INTRODUCTION. 
s 
xii 
from a high Southern latitude, Northward to New Guinea* 
and the iflands to the Eaffc of it near the equator, produce d 
intermediate difcoveries, that have rendered his voyage me¬ 
morable in the annals of navigation. 
But ftill, upon the whole, what was effected in thefe 
three expeditions, ferved only to fhew how large a field 
was referved for future and more perfevering examination. 
Their refults had, indeed, enabled geographers to diver- 
iify the vacant uniformity of former charts of this Ocean, 
by the infertion of fome new iflands. But the number, and 
the extent of thefe infertions were fo inconfiderable, that 
they may be faid to appear 
Rari, nantes in gurgite vaflo. 
And, if the difcoveries were few, thofe few were made 
very imperfectly. Some coafts were approached, but not 
landed upon; and paffed without waiting to examine their 
extent, and connection with thofe that might exift at no 
great diftance. If others were landed upon, the vifits were, 
in general, fo tranfient, that it was fcarcely poffible to build 
upon a foundation, fo weakly laid, any information that 
could even gratify idle curiofity; much lefs fatisfy philofo- 
phical inquiry, or contribute greatly to the fafety, or to the 
fuccefs of future navigation. 
Let us, however, do juftice to thefe beginnings of dif- 
covery. To the Dutch we muff, at leaft, afcribe the merit 
of being our harbingers, though we afterward went beyond 
them in the road they had firft ventured to tread. And with 
what fuccefs his Majefhy’s fbips have, in their repeated 
voyages, penetrated into the obfcureft receffes of the South 
Pacific Ocean, will appear from the following enumeration 
of their various and very extenfive operations, which have 
drawn 
