INTRODUCTION. 
xxxiii 
in your farther progrefs to the Northward', as hereafter directed, you find any 
fubjeCls of any European Prince or State upon any part of the coaft you may think 
proper to vifit, you are not to difturb them, or give them any juft caufe of offence, 
but, on the contrary, to treat them with civility and friendfioip. 
Upon four arrival on the coaft of New Albion,you are to put into the firft con¬ 
venient port to recruit your wood and water, and procure refrejhments, and then 
to proceed Northward along the coaft, as far as the latitude of 6 ft, or farther, 
if you are not obft rubied by lands or ice; taking care not to lofe any time in ex¬ 
ploring rivers or inlets, or upon any other account, until you get into the before- 
mentioned latitude of 6 ft, where we could wifto you to arrive in the month of June 
next. When you get that length, you are very carefwjy to fearch for, and to 
explore, fuch rivers or inlets as may appear to be of a confiderable extent, and 
pointing towards Hudfon’s or Baffin’s Bays ; and if, from your own obfervations, 
or from any information you may receive from the natives (who, there is reafon 
to believe, are thefame race of people, andfpeak the fame language, of which you 
are furnijhed with a Vocabulary, as the Efqumaux), there Jhall appear to be a 
certainty, or even a probability, of a water paffage into the afore-mentioned bays, 
or either of them, you are, in fuch cafe, to ufe your utmoft endeavours to pafs 
through with one or both of the Jloops, unlefs you Jhall be of opinion that the paf¬ 
fage may be effected with more certainty, or with greater probability, by fmaller 
veffielsin which cafe you are to Jet up the frames of one or both the fmall 
veffiels with which you are provided, and, when they are put together, and are 
properly fitted, Jlored, and victualled, you are to difpatch one or both of them, un¬ 
der the care of proper officers, with a fufficient number of petty officers, men, and 
boats, in order to attempt the faid paffage ; with fuch inftruClions for their re¬ 
joining you, if they fhouldfail, or for their farther proceedings, if they fhouldfuc- 
ceed in the attempt, as you Jhall judge moft proper. But, neverthelefs, if you 
Jhall find it more eligible to purfue any other meafures than thofe above pointed 
out, in order to make a difcovery of the before-mentioned paffage (if any fuch 
there be), you are at liberty, and we leave it to your difcretion, to purfue fuch 
meafures accordingly. 
• In cafe you Jhall be fatisfied that there is no paffage through to the above-men¬ 
tioned bays, fufficient for the purpofes of navigation, you are, at the proper feafon 
of the year, to repair to the port of St. Peter and St. Paul in Kamtfchatka, or 
wherever elfe you Jhall judge more proper, in order to refrejh your people and pafs 
VoL. I. e the 
