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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. by errata led to Bnt jne pelure, aqon d in 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 ''^mmm^ ll/CO -f A C C O U N Of the Countries adjoining to H U D S O N's BAT, I N T H E North-west Part of AMERICA: CONTAINING A Description of their Lakes and Rivers, the Nature of the Soil and Climates, and their Methods of Commerce, Gfr. Shewing the Benefit to be made by fettling Colonies, and opening a Trade in thefe Parts; whereby the French will be deprived in a great Meafure of their Traffick in Furs, and the Communication b^ween Canada and Mijjiffippi be cut ofF. WITH An Abstract of Captain Middleton's Journal, and Observations upon his Behaviour during his Voyage, and fince his Return. are added, out the Advantages that irtay be made, if a Ihort Paffage fhould be found thro' Hudfon's Streight to that Ocean, ni. The Hudfon's flay Company's Charter. IV. The Standard of Trade in thoCc Parts of Jimer'ua ; with an Account of the Exports and Profits made an- nually by the Hudfon's Bay Compan}'. V. Vocabularies of the Languages of i"c- veral Indian Nations adjoining to Hud' fan's Bay, To which I. A Letter from BarihoUtnew de Fonte^ Vicc-Admiral of Peru and Mexico ; giving an Account of his Voyage from Lima in Peru, to prevent, or feize upon any Ships that fhould attempt to find a North-weft Paffage to the South Sea. II. An Abftradt of all the Difcoveries whicli have been puhlifti'd of thelflands and Co; ' s in and adjoining to the Great Wejfern Ocean, between jlme- rica, India, and China, &c. pointing Th-; whole intended to Ihew the great Probability of a North-west P. ssAGE, fo long defired ; and which (if difcovered) would be of the higheft Advantage to thefe Kingdoms. By A R T HU R D B B S, Efg; LONDON: Piinted for J. Robinson, at the Golden Lion in Ludgate-Street. DUO XI V ^"IPit I r O THE KING. s I J?, '^r* HE Divine Providence havlncr called Your Auguft Family to the Govern- ment of the Britijh Empire, and placed Your Majelly on the Throne, to be the Guar- dian of our C\y\\ and Religious Liberties ; not content with 1* curing thefe ineftimable Bleflinas to Your own, Your Majefty extends Your au- fpicious Regards to other Nations : Thofe of Europe havc^ already experienced the happy In- fluence of Your Royal Care, and hope for the Reftoration of Peace, and Continuance of their Tranquillity, and future Profperity, from the Succefs of Your Arms, and the Wifdom of Your Counfels. While Your Majefty is alTert- ing and defending the Rights of Princes abroad, Your Britijh Dominions reap the Fruits of Your gracious and Prudent Adminiftration ^ extend- ing their Commerce, increafing in Wealth, and flourifliing With Arts and Sciences. Since thefe Advantages for Your People are the perpetual Objefts of Your Care, permit me, SIR, to implore ft (U f ill ii D E D I C AT 1 O K. implore Your Royal Patronage oF the ibllow- ing Sheets, which are publilhed with, no other View than that of increafino .he Commerce and Riches of Your Kingdoms : An Intention that mull always be agreeable to Your Majefty, which they are calculated to improve, by open- ing a new Field of Trade, where vaft Improve- ments may be made, and Nations yet unknown may be made happy, and contribute to raife the Power and Fame of Britain ; from whence Your Sacred Name will derive additional Ho- nour, and Your Realms a confiderable Increale of Wealth and Happinefs. That Your Majefty's Reign may be long and glorious, over a free and grateful People, is the ardent Wifti and Prayer of, May it pkafe Tour Majefly^ Your Majefty'' s mojl dutiful^ au< i mofl obedient Subje5i and Servant^ V\ Arthur Dobbs. ( ' ) A N ACCOUNT OF THE Situation^ Ctimate and Trade^ of the CouN- TR I Es adjoining to Hudfon*s Bajy &c. lUDSON's Bay Is a great inland Sea, fituatod betwixt 51 and 65 Degrees North Latitude, and from 78 to 95 Weft Longitude from London, being in Length from Nodivay and Moofe Rivers, in the Bottom of the Bay, to Wbalebo7ie Point, 14 Degrees; which, at 69 Engiijh Miles to a Degree, is about 970 Miles ; and in Breadth from Digg's Ijle, the Eaft Entrance of the Bay, to the Land Weft- ward of Chu7'chill River, 200 Leagues, of 20 to a Degree, 690 Miles, furrouniled by a great Continent, except the Opening of Hudjon'% Streight, and the North-wxft Side of the Bay, which B . appears to be all bro!:en I.iind, the fiirrounJiiig Co.ift being above 3000 Eiiplijh Miles, Thdl* Countries, tho' mofl: of rhcm are in cold Climates, yet in the cokicfl: Parts, even North of the Polar Circle, are inhabited by the EJkimaux InJians -, and by the Whalebone and Oil, Skins and Furs got there at prefent, are of confiderable Advantage to thofe who are concerned in that Trade j and if the Trade was laid open, would be of vallly greater Benefit to Britain^ by affording a con- fiderable Market for our coarfe Woollen and Iron Manufadures ; and by forming proper Settlements in healthy and lliclter'd Situa- tions, out of tlie fwampy Grounds, there might be comfortable Settlements made in molt Places, and very tolerable, even in the worfl and coldtft Parts of that Continent, which are the North- eaft and North-weft Sides of the Bay j but in the Southern and Wcftcrn Sides of the Bay, there might be made as comfortable Settlements