382 AVOYAGETOTHE 



c HA P. That the King George's Sound Company have not ac- 



*— V ' cumulated immenfe fortunes may perhaps be true ; but 



it is no lefs certain that they are gamers to the amount of 

 fome thoufands of pounds ; and that the voyage did not 

 anfwer the utmoft extent of their v^iflies, undoubtedly 

 was owing to their own inexperience ; for when the King 

 George and Queen Charlotte arrived at Canton, and even 

 a month after that period, prime fea-otter fkins fold from 

 eighty to ninety dollars each. Of this quantity thefe 

 fhips had at leaft two thoufand on board, belides a large 

 quantity of furs of inferior value : but though we could 

 have fold our cargo with eafe, v/e were not at liberty to 

 difpofe of one material article ; the fole management of it 

 being vefted in the hands of the Eaft India Company's 

 fupercargoes ; and at length the Ikins juft mentioned were 

 fold for lefs than twenty dollars each. 



Froa/[ this plain flatement oi faEls^ the public may at 

 once perceive that this branch of commerce, fo far from 

 being a losing one, is perhaps the moft profitable and 

 lucrative employ that the enterprifing merchant can pof-- 

 fibly engage in. 



A L IS T 



