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Les diagrammes suivants lllustrent la mithode. rata 3 lelure. 3 32X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 I o Hi Pri REASONS To fhcw, that there is a great pRon ability of a Navigable Passage T O T H E Weftern American Ocean, THROUGH HUDSON'S STREIGHTS, and CHESTERFIELD INLET j FROM THE Observations made on board the Ships fcnt upon the late Discovery ; fupported by Affidavits, v^^hich coincides with fe- veral Former Accounts. Humbly oflfered to the Confideratlon of the Lords and Commons aflfembled in Parliament. LONDON: Printed for J. Robinson at the Golden Lion m Lud- gau-ftratt, MDCCXLIX. •,^ f ^f REASONS To fliew, ihat there is a great Probaiiimtv of a Navigable Passage to the JVeJicr?t AmerkoJi Ocean T H R O U G II HUDSON"^ STREIGHTS, and CHESTERFJELD mLET, R O M Mr. WeftaPs Report and Af- fidavit fmce his RctLirn (who went farther up this Inlet than Johnfon^ Mate to Captain Moor^ and Dr. ^bomfon^ who followed him in the Schooner, and anchor*d five Leagues fliort of him) it appears, that it was not above four Leagues wide at the Eaft. Entrance from the Bay, bearing firfl: nortli-wefterly, further in vveflerly, and at the upper End fouth-weflerly ; the Water deep to the Shore, but the Lands low^ the depth from 20 to 40 and 50 Fathom in the Mid-channel ; the Water (as attcfled by thofe in the Schooner) where diey anchor'd one Night, five Leagues, below ^^Z* A 21 tal'^ Hi I • ( 4 ) taVs Boat, when he was at the Place where he made hisObfervation, was clear and very fait ; the Spirings from the Head of the Boat at Anchor being dry*d into a white Salt upon their Shoes in the Morning, and the Strcight there was fix Leagues wide. Five Leagues higher, where fyejlali anchored and try'd the Tide by a Pole, about 200 Yards from the Shore, the depth was three Fathom, and five Fathom in the Channel i it feem*d muddy -, and he reported that the Water upon the Surface was brackifh at High Wa- ter, ana almoft frefh at Low Water -, the Tide there role nine feet, but nearer the Bay as he went up, it flow'd 14 Feet •, it was there four Leagues wide, 30 Leagues from the Eafl: Entrance, and continu'd at lead that breadth for fix or feven Leagues far- ther, as far as he could fee in a clear Day. The Tide there ebb'd to the caftward eight Hours each Tide, at the rate of fix Miles an Hour, then for about two Hours only ftem'd the Current, and for the laft two Hours fet up wefterly at the rate of h df a Mile an Hour ; and therefore, from its being brackifh on the Surface, and from the great Current to eaft- ward during the Ebb, he apprehended it to come from a River or frefli Inland Lake. The whole Coaft was ragged and flony, no Snow upon the Land, and little or no Ice in the Inlet. If thefe Obfervations are true, it is neither a Ri^ ver nor frefh Inland Lake, for thefe Reafons •, the Entrance of the Inlet being only four Leagues Wide, and not wider than fix in the IVliddle, and four Leagues wide at the farthefl they went up, conti- nuing flill the fame breadth, at leafl for fix or feven Leagues farther, where it ebb'd eight Hours, at the rate of fix Miles an Hour •, then for two Hours only fweird and ftopt the Current •, and for the laft two Hours flow'd weftward at the rate of half a Mile an Hour ; the Tide rifing there nine Feet ; yet the Water I I i ^ ( 5) Water was brackilh, but not frefli on the Surface. This demonllratcs that lb great a Qijatitity of Wa- ter running fix Miles an Hour, and four Leagues wide for eight Hours-, and flow'd weftward not two Miles in the laft two Hours of the Tide ; and continuing brackilh there, and very fait five Leagues lower, could not proceed from a frelTi Lake or Ri- ver •, for as the Streight was but four Leagues wide at Eaft Entrance, and not above fix Leagues wide in the Middle, and 30 Leagues long, a Current of frefh Water four Leagues wide, fo rapid as to run near 16 Leagues each Ebb, and not one League upon the Flood, in a few Tides mufb have filled the whole Streight with frelh Water •, nnd therefore tJie Water being fait in the Streight, and brackilli there, muft have had its Supply from a fait Sea or Ocean : For in the Thames and other Rivers where there is a Urong Tide, they are frefh for many Miles below the flowing of the Tide, caus'd by the frefii Water's forcing back the fait. But if that Current proceeded fron» a Salt Water Tide, through a Streight, it