as any in Sioedt'/i, Lhoiiia, or the South Siile of the Baltick J and farther into the Country South-weft, the Climate is as good as the Southern Part of Poland, and North Part of Germa- ny and Holland > nothing being wanting to make it fo, but the building convenient Houfes with Stoves, fuch as are ufed in the fame Climates in Europe. The Reafon why the Manner of living there at prefent appears to be fo difmal to us in Britain , is intirely owing to the Monopoly and Avarice of the Hudjon's Bay Company, (not to give it a barfher Name) who, to deter others from trading there, or mak- ing Settlements, conceal all the Advantages to be made in that Country, and give out, that the Climate, and Country, and Paf- Ihge thither, are much worfe, and more dangerous, than they really are, and vaftly worfe than might be, if thofe Seas were more frequented, and proper Settlements and Improvements were made, and proper Situations chofen for that Purpofe ; this they do, tliat they may ingrofs a beneficial Trade to themfelves, and there- fore oblige their Captains not to make any Charts or Journals that may difcover thofe Seas or Coafts, in order to prevent others fi-om lading to their Fadories. They alfo prevent their Servants from giving any Account of the Climate 01 Countries adjacent, that might be favourable, and induce others to trade and fettle there ; nor do they encourage their Servants, or even allow them to make any Improvements without their Fadories, unlefs it be a Turnip Garden j "H f 3 ) Garden ; confining tl\cm nil the Summer Sealon, durln;; the Time (»f the didn Triule, within their F.ic^tories, lell they ihould trade by Stealth with tiie Natives, and by a Crane let down theii Goods to the Natives, and take up tlicir Furs and Skins in Ex- change ; by which Means no Improvement can be made but their Kitchen Garden adjoininc; to their b'adories ; nor can any com- fortable Settlements be made ; for they, not having tliirty Men in any of their Faiftories, dare not go at any Diftance either to im- prove or make Lifcoverics, their whole lime being employed in cutting and carrying Wood for tiieir Winter Firing, and catclunii Fifli, and killing Geefc, for their Winter Provifions ; in which the Natives generally aHill them, by rtiooting for them in tiie Swamps', they depending upon Britain for ail other Tilings for their Suite- nance ; which, if Settlements were made in proper Places, might very well be raifed and procured in thofc Countries. I therefore think myiclf obliged, from the Accounts publiflied by the French^ and from whac I have had communicated to me by thofewho haverelided there, or have been employed in that Trade, and particularly from what I have colledled from "jofeph la France, a French Canadefe Indian^ who was born near the French Lakes, and lived and traded from thefe Lakes to Monreal and ^cbcc for above thirty Years, r "d having furrounded the fuperior Lake, had, in a Journey of three Years, paflcd frop' thence to Tork Fort, on Nelfon River, through all the Lakes and Rivers on the South- weiit Side of the Bay, and came over in September, 1742, from thence : I fay, I think myfelf obliged to make publick all I can depend upon of the Climate, Soil, Lakes and Rivers, contiguous to the Bay, and the Indian Nations adjoining, and aUb what Im- provements this fpacious Country is capable of, and of the great Benefit which may be made of the Trade, in cafe it be laid open, and Settlements be made there : For by that Means the Fur Trade might be vaftly enlarged, and be intirely recovered from the French, which they have now in great Meafure gained from us by the Mo- nopoly and Avarice of the Company, upon account of the exorbi- tant Prices they take for their Goods from the Natives, even 10 2000 per Cent. Profit; who, for that Reafon, fell their moft va- luable Furs to the French, tho' the Carriage to Canada be near 200 Leagues farther than to our Fadlories. B 2 Since f \n a u I 1 1 (;• D b s ^i .Aj^ hs) ' < I 4) I J Ml I. II ; ' II Since the Eallcrn Main of Uudjhn\ Bay, other wife culled Tcrrft di' Laharador, extenils to the Atliintkk Ocean, North of Ncnv- foundlixnd, in whicli ni.iny of the Ejkimaiix Indians live, who feed upon raw Flefh and Fi(h, preferved in the Winter by Froft ; I fhall, in tliis Defcriptiun ot the Bay, take notice of the Euft Coafl: of tiiat Country, li) far as it is known, from the Strcight of Belt JJJe \\\ Nt\i'foundland, in 52 Degrees, io Button's IJlc, at the En- trance into Iliidjbn's iitrc/gbt, in about 6 1 Degrees which extends about 620 Miles. This Coaft, from II//dfon's Streight to 57°, is pefler'd with Ice In the Beginning of Summer, occalioned by the Quantity which comes out fioni the fcvcral Inlets there, as well as that which comes from Iliidjln's and Davis'a, Strc/^hts, thefe Iflands of Ice being fre- quently carried as far as the Banks of Neivfoundland, before they ure diiTolved ; but the refl of the Coaft to the Southward, from ^j to 52°, is free from Ice. Along that Coaft a very fine Fifhery might be carried on, there being as fine and large Filli there as any upon the Coaft of Neiv- foundland ; and at the fame time a Trade for Furs might be intro- duced with the Natives, the Furs upon the Eaft Main being as fine as any in America^ and richer than thofe to the Southward. The French front Canada get the moft