232 A. D. 1742. 



from their force or number, you are to proceed no farther on the dif- 

 covery, but immediately to return ; that (hips of fufficient force may 

 be fent out next feafon to begin a trade or make a fettlement, without 

 any apprehenfion of difturbance from any powerful nations on that fide, 

 left any accident fhould prevent your return, and difcourage any farther 

 attempts to be made for the future. If you fhould arrive at California, 

 without any apprehenfion of danger, and choofe to winter in 42 de- 

 grees, (where Caxton is faid to have found a civilized nation, and a good 

 harbour) or elfe more foutherly ; then endeavour to meet Captain An- 

 fon in the month of December, before the arrival of the Manilla or 

 Acapulco fiiip at Cape St. Lucas, the fouthern cape of California, and 

 leave a copy of your journal with him, left any accident fliould happen 

 to you upon your return, and fo the difcovery be loft, and that it 

 might prevent fhips being fent out to your relief in cafe of fliipwreck. 



Charles Wager, 



Given under our hands, the 20th of May 1741. Thomas Frankland, 



Glenorchy. 



He failed in 1741 on the difcovery, and wintered in Hudfon's bay 

 at one of the company's forts at Churchill river ; and in the fummer 

 of 1742 he failed again as far north as 66y degrees, and fearched into 

 an inlet or river, weftward, which he named Wager river, &c. and be- 

 ing now fully confirmed that no fuch paftkge was to be found,, he re- 

 turned home that fame year with the king's fliips. 



This produced a great deal of altercation in print between him and 

 Mr. Dobbes, who was fo eagerly bent on that difcovery : Captain Mid- 

 dleton infifting on the above inlet's being merely a river, and Mr. 

 Dobbes infifting it was the pafl^Iige wiftied for, though he was never in 

 thofe feas, wherein the captain had greatly the advantage of him. Mr. 

 Dobbes accufed the later of favouring the Hudlbn's-bay company, who, 

 as he alleged, had no fort of inclination to forward this difcovery, as 

 believing it would be the means of laying their trade open, to which 

 they certainly have no legal exclufive right by ad: of parliament, but 

 merely by King Charles Il's charter. He alfo alleged, that this com- 

 pany fell their goods to the favages in that bay at 2000 per cent profit : 

 he is therefor for diflx)lving the company, and for laying the trade open 

 to all the king's fubjeds. He accufes him (whom, however, he admits 

 to be a capable peribn) as well as the company, of knowing and con- 

 cealing the pafilige ; and infifts, that there are many marks of fuch a 

 paflage ; as, particularly, the faltnefs of the water, the ftrength of tides 

 and currents up Wager ftrait or river, and black whales being found in 

 it, and in the opening called the Welcome, near it. Yet Captain Mid- 

 dleton endeavours to account for this, by fuppofing fome under-ground 

 pafiagc for the fea out of Baffin's bay, or Davis's ftraits, &c. And here 

 we muft leave this dark fubjed for the prefent. 