is cnfy to account for the Water's being only brackifli on its Surface, where it was try'd •, though it might be very filt below •, as it was found upon Trial in JVfger Met -, for in thofe Seas, where the Ice was lately dinolv'd on the Surface, and the Snow thaw'd from the Land, as frefh Water is fpecifically lighter than fait, it would float upon the fait Water in fine calm Weather, until by Storms and blowing Weather it would mix with the fait Water below it. Nor was the Shallownefs of the Water, nor Muddynefs of it there, a Reafon to fuppofe it a River ; for as it was near the meeting of the two Tides, where the different Streams met, it would occafion a Bar, as is found at the Mouths of Rivers, and that Bar, would confift of a light Sand or ouzy Mud. But t ; ( 6 ) But, on the contrary, fuppofing it a Current from a Streight which communicates with the Weftern Ocean, either through a Salt Water Lake, or a narrow Strei-lit, then all the Obftrvations made may be eafily accounted tor ; the Tide would flow towards tjie Middle of the Srreight as well from the Weftern Ocean as from the Kaft Entrance in Hudfon*^ Bay, and mull rife and meet near the Middle, according to the Height and Velocity of each Tide, at the different F^nds of the Streight, — and whi-Tcver they meet, there nnift be a Swelling and Stop for fome time, without any Current either way, and then the Ebb in Proportion to the Dif- tance fiom the Place of meeting, mud be for mojjc or fewer I lours, as is obferv'd in navigable River?, but would be ftill lalt or brackifh. But this alone could not account for fo many Hours Ebb each Tide, and for the great Quantity of Water and Ve- locity of the Current upon the Ebb, fince it fliould fall equally from the Middle to each End of the Streight, as it was not carry'd up by the Flood, as obferv'd by Mr. JFeftal. But upon Suppofition that there is a great Ocean at the Weft End of fuch Streight, at much the fame Diftance as this Place was from HudforC% Bay, about 30 Leagues, let us confider, if this will not fully ex- plain all that Wejiall obferv'd. The Ocean being then at the weft Entrance of the Streight, it may be prefum'd to have as great an Impulfe there, and to raifc as high a Tide, as our Eaften Ocean does at the Eaft Entrance of IIudfon\ Streight, where it is known to rife at leaft 24 Feet. But the Tide at the Eaft Entrance of this Streight in HudforC^ Bay, being weaken' d and expanded in the Bay, does not rife there by Obfervation above 14 Feet Confequently, the Tide from the Weftern Ocean rifing 24 Feet, rauft be near as high in the Middle ar ^mw as (7) at Half Flood, as the Tide in the Bay Is at I Ugh Water, and therefore mull continue dilcharging the Water into the Bay, not only during the whole Ebb of the Bay Tide, but aifo during great Part of the Flood, until near High Water by the Tide from the Bay, which may happen at the fame time, when it may be half Ebb by the Wcilern Ocean 'J'ide, as the Time of High Water of both Tiiles may not be at the fame Time, as they are caus'd by diiilrcnc Oceans, and thefc Oceans are at dill, ant Diflances from each End of the vStreight ; and this mufl caufe fo great an EaR.<.Tn Current into the Hay, which will appear to be Ebb Water into the Bay, as that is lower than the Ocean, though it be Irom a Elpod Tide from the Weftern Ocean. This Tide and Current yvill alfo fully anfwcr the confirmM Accounts, why flrong North- well Winds rail'e fuch high Fides in the Weft Side of the Bay, though it blow off the Coaft, when at the fame time itrong EaOcrly Winds, which blow the Eaftern Ocean into Hudfon'% Streigbl, don*t raife fuch Tides on the Weft Side of the Bay, though it blows againft the Coaft -, for if there be the like Currents in Corbet^s and Rankin's Inlets, which were not fol- low'd, nor fearch'd -, but only a fmall Tide of Flood obferv'd at the rate of one Mile an Hour ; and the whole fhould be broken Lands betwixt 62°. 