of thele at prefent, there being none to interfere with them in that Trade, it being too far from the Factories in the Bay, and at prefent it is open to any who fliould go there to trade or filh ; and it would prevent the Natives, by getting a Market nearer Home, from going fo far to trade with the French ; our Goods alfo could be afforded cheaper than the Froich Goods ft'om Canada. In the Latitude 56°. is a very great and bold Inlet to this Coun- try, into which Captain Davis fail'd i o, and Captain Weymouth afterwards 30 Leagues, which was 2 Leagues wide j the Sea, Inlet and Coaft, was full of the lineft Cod that Davis had ever feenj tiicre were great Numbers of all forts of Land and Water-fowl, and the Country full of fine Woods, of Fir, Pine, Alder, Yew, Withy and Birch j he coafted that Land to the Southward of the Inlet four or five Days, and found it improve in Woods and low Grounds, with fair inlets, and vaft Numbers of Cod. It is fur- prizing t!-at none of late have attempted to begin a Trade there with the Natives -, at firft they might not only make faving, but beneficial ( s ) beneficial Voyages, by the Fifb to be caught there, ami alii) by na- val Stores ; fur uiuloubtedly the Tiniber and Nialls there are (Iroiv^- er and more durable tiian thole whicii grow in Ncw-Enghind, they being ot a llower CJrowth, as it is u colder Climate, and conle- ijuently the Timber would be clolcr in the Grain, and tougher, as well as more durable. It is more than probable that tiiis, or fome other Inlet near if, may go into the Heart of that Country, which lecms to be made up of Illands near Hudfons Strcight ; for a great inland Sea has been dilcovered lately within the Eull Main from Hudjon's Bay, betwixt Sleepers IJlc and Cape Smithy in I^it. 59". which is 2 or 300 Leagues in Circumference, and probably may have a Commu- nication with fomeof thefe Inlets. The Entrance of Hudfon's Streighf, betwixt Button's IJle to the Southward, in about Lat. 61". and Cape JVavwick, the South End of Refolution JJh\ in Lat. 61°, 25', and Long. 64" Weft from Lon- don^ is about 13 Leagues wide. In the South Side is a great Bay or Inlet never yet failed into ; here the Variation is 40° Weft, the Depth 200 Fathoms in the Channel. Beyond this, about 87 Leagues from the Entrance, is Cape Hope j furtlier Weftward is Prince Henry's Foreland and Cape Charles ; and at the Weft End of the Streight, and South Side is Cape Dtggs, in Lat. 62". 42'. and Long. yj". 45'. Weft 140 Leagues from Refo'ufion IJle, which is the whole Length of the Streight. From Cape Charles to the Weftern Savage I/le, in the Mlildle of the Streight, it is 15 leagues in Breadth j and at the Weft End, from Cape Diggs to Cape Charles, on the North Shore, the Streight is enlarged to 20 Leagues. There are feveral great Bays ard Inlets in the South Side, with Head-lands and Iflands, it being all a broken Coaft, crowded with Ice in the Beginning of Summer j fome of thefe prob-ibly com- municate with the inland Sea lately dlfcovcred upon the Eaft Main. The North Shore is alio a broken Land, full of Inlets and Iflands ; the firft were called the Ifles of Cod's Mercy, the next were called Savage IJles, about 60 Leagues from the Entrance. Beyond thefe is Nicholas Ifle, Cape Cjok, on the Eaft Side of it, and Cape Dorfet to the Wtihvard ; thefe laft were fo named by Fqx. Ten Leagues W. N. W. is Prince Charles'^ Foreland, the North- i'. ■I I ■i '"' L m 1 1 ( 6 ) i I i ■ i /: Nortli-weft Side of the Streight. Five Leagues North-weri: from tliis is King Charles.'?, Promontary, m Lat. 64°. 46' ; and fix Leagues Northward of that Promontary, in Lat. 65°. 13'. is Odpc Man'a. In Lat. 65". •'.6. is Cape Dorchejler, near which arc three Iflands called Trinity Tjks. North of thefe is Cooks I/le, and North-eall of this, in Lat. 66^ 35'. is Lord Jf^e/Ioji's Porthfid ; beyond which the I,nnd falls off to ,':he Eaftward toward Cumier/and's Inlet. At the Entrance of the Bay, in Lat. 63". 30'. Long. 78". Weft, is Snlishur\ Jjk ; and to the Well ward of it Nottingham IJle, North- vvelt of which lie M/V/i/Z?^, in !.:'<:. 64°. 20'. Long. 80'. 30'. Weft. All the Coaft on each Side the Streight is very high, covered with iMiow, ^nd the Coaft ci')wded with Iflands of Ice, until the lat- ter Enu of Summer, wJien it is moftly difdiarged into the O^-ean, or dilli.ilved by the bun. There are great Numbers of Sea-horfcs, Seals ind White Bears feen there ; but no other Filli are fcen, nor any Whales, except a little Way within the Entrance, as they pafs to Davis's Streight. At the Entrance of the Bay, 14 Leagues Weft from Cape Diggs, is Manjel's I/le, which is 20 Leagues long, and about 3 Leagues broad. It is a low flat Ifland, not to be feen above three or four Miles from the Deck in clear Weather, with deep Water clofe to the Shore. The North End is in Lat. 62°. 40'. and Long, 79°. 