INTRODUCTION. 17 



nometer I had made by Hardy, who had acquired 

 great reputation by a very fine astronomical clock, 

 wliich he had made for the Observatory at Green- 

 wicli, and by some new inventions, of which I will 

 only mention a new compensatorium. He had, it 

 is true, made only one chronometer in his life ; no 

 account of the going of which ever reached 

 England, the sliip being lost in her voyage to the 

 AVest Indies ; and for this reason he could not be 

 recommended to me ; but I had so high aii opi- 

 nion of the skill of this indeftitigable artist, that 

 I got him to make me one. The event proved 

 that I had done right in placing great confidence 

 in his ability ; the instrument (a box chronometer) 

 was excellent, as will appear by the account of the 

 voyage. The price was eighty guineas. 



Besides the astronomical and physical instru- 

 ments, and an extensive collection of maps by 

 Horsburgh, Arrowsmith and Pardy, I had the ship 

 provided with numerous other articles indispensa- 

 bly necessary in such a voyage, which are no where 

 to be had better and cheaper than in London ; 

 such as surgical instrnments, medicines, spices, 

 clothing, &c. The ship was likewise provided with 

 a life, or safety boat, vvhich the English Admiralty 

 had ordered to be built for the Rurick, at my re- 

 quest. During my stay in England I had ^•isited 

 the harbour of Plymouth, and there seen a life-boat 

 of the invention of Mr. Fincham, a master ship- 

 builder. The judicious contrivance, and the small 



VOL. I. c 



