A. D. 1794. 329 



der the name of the Bourbon canes, were foon fpread over all the Brit- 

 ifli Weft-Indies, where they very quickly fuperfeded the old canes, and 

 with fuch advantage to the proprietors of fugar plantations, whom' they 

 have infpired with the moft fplendid hopes, that the introdudion of 

 them will undoubtedly conftitute an important aera in the hiftorv of the 

 Weft-Indies *. 



The Spanifli government did not refufe to admit the Britifli veflels, 

 employed in the whale fifliery in the Pacific ocean, into their ])orts for 

 the purpofes of repairing, or taking in wood, water, and refrellnnents. 

 But the indulgence v/as clogged with fo many reftridions and difficul- 

 ties, as to be fcarcely beneficial : and it was expeded that the ufual jeal- 

 oufy of the Spaniards would foon cut it off entirely. The merchants 

 in London, concerned in that trade, therefor prefented a memorial to 

 the committee of the privy council for trade, fetting forth the hard- 

 fhips feamen are liable to in long voyages from the want of land air, 

 frefta food, &c. and requefting, that a proper officer might be appoint- 

 ed to difcover the beft harbours near the fifhing grounds in the Pacific 

 ocean, where their veflels might be refitted, and their feamen refreili- 

 ed, without begging the favour, or exciting the jealoufy, of the Span- 

 iards. Captain Colnett, an officer bred up under the immortal Cook, 

 who had already made fome commercial voyages in the Pacific ocean' 

 was appointed for this voyage : and Meflieurs Enderby and Sons, the 

 merchants rnoft largely concerned in the Southern fifliery, fitted out a 

 fnip, in conjunction with Captain Colnett, for the voyage, which was 

 begun in January 1793, and finiftied in November 1794 f. 'The iflands 

 recommended by Captain Colnett as the moft proper places for veflels 

 employed in fifliing for whales, efpecially the fpermaceti kind, to flop 

 at for refitting, or procuring wood, water, or refrefliments, are the fol- 

 lowing, viz. Staten ifland near the fouthern extremity of America : 

 JVIocho ifland : Lobos ifland : the clufter called (from the abundance of 

 turtles) the Galapagos, which he fuppofes to be the general rendezvous 

 ot the fpermaceti whale for bringing forth their young ; and he parti- 

 cularly recommends that called James ifland, as having water in the 

 greateft plenty : the Ifland of Cocos, full of coco-nut trees : Socoro : 

 and Quibo, which, however, is rather too near the Spanifli fliore. 



* By the kuidncfs of a worthy friend I am « vvondi;rfiil, that I expeft from fix to feven hunci- 



enabled to infeit the following extraft of a letter ' red hogilieads next year, if I can rr.ake them 



from a gentleman of the greateft rcfpedability in ' This cane pafTes wonder, and renders the appear- 



the .(land of Tobago, dated 20"' September 1797. ' ance of the old canes unpleafant. 1 could not 



' My properties here, fiuee we were reftored to < as a planter, have credited, on report, what I 



• the Britifh government, have become very va- ♦ have witntfTed of it.' 



' ["■''^■ju ^""^ ^°' '''""^ ^'"''^ averaged live f Captain Colnett publifhcd ar. account of his 



• hundred hogflieads of fugar and a large propor- voyage, written by himfelf. 



• lion of rum. And the JJourbon canes are fo 



Vol. IV. ' Tt 