5'. Weft. The Coaft upon the Eaft Main, Eaft of the Bay, from Cape Digg'< to the Bottom of the Bay ii 51°. to Rupert's and Nodway Rivers, is very little known. Th^re are many Iflands at fome Diftance from the Coaft, as the North Sleepers^ twenty Leagues from the Coaft, in Lat. 61°. and the Weflern Sleepers in 59°. Be- twixt thefe on the Main is Cape Smith, near which was lately found an Inlet to that great inland Sea before-mentioned. In 59°. South of the H eftern Sleepers, are a Number of Iflands called the Baker's Dozen, There are many more namelefs Iflands fcattered along the Coaft towards the Bottom of the Bay, from thence to -3°, where the Coaft begins to be low and full of Trees. In about 52°. is Slude River, where the Company have a Houfe and feven or eight Servaii'-' , To the Northward of it is a Rock of clear Stone, which proves to be Mufcovy Glafs. To the Southward of Slude River, in 51°. is Rupert's River, difcovered by Zachariah Gillam in 1667, whe.'-e the Company eftabliflied their firft Fadory. He I found .1 ( 7 ) found eight Feet Water at the Entrance, and anchor'd within it in 2 Fathoms and a half in frefh Water. The River there wa? a Mile broad ; its Courfe came from E. S. E. it fiow'd in that Ri- ver eight Feet. All the Trees were Spruce except on an Ifland in the River, which was full of Poplars. From that to St. Marga^ ret's River, which falls into the River St. Laurence, is about 1 50 Leagues. A little to t^ Southward of this is Frenchman's River, which Cometh from the S. E. and a little to Southward is Norway's River, which runneth from the S. S. E. This lall is five Miles broad to the Falls, full of Iflands and Rocks, upon which Geefe breed. There are alfo great Numbers of Duclc, Teal and Plover. To the Weftward of this is Point Comfort, where are many Seals, and fome white Whales, as big as Grampus'. About eight Days Journey from Norway's River to the Weft- ward, in the Bottom of the Bay, is Moo/'e River or Monfipi, in 51". 28'. Lat. This is a very large River, upon which the Com- pany have a Fadlory, and might have a very confiderable Trade. About twenty Leagues from thJs River in 52°. is Albany River, or Kichichouan, another very large River upon which the Compa- ny have a Fa, a fair Cape or Head-land was difcovered by Captain Middleton, which he called Cape Dobbs j to the Northward of which was an Opening, River or Streight, which at the Entrance, in Lat. 65°, 24, was fix or feven Miles wide, and from 1 4 to 44 Fathoms deep in the mid Channel ; it continued of that Breadth for 4 or 5 Miles J 4 Leagues higher it was 4 or 5 Leagues wide ; and higher up even to 30 Leagues. It was from 8 to 10 Leagues wide, and above 70 Fathom deep. The Courfe of the River was about N. Wefl by Compafs, which Variation allowed of 35°, is about W. by N. At a high Bluff, on the South- weft Side, 30 Leagues up the River, they faw a large Streight or River, 4 or 5 Leagues wide, running W. 8. W. with high, mountainous, broken Lands, on each Side. The Tide flowed from the Eaftward at the Mouth of the River, and in the Narrows 5 or 6 Miles in an Hour. At the Entrance, without in the Welcome, and for a confiderable Way up the River, it was clicaked with Ice, driving backwards and forwardo with the Tide. At 16 Leagues Diftance from the En- trance was a Sound 6 or 7 Miles wide, and below it a very large, fufe Harbour, capable of containing a Fleet in Safety j the Sound C he 't' r I- ' I I) ! 1^' ( lo ) he called Deer Sound. He anchored in it, within fome lilcs which he called Savage Sound. a Cove 8 Leagues below The upper Part of the River was almoft clear of Ice, and many true Whales in it, but none below, nor without the River j this Streight he called laager Streight. To the North-eaft of this is another Streight, running N. N. E. to Cape Hopey fo called by him, upon Pretence of his Exped:ation of its being the North Point of America, in Lat. 66°, 40'. To the North-weft and North of this, is a great Bay, about 20 Leagues deep, and 8 or i o wide, quite furrounded with Land, except to the Eaftward, where he gave out, upon his going to Land, that there was a Streight frozen over, leading to the South-eaft, fi-om 4 to 7 Leagues wide, full of Iflands, through which the Tide flowed ; but by others who were on Shore, it appeals there was no fuch Streight nor Tide, but only a narrow Sound around an Ifland, upon which they ftood, about 3 Leagues wide, where was no Tide but what flowed from the Southward up the Streight from the Welcome, which ended in the Bay, in which they found no Tide nor Current. The North Point of this Ifland he called Cape Frigid j and to the Southward of the Sound, South of the Ifland, was a low Beachy Point, but high Lands to the Eaftward of it, and fo round to the Northward, v rom this Beachy Point to Cape Hope, the Streight was 7 or 8 Leagues wide j and fi-om it, along the Eaft Side of the Welcome, as far as Lat. 64°, was a low contiguous Beachy Coaft, and fo on to Cape Southampton, in about Lat. 62° ; from whence the Coaft is Eafterly to Carf's, Sivan's Neft ; from thence to Cape Nafdrake N. E. in Lat. 62°. 40'. Long. 83°. 50'. Weft ; thence Northerly to Cape Pembrook, in Lat. 63°. 30'. Shark, or Sea-Horfe Point, North of this, in Lat. 64°. 10'. and Cape Comfort, m Lat. 65°. 