be- 

 holds a soil which reminds him of the primitive state of the 

 ^lobe, and tribes still far removed from the civilization of 

 Europe, different in their manners, though inhabiting 

 nearly the same climate, though devoted by necessity to the 

 same kind of life, and having, in all probabilitv, been ex- 

 posed to none of those revolutions which alter the type of 

 what men have agreed to call nntitre. 



Tlie Spaniards saw them in too fugitive a manner to as- 

 certain wliether they differ in their language as they do in 

 other things. The only satisfactory results obtained on this 

 point relate to the Indians of Nootka, with whose lan- 

 gtiage thev made themselves pretty well acquainted. A man 

 of letters, Don Francisco Mosino, whoacconipanied cap- 

 tain Don Juan de la Bodega, of Ouadra, resided a long time 

 among these Indians, and observed them with attention. It 

 was to hirn in particular that the Spanish navigators were 

 indebted for the details which they at length resolved to 

 publish, and particularly those in regard to the language of 



Nootka, 