30', and 64'. When there is fo great a Current in calm fine Weather, how much more muft be thrown in when there is a Storm at North- weft ? which, added to that thrown in by Repulfe Bay^ muft raife fuch high Tides, as have been obferv'd by Marks upon the Shore on that Coaft and " 1 the Welcome. This will alfo account for the Currents fetting Ships Southward of their Reckonings upon that Coaft, and why the Ice is drove from that Coaft whilft it is ^rr- il ( 8 ) IS in gffat Quantity on the low Reach CoafV, and to the Eiftvvard and Southward in the Bay. That the Tide from the Ocean on the Noith- wc(l Coall oi America^ fhould be as high, or ra- ther hiu;hcr, than the Tide on the North-eadcrn Coaft ot ylmerica^ is alfo agreeable to Reafon and Obfervations, from the Tides and Currents in dif- ferent Parts of the Globe. The I'radc Winds be- twixt and near the Tropics, impell the Sea from the Coaft of Africa againft the Eaftern Coalt of America •, fo that the Water is higher there than upon the African Coaft. This again by Reflection, and an eddy Current is forced out North of Cuba^ by the Bahama Sireights^ North -eaftcrly towards the Qo^xko^ Europe^ in more Northerly Latitudes.— The Trade Wind alfo caufcs an Eddy in the At- mofpherc in the higher Latitudes, towards the Polar Circle J which is the Caufe of the North-weft Winds blowing fo long and violently in thofe Latitudes. The Winds confequently lower the Surface of the Ocean on th • North-eaft Coaft of America, by im- pelling it againft the Coaft of Europe. For the fame reafon, the Trade Wind in the South Sea^ forming an Eddy Wind and Current, impell the Ocean againft the North-weft Coaft oi America ; and confequently the Surface of the .Ocean in thofe higher Latitudes ought to be higher there, than on the North-ealt Coaft without Hudfori's Str eight ; there- fore the Tide on the Weft End of fiich Streight, as is here fuppos'd, ought to be higher than at the Eaft Entrance, even if the Ocean join'd the Eafc End of the Streight, and confequently much higher as it is an Inland Sea : And this Difference of the height muft neceffarily caufe fo rapid a Current Eaftward into the Bay fo many Hours each Tide. Thus the Surface of the Ocean without tjie Streight of I i I » . ^ ( 9 ) of Gihraliar being higher than tlie MeJiterraneatt within, caiifcs a perpetual Current into the Sirei^bfs- This alfo fully accounts why the Ice is fbrc'd from the North weft Coaft into the Bay, and out of the Eaft End of Hudfon*^ Sfreighis, as is found by con- ftant Obfervations. It is from the like Caull*, that it is fo difficult to get to Wcftward by C^ipe Horn, or through Ma- gellan's Streights, when in returning Eaftward, no fuch Difficulty is found. The Water in high South- erly Latitudes by its eddy Current and ftrong eddy Wefterly Winds, being impelled Eafterly in like manner -, and the Tide in the fe Openings in Hud- fon*s Bay and round by Repulfe Bay, are almoft pa- rallel to the Tide in Magellan*^ Streighis and round *Terra del Fuego, wiih this only Difference, that the two Oceans join the two Ends of the Streight of Ma- gellan \ but here an Inland Sea is at the Eaft End, where the Tide being lower, being much fpent, caufes the great Current Eaftward upon the Ebb for eight Hours, as is found by Experience This Difcovery and Obfervation alfo pcrfeflly agrees with Admiral de Fonte's Letter to the Viceroy of Peru : He fays in failing up Rio los Keys, and down the River Parmentiers, into, and out of Lake Belle, the Tide flowM 24 Feet at Entrance^ it was frcfli 20 Leagues higher, but continii'd to rife and flow for 60 I^eagues, to the Entrance of the Lake, where it was from four to feven Fathoms deep, and an Hour and Quarter before High Water ftt gently into the Lake. He was five Days in fail- ing down the River Parmentiers into Lake Fonte^ down eight Sharps, or falls as he calls them, mak- ing alrogether 32 Feet, which is four Feet to each Fall, which was caufed by the Number of Tides *, which Sharps upon the Ebb he calls Falls ; Lake Fonte a fait Lake, in which were plenty of Cod and B Ling, w ( 10 ) Ling, lay North-caft 1 60 Leagurs, wi'.s Co Leagues i)roacl, and from 20 to 60 Fathom deep. He from thence entcr'd Eftricho de RcnquillOi which was 34 jL-eagucs long, two or three broad, and 20 to 28 Fathoms deep •, this, he fays, he pafs'd in 10 Hours, having a ftout Gale and wjiole Ebb eaftward. May not this or Ccrhel^s, or Rankin's Inlet, be Part of that Streij.,ht that de Fonte pais'd, as he found the Ebb ran Eafterly, though he came from the Weftern Ocean, and as he foon after came to the Bofton Ship, might it not have been trading in the Bay r>ear Whalecove? Here he arrived the iSthof 7«/y, 1640, when all the Ice was drove from that Coaft. That this Manufcript Letter of de Fonte, publifh'd by Mr. Pelivir, was a genuine Spanijh Mannfcript con- vey'd to him from Ujhon^ where he had a Corref- pondence with Men of Learning, and