INTRODUCTION. 
OTHING hath more diftinguifhed the reign of his 
^ prefent Majefty, than the liberality with which he 
hath encouraged the ardour of nautical difcovery.— Al¬ 
though the voyages of other European nations have great¬ 
ly increafed our knowledge of the globe, yet as thefe were 
generally undertaken (fome late voyages of the French ex¬ 
cepted) from views either of ambition or of avarice, the im¬ 
provement of fcience, and of geography, was but a feconda- 
ry confideration;—it is not, therefore, to be wondered that 
the fubjedt {till remained imperfedt, overclouded by doubt 
and uncertainty.-—To diffipate thefe clouds, to remove ex¬ 
iting errors, and to render what was dubious demonftrably 
clear,.became highly interefting to almolt every nation ; and 
Europe, with eyes of admiration, beheld this important ob¬ 
ject not only undertaken, but to a furprizing degree exe¬ 
cuted, by the fpirit and abilities of Great Britain. 
The exploring untraverfed oceans, in fpite of every 
danger that could menace,. or difmay — the difcovering; 
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multitudes 
