APPENDIX. 149 
judgment you may be led to form in your progress. They 
feel certain, moreover, that any measure which you may con- 
ceive it necessary to adopt, amid the unforeseen occurrences 
of this enterprise, will meet with approbation from the share- 
holders. As, however, amid the incidents to be considered 
and provided for as contingent, the expedition may be de- 
prived of your services, it is the wish of the Committee, 
that the intention and the proper course of proceeding, as far 
as such can be determined at present, should be defined and 
rendered familiar to the parties composing the expedition. 
It is to be hoped that this may be only the first of a series 
of efforts prosecuted by the same means, and deriving their 
support from the same sources: but the fulfilment of this 
expectation must evidently depend in a great degree on its 
success. We cannot expect that our limited Colonial Society 
should feel justified in supporting any measure tending to 
sacrifice its valuable members and waste its resources, for 
objects solely of contingent and distant benefit, should it 
happen that the consequences of this endeavour confirm the 
impression of peril attendant on the view generally taken of 
it. However wide and promising therefore may be the views 
of benefit we entertain as about to arise from the knowledge 
we may gather, or the means and sources of commercial and 
scientific enterprise which the expedition may unveil, these 
views must. be held in subservience to the recollection that 
the unimpeded progress and absolute safety of this one is 
of paramount importance as a guide, model, and inducement 
to others. ‘This, therefore, is ever to be kept in view, and first 
considered in all its undertakings; and any measure ob- 
viously unsafe, even though its advantages, supposing it suc- 
cesstul, should seem to be eminent and many, ought to be 
carefully avoided. While our failure would, by its effects 
on society here, necessarily damp our prospects of future 