his getting it from thence, feems very rational, and eafy to be accounted for. The King of Spain was pofTefs'd of Portugal until the Year 1 640, when de Fonte made his Voyage, and the Spanijh American Ships then came to Lijlwn, inftead of Cales. The Revolution of Portugal happen'd that Year. The Ships coming from America that Year, not knowing of the Re- volution, were feiz'd by the Portuguefe^ and in one of them this Letter, which not being of Confe- quence to the Portuguefe, who were then only fol- licitous of fecuring their Liberty and Independence, was thrown carelelly by ; and coming, in Procefs of Time, into fome curious Perfon's Hand, it was fent, or a Copy of it, to Mr. Petiver in England-, and publilh'd by him in 1707 or 1708. Though it has been taken from an incorrect Copy, or care- lefly printed ; y^t, that it was taken from a Spanijh Manufcript, is almoft demonftrable both from the Hifpamcifms in the Translation, and alfo fropn the Spanijh Harbours menrion'd in it, which can't be found nee, s of ent, ^nd )ugh :are- inijb the the be und \ j ( II ) • found in any Enghjh, French^ or Dutch Maps, pub- lifli'd before 171a, fome Years after printing that^ Letter. I'he Port of Ralea mention*d in it, is un- doubtedly Realcia, and is fo defcrib*d in molt Charts; But the Prot of Sanigua or Salagua, and the Ille of Cbamilly, as it is printe-d, ;ire not to be fourld in any Englijh, Dutch, or French Maps rr Charts^ before that pubhfh'd of the South Sea m 17 12, upon the forming the South Sea Company -, where Salagua is noted i but that plainly appears [o be taken from the Spanijh Charts taken in the Acapuko Ship in 1 7 1 o, by the Duke and Dutchefs Privateers of Brif' toU as publifh*d by Cook^ where the Port of Salagua and the Ifles of Chametly are laid down and defcrib'd in the fame Latitude as mentioned in de Fonte^% Letter -, and the fame Port of Salagua is now in- ferted in the Spanijh Chart taken by Lord Anfon on board the Manila Ship \ which muft demonftrably Ihew, that de Fonte^s Letter was genuine, and taken from a Spanijh Manufcript, otherwife they would not have chofe to infert Forts, unknown in Englijh, Dutch an^ French Charts. And if the Letter be from a «?^^«//Z? Manufcript, we have no Reafon to' doubt the Truth of the Voyage, as it could not be calculated to ferve any finiilrous Purpofc, to im- pofe upon the World a (aHb fpurious Account. • Let us alfo obferve the Account given by de Fuca the Greek Pilot, to Mr. Lock in Venice in 1596, and compare it with thefe Inlets, and de Fotite's Ac- count. Lpon hearing of the Englijh Attempts to find out a North-weft PafTage, the King of Spain order*d the Viceroy of Mexico to fit out fome Ships to fail round California to prevent it, and feize fuch Shi|5s as they flioald meet in the Paffage. This Creek Pi- lot was ordered in 1592 to make the Difco very, and and in the Latitude; of 47"^ North of California^ found a Streight, which vvus 4oI.eagueswideat the B 2 Entrance ''1» 1 1 Entrance, and ( i» ) 2rew larger. He faird in it for the molt Part Northeafterly, for .to Days, until he c;ime to the North Sea, defcribing the People he faw thf^re, cloathed in Furs and Skins : And hav- ing but few Hands, and being afraid of wintering among the Natives, he returned, thinking to get a Reward for his Dilcovery •, but after tair Promifes for two Year , was fent to Spain for his Reward ; and the Spaniards then finding the Engljh had given over the Difcovcry, being negleded after long At- tendance, he ftole away to his (iwn Country. • Does not this Account alfo tally v/ith de Fonie*s Ac- count of Lake Fonte, except that the Admiral mifs'4 the great Southern Entrance, by getting into the Jrchipelago of St. Lazare^ and from thence into the River Los Reyes, and lb into Lake Belle, before he got into L 'ke Fente ? and is it not probable that the Greek Pilot's Entrance into the North Sea or Hud- foti's Bay, was in the Latitude of 62° 30', as is men- tion*d in Sir James Lancajier^s re r^arkable Poft'bript from the Caj e of Good Hope, which correfponds ex- actly with Corbet* s Inlet, and is not far from Ran* kin's and Chefter eld's Inlets ; where, in his great Diilrefs, without Connexion with the reft of his Lett, r, he fays, N'ota Bcr.;, That the Paffage to In- dia is on the Nor ch- weft Side of America, in 62 ! ; this was wrote in 1 600, ten Years before the Difcc- very of Hudfon's Streigbt and Bay \ and therefore could