28 Geography. [Chap. V. 



To whidi we may add, that the occasional mis- 

 takes and mistbrtunes of mariners, while they over- 

 whelmed with distress the inmiediate sufferers, 

 have contributed to enlarge the sphere of our in- 

 formation with respect to distant countries, and 

 thus, by a wise arrangement of Providence, to in- 

 crease the objects and the means of naval enter- 

 prise. 



Although in these geographical discoveries Great 

 Britain has undoubtedly made the most distin- 

 guished figure ; yet, witli respect to time, the 

 honour of priority belongs to Russia. Early in 

 the century, Peter the Great, to whose mind bold 

 and grand enterprises were familiar and habitual, 

 conceived the design of exploring regions of the 

 earth which had not been before visited by civi- 

 lised man, and by this means promoting the wealth, 

 cultivation, and aggrandisement, of his empire. In 

 pursuance of this design, he formed several expe- 

 ditions for discovery, which, though not crowned 

 with complete success, were 3-et considerably use- 

 ful, and laid the foundation of greater attainments 

 after his death. It was in his reign that several 

 large districts of country in the north-eastern parts 

 of Asia \\ere first visited and explored by Euro- 

 peans. Under his auspices, some enterprising na- 

 vigators, in ll\^, discovered the chain of islands 

 called the Kun'les, on the coast of Kamtschatka. 

 Under the direction of the same monarch, also, 

 captains Behring and Tschirikow discovered a 

 numb(n' of other islands in the adjacent seas, and 

 cstabHsht'd a profitable trade with the natives! 

 The former, h native of Denmark, in 1728, first 

 entered the strait which divides Asi^ frorr^ the 