85'. Weft ; firom whence the Land falls away North-weft towards his imaginary frozen Streight. On the other Side of a Bay, E. N. E. from this Point, is Lord Wejion's Portland, already mentioned, on the. North- weft of Hudfon'& Streight, where the Land falls away towards Cumberland's Inlet ; fo far Fox had failed. This is the whole Extent of the Bay and Streights adjoining to it that are yet known or divulged. Having given this fliort Defcription of the Coaft of Hudfon's Bay and Streights adjoining, as far as any thing has been pubiiflied, or is come to my Knowledge by private Journals or Information, the "PI ( " ) v1 it i the Company concealing, as much as they can, all Things relating to the Commerce and Navigation of the Bay, as well as of the Climate and Countnes adjoining ; I fliall, before I make any gene- ral Obfervations upon the Rivers, Soil, Climates, and Produce of the feveral adjoining Countries, give fonie fhort Al -ftrafts of Jour- nals relating to the Seafons and Weather in different Parts of the Bay, and afterwards give fuch Defcriptions of thefc Countries as the French have publiflied, and what I have colle 1 ' ,1 I . ,1 ( 14 ) The Beaver Sloop left the Fadlory 20th of Augujl 1729, to winter in Sliide River on the Eaft Main, and returned to Albany 5th of 'July 1730. Aiiguft 'J.ad Captain Middkton arrived at the Factory in the HudforCs Bay Frigate, was loaded by the 29th, and failed September i ft for England. The 7th the two Sloopr. failpj for Aloofe River, to fix a Fadory there, in 5l^ 28'. This is a much finer and larger River than A'bany, anJ navigable for Canoes above the Falls, a great Way to the Southward, towards the Inland Lakes. yu'y 2d 17;!, the Beaver Sloop returned from Slnde IX'wer -, the 31ft Captain Middleton recurned, and failed for Moofe River the 9th of Auguft, and the 2 1 ft failed fi-om thence for England ; the 28th the Beaver Sloop returned to Shade River ; November 10th 1731, Albany River was frozen over. So far goes this Journal. If I m^y depj-nd upon a fliort Sketch mentioned by Fox from But ton' ■& Journr.l, of his wintering in Nelfon River, in 57^ hi 1612, it world appear that the Winter was not fo long or levere at Port NelJ'on, as at Albany in 52°. occafioned, I fuppofe, from the Strength and Heighth of the Tide there, which rifes near 14 Feet, when at Albany it does not rife above 4 Feet j for he fays, altho' the River was not above a Mile over, it was not frozen over that Year until the 1 6th of February ; and they had feveral warm thawing Days before, and the River was clear of Ice the 21ft of April : But by this Journal, Albany River was frozen over the Beginning of November, and the Ice did not break up at the Fa- dlory until the Beginning of May. I have feen no late Journal of the Wea'her at Tork Fort, on the Southern Branch of Nelfon Ri- ver, fo can't tell whether the Climate be fitch now, as is here re- prefented. But lince the Winter 1741 was fo fevere at Churchill River, only 2". more northerly than Nelfon River, of which the following Journal was taken by Captain Middleton, I fliould fup- pofe this more fevere than "ufual, or wrote with a View to ferve the Company, by fetting it forth in its worft Colours, or the Cli- mate at Tork Fort is more fevere than is here mentioned from But- ton's Journal. Captain Middleton arrived at Churchill River the i oth of Augufl 1741, tlie Weather was moderate and fair, with Calms until the 24th ; the Home Indians having been gone into the Country, 1 they ( T5 ) tliey fent to York Fort for Indtiim to kill Cccfe for their Winter Store, before they went to the Southward ; they funk a Pit fix Feet deep in the new Fort to put their Beer in, to preferve it from the Winter's Froil, whi:h they covered eight Feet high a- bove Ground' with Earth and Horfe Dung j the 26th was ftormy with Rain. '\\\t firft Snow they had was on the i ft of September^ the Geefe then going to the Southward ; cold blowing Weather with Snow Showers until the 8th, the Ground ftill marfliy and Boggy ; the fame Weatlicr until the 1 3th ; moderate Weather, with fome Rain and Thunder until the 2 2d ; 23d freezing, with fmall Snow J 27th the 'I'hermometer as low as in London in the great Froft, they killed 100 white Partridges before the cold Weatlier came on j they then went to the Woods ; 30th the River full of floating Ice driving out with the Ebb ; October ift the Ice faft along the Shore for twt vliles ; 7th the River almoft full of floating Ice, but not much Snow on the Ground ; 1 2th moft of the Ice that lined the Shore for two Miles above them, drove to Sea, and was out of Sight next Day ; the Ice farther up faft froze , they crofs'd the River upon the Ice eight Miles above the Fort the 9th ; 16th the Ice not yet fift at the Mouth of the River, tho' the Sea was full of Ice when the Wind blew upon the Shore ; 17th all the Ice without drove out of Sight; i8th cold Weather now with all Winds ; 2ift Water and Ink freeze by the Bedfide ; 2 2d the Ri- ver ftill open in feveral Places. The Company's Servants take white Foxes, which are plenty here; from 18th to 27th moderate calm Weather, but hard Froft, the Snow in many Places \ o or J 2 Feet deep ; no ftirring without Snow Shoes, 5 Feet long, and J 8 Inches broad ; high Winds and much Snow till the 30th ; 31ft cold with inick Fog ; fome of the Company's Men camo home from Wooding and Hunting, having tlieir Necks and Faces frozen. November 2d the Ice drives in and out each TiJe, but no Water to be ktn at Sea, nor above a Mile up the River ; the 9th a Bottle of Spirits full Proof, fet out at Night was frozen ; they ftill get white Foxes and Partridges near the Fort, tho' not fo plen- ty as in former Years; nth hard Gales and ftormy, no going out without Kng froze; 12th the River now faft froze at the Entrance ; 1 5th fet up Beacons crofs the River to guide them, the Ice 4 or 5 Feet thick -, not yet fiift above a Mile from Sh' "c ; tiu^, I > lis i Hi. 