not be known from Europe : But as Sir James Lancajier \\ as then returning home from the Molucca liland , abou^ feven or eight Years after de Fuco had made that Difcovery, who had fail'd from Accpulco^ and as the Spaniards who had fail'd with him, might have been afterwards employ'd in failing from thence to Manila and the Moluccos, it is highly probable as the Difcovery had been fo lately made, as a curious Piece of News, he might have heard from them, and )ifcc- efore fames kcco \o had mlcoy night thence )le as irious |them, and ( 13 ) ;ind in his Diftrefs was afraid it might die with him, and therefore mention'd it in h's i-'ofbbript for the PubHc Good i but the Company upon his Return having eft.:blifh'd their Trade by the Cape of Good Hope, profecuted it no farther, being con ent, like other Companies, with their prefent Trade without furth.r Rifque. If to this is added the only Attempt made by the Hudfon*s Bay Company, if it can be faid to be pro- perly theirs, as it was againft their Inclination, but forced upon them by Governor Knight one of their Number (after threatning them tha^ he woulti apply for another Charter, if they would not fit him out for the Difcovery) when they fitted out two Ships, under the Command of Barlow and Faughan, two of them Captains, Knighi himfelf above 80 Years old, going with thim, upon Information he had from the Natives North of Churchill^ of the Streight, Paflage, and fine Copper Mine upon it \ it ap- pears that he expeded to find it at Corbet^ s Inlet, near Piftoll Bay ; for when Scrags was fent North- ward in 1722, to find out what was become of thofe Ships, he faw fome broken Yards and Blocks floating near Piftol Bay, Eaftward of Corbet^ % Inlet, and the EJkimaux in Pofleflion of Part of the Wreck 'Marble Ifland j which is a great Prefumption that Knight expeded the Paflu ge and Copper Mine to be thereabouts *, and probab y one of the Ships might have got into it, or through it, and have been af- terwards loft -, for if both had been loft in the Bay, within 70 Leagues of Churchil Factory, it is highly probable fome of them might have been favcd, and have got to Churchill or to fome of the Northern Indians in amity with the Englijh, who would have informed the Englijh at the Fadory of their Mil- fortunc,-r — « There •*» ( 14 ) There being alfo neither Trees- nor Woods in this New Inlet, (hews it to be a Salt Water Paflage, and no Snow on the Ground and very little Ice in the Inlet i for had it been a large Contintnt with (o great a frefh River, there mufl: have been great Woods in the Latitude of 64', fince there are great Woods at Archangel in that Latitude, and in Lap- land in 70' in the South oiNova Zembla and among the Samoyeids at the Ohy Jenefia ts? Lena in that Latitude. ,$..*■ .ij Add to this the Whales leen at the Fall Entrance of all thefe Inlets and the PFelcoty.L\ and the Qiian- tity of Whale Fin traded with the Natives near Whalecove, which had been taken that Seafon early in June^ which could only be there from the Wef- tern Ocean ; ^o that from fo many Accounts coin* ciding to prove this to be a Streight, and not an In- land Lake or River, I may rationally conclude, that -through thefe Openings the fo much defir*d Paflage may be found. JIENRT C .15 ) HENRT ELLIS of Lawrence Lane, Cheap- fide, London, Gentleman, and late Agent tor the North-weft Cojnmittee on an Expedition for the Dilcovery of a Norrh-weft Paflage through Hudfon*% Bay to the Weftern and Southern Ocean of America^ maketh Oath, and faith, That he this Deponent went out on board the Dobbs Galley in May, 1 746, upon an Expedition for the Difcovery of the faid Paflage j and that this Deponent's chief Bufinefs was to aflift with his Obfervations and Endeavours to promote and perfect the fame Difcovery. And this Deponent further faith, That whilft the faid Ship was fo employ'd, he, this Deponent, landed at the fevcral Places hereafter mention*d, where he affifted in making Trials of the Circumftances attending the Tides (that is to fay) at Knight*^ IJland in Latitude 62° North, at Nevifs Bay in 62", 12 North-, to the Weft ward oi JVhale Cove in Latitude 62" 27 \ at Corbet* s, Inlet in 62° 47 •, at Marble IJland in 62", 55 •, at Cape Fry in 64 , g2 ; at an Ifland in about Latitude 6^° 6 i at fVager's Bay above three Degrees of Longitude, by Computation farther Weftward than any of Cap:ain Middleton's People, or any other Europeans that this