Chap. V.] Gcographxj. 33 



thoud, and the investigation, in general, of the best 

 mode of finding the longitude at sea, yet its able 

 conductors made many other observations, and 

 ascertained many facts of great importance to geo- 

 graphical science. They pointed out the true 

 situation of a number of places, seas, and coasts, 

 before but imperfectly known ; rectified charts 

 which had been long in vogue ; and gave new and 

 more accurate information on a variety of points 

 highly interesting to navigators. 



In 1775 don Juan de Ayala, a Spanish navigator, 

 undertook a voyage for the purpose of exploring 

 the north-western coast of America. He added a 

 little to the sum of geographical knowledge, by 

 discovering some bays, capes, and harbours, be- 

 tween the 47th and 57th parallels of north lati- 

 tude. 



Our knowledge of Iceland was greatly improved 

 by the voyage of sir Joseph Banks and Dr. Solan- 

 der, to that island, in 1772. These gentlemen, 

 ' being disappointed in their plan of revisiting the 

 South Sea, determined on a northern voyage, in 

 which they were accompanied by the rev. Dr. von 

 Troil, Dr. J. Lind, and several other literary and 

 scientific gentlemen. They gave to the public, ^s 

 the result of this expedition, much new and impor- 

 tant information concerning the geograpliy and 

 natural history of Iceland. 



The idea of finding a north-east passage to In- 

 dia w^as, during a great part of the eighteenth cen- 

 tury, generally entertained by navigators. It was 

 before remarked, that the Russians, at an early 

 period of the century, made numerous attempts to 

 solve this important question in geography, but 



Vol. II. D 