'I ( i6.) nil the Weather fometimts moderate, fometimes fevcre, until the loth of December ; they got to tiiat Time 1500 Partrklges ; 14th fo cokl an Indian fcventy Years old was ftarved to Death under the Walls of the Fort in his Tent; 22d moll: of the Fadlory's Men, who had been Hunting and Fifl)' % returned for a Fortnight to keep Chrijlmas ; 30th moderate \n Weather, fix Home Indi- ans came from the Nortiiward witi. 1-alo's Flefli and Goods for Trade ; they were five Months from the Fadlory, and twenty Days in their Journey liome ; they fay their Country is barren and without Wood ; very cold from the i !> to 9th of Jamtary ; clofe hazy Weatlier, very cold from that Time to 1 8th ; the Captain walked five Miles to the old Faftory and returned in the Evening; cold Iroft to 24th ; got to that Time 300 more Partridges j 29th fevcral of the Fadory's Men came from the Woods for a Fort- night's Provifions ; mod of them lie in the Woods all the Winter, fliooting, fifliing, and cutting fire Wood ; got fifteen Jacks from one of them, who fiflied all the Winter in Holes in the Ice ; 31ft: returned again to the Woods ; moderate Weather, clear and cold until 8th oi February ; it freezes ftill hard in the Night; the Wea- ther very cold, but generally clear until the 1 5th ; got to that Time 229 more Partridges ; none who lie out in the Woods and exercife, are troubled with any Difi:empcr ; moderate, fair, temperate Weather, with Froft, until the 2d of Af 14th and 15th, very cold, hard Gales, and drifting Snow ; i6th and 17th, moderate and clear ; to 2 lil frefli Gales with Froft, but fliir ; 2 2d moderate, began to repair the Ships ; to 27th moderately warm, with fome Snow in the Night i, the Weather now grown milder ; 28 and 29th a great Snow for ^o Hours, the Fort full within and without, as high as the Ramparts ; 30ih the Storm abated, but very cold ; the Ice 3 or 4 Inches thick under the Deck. Cold until the 2d of Aprils then calm and warm, with a clear Sky, the Sun now begins to thaw fome Places. Fourth drift Snow, but not fo cold as ufual ; 5th to 7th cold freezing Weather. The Water rofe 9 or i o Feet, the Ice at the Ship 10 Feet thick, and Snow 13 Feet above it; oth and icth moderate warm Weather to what they had, fome Hail, ( 17 ) Kail, and large Flakes of Snow, a Sign t!ic Winter is fpcnt, all the Snow tor 6 Months being as fine as Duft ; nth moderate and hazy, got 300 Partridges; 12th to iHth Froll-, witli lome Snow and Sleet; Ink freezes by the Fire ; 19th light Airs, and warm in the Day, but cold in the Night ; 20th warm, clear Weather, witli frerti Gales, the Ice without the Harbour, not tall, is drove to oea; but when it drives to the Shore, no End to be lci:n of it ; 2 ift and 2 2d moderate, pleafant, w^arm Weather, liad a Shower of Rain, none before for 7 Months; 23d fretli Gales, with Froi\, and Umxi: Snow ; the Tide role 10 Feet 3 Inches -, Frofl and Ibme Snow until the 28th, then moderate and fair, with fomeSnow Showers; law a Goofe that Day, which was killed 4 Miles from the Ship ; Frofl:, Sleet and Rain, to the ift of Mijy -, 2d Thunder, Rain and Hail ; 3d and 4th cold and Froft ; 5th Fog and Rain ; 6th to 10th Frofl: and Snow, then moderate, fair Weather ; 1 2th and 1 3tli Hail, with Froft ; 14th to iHth moderate and chnuly, with fomc Rain, frefli Gales, with fome Snow, Hail and Rain, until the 23d ; cloudy and hazy, with fome Rain, until the 26th ; the River opens a little above, but is faft below ; 31ft moderate and clear. June the ill: the Ice gave way in the Channel, and drove to Sea, but ftil! faft on the Flats, near a Mile trom the Shore ; 2d mode- rate, fair Weather, Ice driving in and out with the Tide ; 3d Thunder and largi. Hail, very warm after the Shower ; 4th mo- derate and cloudy, with Thunder and Rain ; fliot a white Whale, and got a Barrel of Oil from it ; 5th cloudy, moft of the Ice broke off" from the Flats, and drove to Sea ; 6th and 7th fair and cloudy ; 8th fqually, with Showers of Rain ; the ' its almoft clear. Ice (till driving in the River; 9th and loth m jderate, fair Weather, got the Ship out of her Dock, and moored her ; 1 ith fair Wea- ther, with thick Fog ; feveral Northern Indiafis came to trade ; 13th got the Ship into the Stream, all the Ice gone out of the Ri- ver ; 14th and 15th moderate, hazy Weather; 16th fqually. Thunder and Rain ; fent a Sloop to the Goofe Tent, 7 Leagues from the River, for Geefe ; 17th Cloudy, 30 Canoes of upland Indians came down to trade ; 1 8th to 20th cloudy ; tlie Sloop re- turned with 16 Cafks of falted Getie ; employed in watering and digging up their Beer, which was in one Cake of Ice ; from that time to the 28th warm and fliir, got every thing ready for failing. D Since ll M Wi -'ill M ( i8 ) !i Si!. ?ince the JJiuifon'^ Hiiy Company conceal as much as pofllb!