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A S H O R T 



ACCOUNT OF NAVIGATORS 



WHO HAVE REACHED 



HIGH NORTHERN LATITUDES 0 . 



I WENT to Amfterdam the 26th of March, being the raoft 

 proper time to make the defired enquiries, and to obtain infor- 

 mation from all the commanders that were to depart this year to 

 Greenland; for then you meet fix, eight, and more together, in 

 houfes where they enlift their men. I am, however, forry to 

 mention, that but few of thofe commanders keep journals when 

 they are near, or in the ice ; but, notwithstanding this, the ac- 

 counts they give carry with them fuch an air of truth, from 

 being confirmed by minute circumftances, and corroborated by 

 fo many witnefTes, that thefe relations (I verily believe) may be 

 depended upon as well as fome journals. I particularly applied 

 myfelf, however, to thofe to whom a great number of voyages 

 had given experience, and (contrary to my expectations) met 

 with men of candour and penetration. I thought it proper, 

 likewife, to take the following extract of a journal, it fhewing 

 the common form in which fome of them are kept. 



c This account was drawn up by Captain William May, in the fervice 

 of the States, at the defire of ProfefTor Allamand of Leyden. See 

 p.. 04. 



M Tramlation 



