lviii 
INTRODUCTION, 
in diredling a fhip’s courfe, along rocky fhores, through 
narrow ftraits, amidft perplexing currents, and dangerous 
fhoals ? But, above all, what numbers of new bays, and 
harbours, and anchoring-places, are now, for the firfi: time, 
brought forward, where fhips may be fheltered, and their 
crews find tolerable refrefhments ? To enumerate all thefe 
would be to tranfcribe great part of the journals of our feve- 
ral Commanders, whofe labours will endear them to every 
navigator whom trade or war may carry into their tracks. 
Every nation that fends a fhip to fea, will partake of the 
benefit; but Great Britain herfelf, whofe commerce is 
boundlefs, muft take the lead in reaping the full advan¬ 
tage of her own difcoveries. 
In confequence of all thefe various improvements, leffen- 
ing the apprehenfions of engaging in long voyages, may 
we not reafonably indulge the pleafing hope, that frefh 
branches of commerce may, even in our own time, be at¬ 
tempted, and fuccefsfully carried on? Our hardy adven¬ 
turers in the whale-fifiiery, have already found their way, 
within thefe few years, into the South Atlantic; and who 
knows what fre fir fources of commerce may ftill be opened, 
if the profpedt of gain can be added, to keep alive the fpirit 
of enterprize ? If the fituation of Great Britain be too re¬ 
mote, other trading nations will afiuredly avail themfelves 
of our difcoveries. We may foon expert to hear that the 
Ruffians, now inftrufted by us where to find the American 
continent, have extended their voyages from the Fox Iflands 
to Cook’s River, and Prince William’s Sound. And if Spain 
itfelf fhould not be tempted to trade from its moft Northern 
Mexican ports, by the frefh mine of wealth difcovered in 
the furs of King.George’s Sound, which they may tranfport 
in their Manilla fhips, as a favourite commodity for the 
io Chinefe 
