A VOYAGE TO 
by Mr. Shortland A fmall difference in longitude 
affords the cliief reafon for doubting the identity of the 
paifage, which, fl:iould it be proved, will not detract at 
all from the merit of the latter navigator, who proceeded 
entirely by his ovvii attention and fagacity, in a fea un- 
known to himfeif and thofe who were with him, which, 
if not wholly unexplored, had not, however, been Pur- 
veyed before with equal minutenefs of obfervation* 
Lieutenant Shortland now congratulated himfeif on 
having cleared this large tra6l of land, which he had 
the greateft reafon to fuppofe united the whole way 
from the place at which he firfc fell in with it ; as in 
failing at a very moderate diftance from the coaft, 
he had made every effort in his power to find a palTage 
to the northward. A place called by one of the French 
navigators, Port Surville, is probably a part of it, as well 
as Choifeul Bay, but the points feen and defcribed by 
the French difcoverers are very few ; and for the know- 
ledge of the form and bearings of the refl of the coaft, 
throughout the whole extent of near three degrees of 
latitude, and full five of longitude, we are in- 
debted entirely to the refearches of our own country- 
* Some of the vefTels indeed were larger. " II y avoit vingt-deux hommes dans 
la plus grande, dans les moyennes, huit out dix, deux ou trois dans les plus petites. 
Ces pirogues paroijfoient blen faites ; elks ont I'avani is Tamer e fort releves^ &c. /.'V 
partent des bracelets^ et dcs plaques an front ct fur le col, J'ignore de quelle ma- 
tiere;^ elkirCa paru etre blanche " Boug. Chap. v. p. 264. 
X man^ 
