m 
INTRODUCTION. 
multitudes of iflands, and of people, whofe exiftence was 
not known before—and the fame of fixing the geography 
of the Southern World, were the noble fruits of this bold 
and hazardous enterprize ; which will remain to fucceeding 
ages a monument of the zeal and patronage of George 
the Third. 
Under fuch aufpices, and under fuch navigators as this 
bufinefs was confided to, with each fuperadded afliftance 
in the various fciences, what was there not to be hoped ?— 
And it certainly, in no finall degree, added to the fpirit of the 
undertaking, that fuch an unexampled charadter as Mr. 
(now Sir Joseph) Bavks voluntarily accompanied Captain 
Cook.— As long as the hiffcory of that time fhall exift, it 
will ftamp the highefi honour on his name, to have, in 
the prime of youth, facrificed the blandifhments of a noble 
fortune, to his ardour for information and fcience, without 
fhrinking at the perils he might encounter from untried 
feas, and coafts that had never been explored. — And it 
equally reflects the highefi credit on his difcerning country; 
who, emulous to acknowledge the debt fhe owed his merit, 
feized the earlieft opportunity, after his return, to make 
him President of the Royal Society ; a fituation the 
moil honourable and diftinguifiied fhe could offer a per- 
fon of his genius and purfuits ; where Rill, with the fame 
ardour, he promotes her Fame, the zealous and liberal Pa¬ 
tron of learning and of fcience. 
The 
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