Deponent ever heard of, had been before > at Douglas Harbour in the fame Bay, and kvreral other Places, as alfo on the Eaft Side of the Welcome near Cape Veteran. And upon the whole of thefe Trials, this Deponent found the fol- lowing Fa(^s appear, viz. That the Flood Tide came from the Northward the Courfe of the Coaft 5 and that the time of Full Sea or High Wates at Cape Fry rw f* ■•^ i! (66) Fry was fooncr than at Knight's IJland^ though the former is mu> h farther to the Northward : That North-wcit Winds make the higheft Tides confi- (Icrably on the Welt Coaft of Hudfon*s Bay : That tlie Water rofc higher to the Northwards than at the Place this Deponant had try'd it to the Southward, by feveral Feet : And that the Water was fait and very tranfparent \ fo that the Bottom might be feen at the Depth of 1 1 Fathoms, or 66 Feet : That thi^ J^eponent faw m.iny black Whales to the North- ward of 6 ^, but none to the Southward of that La- titude upon the Weftern Coaft of Hudfon^s Bay : That the Times of Ebbing and flowing ef the Tides in the IVelccmc were as regular as all Ocean Tides iifually are. And this Deponent faith, that all thefe Circumftanccs and the Confequcnces arifing there- vfrom, do in this Deponent*s Judgment, and as he verily believes, eftablilh a very ftrong Probabiliry of there being a PalTage from Hudfon's Bay into fome other Ocean to the We 11 ward of the faid Bay. But in ord^^r to explain the Found. uion of fuch this Deponent's Judgment and Belief, this D.-ponent thinks it neceiiary to make the following Ohferva- tions relative thereto, which, to Perfons concern*d in Sea- A tVairs, are well known to be founded in F.id. And firft, It is generally agreed. That there arc no Tide nor any Swelling of the Water upon the Shores in Inland Seas ^fuch as the Medi- terranean^ Bdtick and Cafpian) except only very in- confiderable ones, and thofe occafion'd merely by particular Winds, and not by the Artradion or fn- fluence of other Bodies, which is allow'd to be the chief or only Caufe of Ocean Tides. Secondly, It is well known that when the Wind blows with the Flood Tide, it accelerates its Motion, and con- ioquently raifes the Water higher upon any Coali tli.it oppofes it., and in all Str.^ighrs or Inlets into which by (.17) vhic'i it flows. And on the other hand, when the Wind oppofes its Currenr, it leflens its Velocity and keeps out the Water proportionable in this Cafe as it forces it in the other. And this Deponent faith, that the Conl*equences appearing to him to arife from thefe two indifputable Fadts (as this Deponent ap- prehends and believes the fame to be) are, firft. That if Hudfon\ Bay were an Inland Sea, and had no other Supply ot Water than what it receives through HudforC% Sireighis (which, according to the Trial made by Captain Fox, is fpent at Gary's Swan*s Nefiy where the Tides rofe but fix Feet when he try'd the fame, as appears by the Journal publilh*d by him) there would be no higher Tides or Currents in Hudfon\ Bay than what are found in the Inland Seas abovemention*d, or at moft, not one half fo high as upon this Deponent's Trial thertof, as afore- faid, they appear'd to be -, for this Deponent cannot conceive how it is pofllble that a Tide rifing but fix Feet at Carfs Swan's Neft, fhould, after flowing fome hundred Miles further from the Place from whence the Eaftern Tide is fuppos'd to come, rife to the height of 1 7 Feet, as it was found to do near Cape Dobbs^ unlefs it met with another Tide from the Northward or Weftward. And, Secondly, North-wefl: Winds producing the higheft: Tides in Hudjon's Bay'y makes it evident to this Deponent, that the extraordinary Increafe of Warer occafion'd thereby, is brought from another Ocean lying to the Weflward of the faid Bay, and cannot come from the Atlantic Ocean, as thofe Winds would in fuch Cafe oppofe it, and which alfo may be further illuftrated and confirmM by a parallel Inftance arif- ing on the Eaftern Coafl: of England, where North- weft Winds make greater Tides than Eaflerly Winds do; and (as has been generally ^reed) from the fame Caufe, to wit, that the great Ocean from C whence fr \i ( i8 ) whence the Tides there aic propagated, Ucs to the \' elhvard. And this Deponent further iaith, That North- weflcrly v'- inds being obfcrv'd to caufe the highell Tides in IJudfon*s Bay, and the Flood com- ing from the Northward, being too ftrong Circiim- ftances in favour ot a North-weft