« the Nature of the Soil and CUmatcs of the (everal Countries within their Crant, as well as the lienefit to he made by their Trade, up- on fuch noble Rivers and Lakes as communicate with the Bay, from the Merchants in Britain^ left they (liould interfere with them in their Trade ; in order to give a better Idea of thefe Coun- tries, before J make any Obiervations upon tiiefe Journals, I (liall give a brief Defcription of thefe Rivers and l-akes on the Welt Side of the Bay from the French Accounts of Monfieur 'Jercmie and de la Potcrie, and then give the Account I got from Jofeph la France, who travelled through all thefe Coun- tries within thefe r^ or 4 Years, and from their Accounts, and thefe Journals, make the beft Obfervations I can upon the Soil, Climates, and extenfive Trade of thefe great inland Countries and Lakes from Canada to the Weftern Ocean oi America, and what great Improvements may be made by laying open that Trade, and fettling in proper Places, on the Rivers which enter into the Bay. The French were in PofltfTion of Fort Bourbon, which we call now Tork Fort, upon St. Thereja, the Eaftern Branch of Nelfon River, from the Year 1697 to 1714. Monfieur Jeremie, who was Lieutenant there from '697 to 1708, and afterwards Governor, until he gave it up in 1714 to us, gives a very particular Account of that River and the adjoining Countries, great Part of which he affirms to be of his own Knowledge, having travelled a great Way South-weft into the Country among the Rivers and Lakes, The Danij/j or Churchill River, upon which the Company have lately built a ftrong Stone Fort, he fays, is fituated in 59°. North Latitude, and is about 500 Paces wide at the Entrance, for about a Qiiarter of a League, and is very deep ; but within it is much broader, and is navigable into the Country 150 Leagues j there is but Uttle Wood upon tiiis River, near the Bay, except in the lllands. At 1 50 Leagues Diftance is a Chain of high Mountains, with great Catarads and Falls of Water ; but beyond thefe it is again navigable, and has a Communication with a River called the R'vcr of Stags. Fifteen Leagues Northward of this River, is the River of Loup Marine, or River oj Seals; betwixt thefe Rivers is a kind of Ox, called the Mujk Ox, which fmells at fome Time in the Year I fo mcwbmbi ( 19 ) fo flrong of Muflc, th.it it cannot he cat. Tliey luvc very Hnc Wool, which is longer than that oF tlie BarbiVy Sheep ; they arc fniallcr than French Oxen, with very crooked Horns, which turn round Hkc Rams Horns, and arc lb large, that they weigh Ibnie- times 60 Pounds ; they have fliort Legs, and their Wool trails up- on the Ground ; they are not numerous. This River comes from a Country he calls Platfcotrz dii C/ji'rns, who make War again ft tlie Siivavtia IiidinnSy who traded with the French. In that Country they have a large Copper Mine, l"o fine, that without fmelting it, they make Copper of it by heating it be- twixt two Stones. He faw a great deal of it, wiiicli their Indians got wlien they went to War againft; that Nation. Tills Nation has a fweet, humane Afpecl, but their Country is not good. They have no Beaver, but live by Filhing, and a kind of Deer they call Caril'oux, (Rain- Deer.) The Hares grow white in Winter, and recover their Colour in Spring ; they have very large Ears, and arc always bkick. Their Skins in Winter arc very pretty, of fine long Hair, which does not fall, fo that they make very fine Muifs. He fays he can fay nothing pofitive in going f.irthcr Northward, but only that their Savages reported, that in the Bottom of the Northern Bay, there is a Streight where they can eafily difccver Land on the other Side ; they had never gone to the End of that Streight ; they fay there is Ice there all the Year, which is drove by the Wind fometimes one Way, fometimes another. According to all Appearance, this Arm of the Sea has a Communication with tile Weflern Ocean, and what makes it more probable, is, that when the Wind comes from the Northern Quarter, the Sea is dil- charged by that Streight in fuch Abundance into Hudfo?i's Bay, fo as to raife the Water lo Feet above the ordinary Tides ; infomuch as when they find the Waters rife, Ships take Shelter againft; thcfe Northerly Winds. The Savages fay, that after travelling fome Months to the W. S. W. they came to the Sea, upon which they faw great VclTcls with Men who had Beards and Caps, who gather Gold on the Shore, that is at tlie Mouths of Rivers. In pairing to the Southward from the DaniJJj River, at 60 Leagues Diftance, is the River of Bourbon, or Ni'Ifou, in Lat. 5-'. there is notliing remarkable in the Country betwixt thtlc two Ri- D 2 vers. N i : il ■1 "I ''•'I m ■k'.\ t : ( 20 ) i!i \i } ! vers, but ii great Number of the Deer called Cnrldoux, which be- ing drove from the Woods by a great Number of Mulketoes or Midges, come to the Shore to refrefli themfelves; they are in Hoards of loooo togetlicr, laid fpread through a Country 40 or 50 I^eagues in Extent ; they might have as many of their Skins as they plea fed, and fome have been drefled, which have been very fine. They have there alfo all Sorts of Wild-fowl, as Swans, Buftards, Geefc, Cranes, Ducks, and thofe of the fmaller Kind, in fuch great Numbers, that when they rife they darken the Sky, and make lb much Noife, that they can fcarce hear each other fpeak. He fays that may appear fabulous, but afBrms he lays nothing but what he faw himfelf ; for he would not trull to the Report of others, but went himfelf to almoft every Place he mentions. Tlie River St. Therefa, upon which they built Fort Bourbon^ is a Branch of Nelfon River, by which the Natives come down to trade. This River is of fo gri.at Extent, that it pafles thro' many great Lakes ; the nril: is 150 