2 EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION 



finding her income too small to admit her living in town as she had 

 been accustomed to, retired to Bimmester, in Dorsetshire (her native 

 place), where she lived as a gentlewoman, and was much respected. It 

 was her wish to give her children as good an education as the place 

 afforded, and accordingly [she] sent her son to school at a very early 

 period, but his dislike to reading and writing was so great that he made 

 very little progress in either. His masters, indeed, spared neither threats 

 nor persuasion to induce him to learn, but their arguments were thrown 

 away on one who seemed predetermined never to become a learned 

 man ; he had, however, a very quick apprehension, and, in his childish 

 sports, showed unusual activity and ingenuity ; he was particularly fond 

 of drawing, and though he never had the least instruction in the art, 

 copied with great delicacy and correctness even from nature. Mrs. 

 Hearne's friends, finding her son had no taste for study, advised her 

 fixing on some business, and proposed such as they judged most suitable 

 for him ; but he declared himself utterly averse to trade, and begged he 

 might be sent to sea. His mother very reluctantly complied with his 

 request, took him to Portsmouth, and remained with him till he sailed. 

 His captain (now Lord Hood) promised to take care of him, and he 

 kept his word ; for he gave him every indulgence his youth required. 

 He was then but eleven years of age. They had a warm engagement 

 soon after he entered, and took several prizes. The captain told him 

 he should have his share, but he begged, in a very affectionate manner, 

 it should be given to his mother, and she should know best what to do 

 with it. He was a midshipman several years under the same com- 

 mander ; but, either on the conclusion of the war, or having no hopes 

 of preferment, he left the navy, and entered into the service of the 

 Hudson's Bay Company as mate of one of their sloops. He was, how- 

 ever, soon distinguished from his associates by his ingenuity, industry, 

 and a wish to undertake some hazardous enterprise by which mankind 

 might be benefited. This was represented to the Company, and they 

 immediately applied to him as a proper person to be sent on an expedi- 

 tion they had long had in view, viz. to find out the North-West Passage. 

 He gladly accepted the proposal, and how far he succeeded is shown to 

 the public in his Journal. On his return he was advanced to a more 

 lucrative post at Prince of Wales Fort, on Hudson Bay, and in a few 

 years was made Commander-in-Chief, in which position he remained 

 till 1782, when the French unexpectedly landed at Prince of Wales 

 Fort, took possession of it, and after having given the governor leave to 

 secure his own property, seized the stock of furs, &c. &c., and blew up 



