vi 



PREFACE. 



perior, in North America, and being endowed by 

 nature with an inquisitive mind and enterprizing 

 spirit ; possessing also a constitution and frame of 

 body equal to the most arduous undertakings, and be- 

 ing familiar with toilsome exertions in the prosecu- 

 tion of mercantile pursuits, I not only contemplated 

 the practicability of penetrating across the conti- 

 nent of America, but was confident in the qualifi- 

 cations, as I was animated by the desire, to under- 

 take the perilous enterprize. 



The general utility of such a discovery, has been 

 universally acknowledged ; while the wishes of my 

 particular friends and commercial associates, that I 

 should proceed in the pursuit of it, contributed to 

 quicken the execution of this favourite project of 

 my own ambition : and as the completion of it ex- 

 tends the boundaries of geographic science, and adds 

 new countries to the realms of British commerce, 

 the danger I have encountered, and the toils I have 

 suffered, have found their recompence ; nor will 

 the many tedious and weary days, or the gloomy 

 and inclement nights which I have passed, have 

 been passed in vain. 



The first voyage has settled the dubious point of 

 a practicable North- West passage ; and I trust, 

 that it has set that long agitated question at rest, and 

 extinguished the disputes respecting it forever. An 

 enlarged discussion of that subject will be found to 

 occupy the concluding pages of this volume. 



In this voyage, I was not only without the ne- 

 cessary books and instruments, but also felt myself 

 deficient in the sciences of astronomy and naviga- 

 tion ; I did not hesitate, therefore, to undertake a 

 winter's voyage to this country, in order to procure 

 the one and acquire the other. These objects be- 

 ing accomplished, I returned, to determine the prac- 

 ticability of a commercial communication through 

 the continent of North America, between the At- 



m 