PalTage, they were inferred in an Act of Council in Jugvft laft at Douglas Harbour in IVagcr Ba\\ and witnefs*d by the principal Officers of the Bobbs and California, who were Members of the faid Council, as Fads that were unanimouQy all'^w'd to be true. And this Deponent believes, that there is fuch a Paflage, it muft be fhort : . hich Conclufion he draws from the Heigh', Regularity and l^apidity of the Tides in the JVekomt:'. And that it is pallable from its be- ing obferv'd, That there is his Ice in the JVelcome to the Northward in 65° than there is in the Southern Part of the Bay in 5 2 or ^ 3 in the latter End of the Summer. And though the Scafon for purfuing fuch Pafibge is but fliort, yet it is confiderably lengthen*d by there being no Night in thofe Northern Latitudes about that time of the Year. And this Deponent faith. That he found the time of High Water to happen fooner at Cape Fry than at Kfiighi's IJland ; which this Deponent apprehends clearly fhews, that the former (though farther Northwarei) was nearer than the latter to the Ocean from whence the Titie came. And this Deponent faith, that he was in- form'd by the Oliicer that difcover'd the Opening call'd Chefirrfidd Inlet, that he found the Stream of the Ebb there run from the \^ eftward for eight Hours, at the rate of fix Fv -iles an Hour •, and that the Flood ran up but at the rate of two Miles an Hour : And that at Low \ ater at the Diftance of above 30 Ler.gucs from the Entrance, the V\ ater, though fiefher than that of the Ocean, had yet a ftrong Degree of Saltnefs ; fi*om whence this De- ponent I ( 19 ) ponent infers a Probability of there being a Thoroughfare, fince if there were not, the \\ ater ought to be perftdly frefh : For that as no Salt VN ater went up for more than two 1 louVs on the Flood, none fliould have come down after two Hours Ebb, even if the Ebb had bjcn as long as the Flood ; but it appears to have been much fwiftcr. And this Deponent Hiith, That though it is certain that a Flood Tide from the Weft ward in the faid Inlet would have inconteftibly prov'd there being a Pafllige through the fame to the NXeft-rn Ocean ; y£t a Flood Tide from the Eaftward does not, as this Deponent apprehends, prove the contrary -, as is evi- dent in the Inftance of the Magellanic SlreightfWhere^ according to the accurate Account given by Sir John Narborough^ the Tide flows halfway up that Streight from the Eaftward, and is then met by another Flood from the Wefiern or 'Pacific Ocean. And this Deponent further faith, that he never heard that the Openings call'd R.ankin's, and Chefterfield's Inlets were ever fearch'd by any Perfon in the lliidfon\ Bay Company's Service, or any other Perfon whomfo' ever before the Year 1 747, when the fame were en- tered and examined by the Officers belonging to the 'Dohbs Galley and Callifornia. — — And that he this Deponent never faw, or could hear, of any corredt Chart or Search having been made of the Parts to the Northward of Latitude of 62", 30; by any of the Hudfon's Bay Company's Servants. C 2 JEREMIAH mm T ( to ) JEREMIAH IV E STALL of Great Tarmouth in the County of Norfolk^ Mariner, makethOath, and faith, Tiiat two Ships having in the Year 1746 been fitted out at the Expence of fevei al Merchants of the City of London and others, to go upon an Expedition in fearch of a North-weft Paflage by Budfon's Streights into the Weftern and Southern Ocean of America j he this Deponent, in the Month of May 1 746, went on the faid Expedition in Qua* lity of Mate on boai d one of the faid Ships, viz. the Ship caird the Valifornia. And this Deponent faith, That the faid Ship in June 1 747, failM from her Winter Qiiarters in Haye*s River in Hudfon's Bay upon the faid Difcovery. And in July following this Deponent was difpatch'd in the Ship's Long- boat to fearch the Opening nov/ call'd Rankin*s Inlet. And this Deponent faith, he fail'd in the faid Long-boat about 1 5 Leagues up the faid Open- ing. — And fo far as this Deponent went, the faid Opening appear'd to be between five and fix Leagues wide, interfpers*d with Iflands. i^nd at the utriioft Extent that this Deponent went in the faid Opening, this Deponent could not difcern any End or Termination thereof, though the Day^ was clear, and this Deponent could fee for fix or eight Leagues further, And thereupon this De- ponent returned back and made a Report accord- ingly to the Captain of the faid Ship. And this Peponent further faith, that afterwards, to wit, about the Middle of the faid Month of July 1747, this Peponent went Northwards in the faid Long-boat in ( tO in order to make further Difcoverles.