Geography). S37 



no 'expedition of any magnitude, for promoting 

 knowledge, had been instituted by the Spanish 

 government for a long time previous to that which 

 is about to be mentioned. The published accounts 

 of Cook's voyages soon excited the curiosity and 

 the jealousy of that nation. The government 

 fitted out several vessels, at different times, for 

 the purpose, and with the hope, of rivalling, if 

 not surpassing, the exploits of the far-famed Eng- 

 lish discoverer. Of these attempts, the latest and 

 most conspicuous was that made in 1789, under 

 the direction of Don Malespina and Don Bas- 

 TAMENTE. Thcsc commaudcrs deserve an honour- 

 able place among the geographical discoverers of 

 the century. They made many valuable maps 

 and charts of coasts, particularly on the Americaa 

 continent, which, though visited before, had not 

 been satisfactorily explored or delineated. They 

 discovered a new cluster of islands in the Southern 

 Ocean; and contributed not a little to extend our 

 knowledge of navigation, natural history, and the 

 habits and manners of various savage nations, of 

 whom little was before known. 



Besides the more distinguished voyages which 

 have been enumerated, several others are entitled 

 to notice in the present sketch, as having con- 

 tributed to the improvement of geography. The 

 voyages of Nieuhoff and Osbeck, to China, early 

 in the century; the voyage of Chabart, in 1753; 

 that of Courtanveaux, in 1768; of Stavorinus, 

 to some of the Asiatic Islands, in 1768; of Ker- 

 guelen, to Iceland, Greenland, Shetland ^inA Nor- 

 ivay, in 1772; of Forrest, in 1774; of De la 

 Crennie, Borda, andPiNGRE, in 1778; of Mar- 

 CHAND, round the world, in 1790; of Entrecas- 

 TAux, in search of la Perouse; of the Mission- 

 aries to the South-Sea Islands, and several others, 

 who have all furnished some new and valuable in- 



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