59P TRAVELS through 



Kamptchatka^ or of fome ille or continent near 

 that peninfula. This communication will never 

 be well afcertained whilft it remains undifcover- 

 ed *. Conjeftures explain nothing ; they give 

 probabilities, but go no further : however, be 

 it as it will, it is very probable that fuch a com- 

 munication exifls : fuppofing there are ftreights 

 that divide thefe two great parts of the world, 

 they cannot have prevented men from penetra- 

 ting out of one into the other, by crofTmg thofe 

 ftreights. We muft hope, that the ignorance 

 in which v/e are at prefent will not laft for ever •, 

 the difcoveries which men ihall endeavour to 

 .make in the great fouthern or Pacific ocean, will 

 give us more light on this fubje6l -j-. If, after 



making 



* The modern geographical difcoverle?, and efpecially 

 thofe made by the Ruffians, fufficiently evince, that tiie fea 

 entirely divides Jjia from America ; there can be no doubt 

 neither of Japan'z being an ifie, and unconnected with the 

 continent of ^7«frzV« ; it is true, however, that the fea which 

 divides Jjia from America near Cape TchukJIiiy is very nar • 

 row, and not afufficient obftacle to the migration of the na- 

 tions that inhabit the norch-eall: parts of Siberia into Ameri- 

 ca ; for a further hint concerning the population of that vali 

 continent, fee Kahns Tra'-jels to North America, vol. iii, 

 p. 125. ^^c. F. 



f When thefe tetters were gone to prefs, I heard that the 

 Engiifh had difopvered ten i/Iands in that ocean- There h 



aft 