- And in Latitude 64 , this Deponent difcovcrM a large open- ing call'd ChefterJielcH Inlet •, up which this Depo- nent faird about thirty Leagues*, where this Deponent found the faid Opening to be about four Leagues wide ; and to the V\' eft ward it fecm'd ftill to increafe in Width. And at the Extent of the faid thirty Leagues up the faid Inlet, this Deponent found the Water fait, though not in the fame De- gree as the Ocean ; which this Deponent believes was occafionM by the Snow and Ice melting at that Seafon of the Year, and the frefli water lying on the Surface •, which is anEffe^l produc'd by the fame Caufe in the Baltic Sea in the Month of June. And this Deponent alfo found the Stream of the Ebb to come from the Weftward at the rate of five or fix Miles an Hour. And in that man- ner the faid Stream ran down the Eaftward for about eight Hours. And foi about two Hours more the ' atcr ftood {till while it fwelled upon the Shore. And lor about two Hours more a gentle Current ran up to the Weftward at the rate of about half a Mile an Hour. And afterwards the Current from the Weftward ran with the fame Violence, and in the fame manner as before. And this Deponent faith, that at the Extent of the faid thirty Leagues up the faid Opening call'd Chef' terfield Inlet, this Deponent could not obferve any Termination thereof, although the Day was per- fedlly clear, and this Deponent could fee for fix or eight Leagues farther. And this Deponent faith, that neither of the faid Openings was ever enter'd or difcover'd by the Hud/on's Bay Company, or any of their Agents, or by any other Perfon, as this De- ponent verily believes, before this Deponent's Dif- covery thereof as aforefaid. And this Deponent further faith, that in all the Places where this De- ponent try'd the Tides in Hudfon's Bay (which he often i i , ( 22 ) ©ftrn (lid In tlie Coiirfc qf the faid Expedition) tlils Deponent found the main Flood Tide to come from the Northward ; from wheii.c this Depo- nent is (l:ron;.',ly inducM to believe, tliat there is a North well t'AlVaj^e to the Weflern Ocean o{ /h/ie- rica.~ And this Deponent further laith, that in the Month oi Augufl 1746, it iK-iiig found necefiary to Ihelter the faid Ships durin^^ the N^'inter Seafon in fome Part of lliulfon\ Bav. in ortlcr the more ef- fectually to profecute th(; Difcovery the next Seafon, tJafs River was chofe for that Purpofe, wheie the faid Hudfoti's Bay Company IkuI a Settlement callM Tork Fort. And this Deponent faith, that upon the faid Ships attempting to enter the faid Kiver, one of the faid Ships {to zvit, the Dol/i/s Galley) ran a-ground upon the Shoals at ^he Entrance there- of. And whilft the f'id Ship was in this dan- gerous Situation, and the other Ship (to wit^ the California) not in Safety, the Governor of Tork Fort aforefaid, in order the more eflfecfluully to diilrefs the faid Ships, fent his Boat and Men to cut down the Beacon, and remove fuch other Marks as might have afforded any AfTiftance in relieving the Ships from their then dangerous Condition. And this they perfifted to do notwithftanding ihey were caird out to whilft they were cutting down the faid Beacon and other Marks of Pilorage, and defir'd to de- fift. And this Deponent further faith, that the People who came in the faid Boat acknowledged that the faid Governor gave them Orders for what they did as aforefaid ; and that the faid Governor before the giving of fuch Orders, knew that the faid Ships were Englijh Ships, and that they came upon the faid Difcovery. And this Deponent further faith, that upon many other Occafions the faid Governor, or the People at the faid Fort by his Order, did many ill Offices, with a View, as this Deponent be- lieves, to obftrucl and difcourage the Commanders I ( 2.1 ) f)f the faid Ships in their Piirruit of the fuid Difco- vcry. And this IXpuiiciU turthcr faith, tluit in the Coiirfe of the Profcciitit)n of the faid Difcovcry, this Deponent, in tlie Latitude 62' and half, and 65' North, faw many black Whales, and of the Whale- bone kind, but none of the faiil black WMiales in the Southern Part of Jlndfon\ Bay. And the further Advance was made to the Northward, the larger Qi^inntity of IJlack W halte were fcen. FINIS. u