Leagues from the Entrance of the River, and is 100 Leagues in Circuit: The Natives call it the Lake of Forts (or rather Forcjls). On the North Side a River dif- charges itfelf, called the Rapid River ; this takes its Rife from a Lake 300 Leagues from the firft, which they call Michinipi, or the great Water, becaufe in Effedl it is the greateft and deepeft Lake, being 600 Leagues in Circumference, and receives into it many Rivers,fome of which have a Communication with the Danijh River, and others with the Plafcotez de Chiens. About this Lake, and along thefe Rivers, are great Numbers Oi' Indians, who call themfelves the Nation of the great Water, or of Ajjinibouels ; it'is to be remarked that thefe are as humane and affable, as the EJki- maux are fierce and barbarous, as are alfo all the other Nations a- lonj Hudfon's Bay. At the Extremity of the Lake of Fore/is, the River Boiirboti continues its Couife, and comes from another Lake, called, the JimBion of the two Seas, becaufe the Land al- moll mc«.'s in the middle of the Lake. The Eaft Side of this Lake is a Country full of thick Forefts, in which are great Num- bers of Beaver and Elks. Here begins the Country of the Chri- Jlinaux. This is in a much more temperate Climate ; the Weft Side is full of fine Meadows, filled with wild Oxen j the AJfini- boucls live here. The Lake is 400 Leagues in Circumference, and 1 20Q _, r'. ' ( 2.1 ; 200 from the other Lake. A hundred Leagues further W. S. W. along this River, is another Lake they call Ounipigoiichil.\ or the Little Sea. It is almoft the fame Country and Climcite with the other, inhabited by the fame Indimis, the y^jjiniboiieh^ the Cbri- Jlinaux, and SauteiirSy it is 300 Leagues in Circumference j at the further End is a River which comes from Tacamioueti, which is not fo great as the other ; it is into this Lake that the River of Stags is difcharged, which is of fuch a Length that the Natives have not yet difcovered its Source. From this River they can go to another which runs Weflward, but all the reft run either into the Bay, or River of Canada. He en- deavoured to fend the Natives to difcover if it went to the Wefiern Sea } but their Enemies lying in their Wav prevented them ; how- ever they brought fome of them Prifoners, who faid they alfo were at War wi<-h another Nation farther Weft ; thefe faid thej had Neighbours with Beards, who liv'd in Stone Houfes and Forts ; that they were not cloathed like them j that they had white Kettles, and fliewing them a Silver Cup, they faid it was of that Mettal ; they faid they tilled their Land with Tools of that Mettal ; according to their Defcription, it was Maize they culti- vated. The Intendant of Canada wanted to difcover thefe Countries from thence ; but it is much ealier from Fort Bourbon^ as it is fhorter, and through a fine Country, full of Beaftsand wild Fowl, befides Fruit which grow wild, as Plumbs, Apples and Grapes, and a great Variety of fmaller Fruit. On the South- weft Side of this Lake Tacamiouen, is ?. River which comes from another, called the Lake of Dogs, wliich is not far from the fuperior Lake. The River St. Therefa is but half a League wide where the Fort is built. Two Leagues liigher is Fort PhilipcauXy built for a Retreat ; there the River begins to be interfperfcd with Iflands. Twenty Leagues above the Fort the River divides into two Branches, one which comes from the North-weft Side, communicates with Nelfon or Bourbon River, by which the Natives come down to trade, by the Means of a Land Carriage from the Lake of Forcfti to this River. Twenty Leagues above the firft Fork there is another, tliat comes from the South-eaft, which the Natives call Guichema- iouangi <^r the great Fork, This has a Communication with tlie River 1^' •■i 1 M Ki ( ii ) River St. Huiles ; the Weftern Branch, tho* flill called St. Therefa, but of ftnall Extent, coming from its Source by feveral fmall IS Brooks, in each of which are great Numbers of Lynx, Beavers, Martins, and others of fmaller Furs. Betwixt the two Forts is a fmall River called Egaree, from whence they get their Wood for riring, it being fcarce at the Fort. Near the Mouth of the River is another fmall one they call Gargoujje ; there comes in at high Water a great Number of Porpoifes ; the River being narrow here. There might be a good Fifhing, where they might make above 600 Barrels of Oil annually. From this River to St. Huiles, or New Severn, is 100 Leagues S. E. It is fituated in Lat. 56°. The Entrance is but fhallow, on- ly capable of Veflels of 60 Tons. Here might be made good Houlcs, for Wood is very plenty here, and there are great Num- bers of Beavers higher up the River. As to the Climate at Fort Bourbon, it being in Lat. ^y\ it is ve- ry cold in Winter, which begins about Michaelmas, and ends in May. The Sun fets about 3, and rifes about 9 in the Winter. When the Days grow a httle longer, and the Cold is more tempe- rate, the Sportfmen kill as many Partridges and Hares as they pleafe. One Year, when they had eighty Men in Garifon, they had the Curiofity to reckon the Number, which amounted to 90,000 Partridges, and 25,000 Hares. At the End of Jpril, the Geefe, Buftards, and Ducks, return in fuch Numberj, that they kill as many as they pleafe j they alfo take great Numbers of- Cariboux or Rain-Deer. In March and April they come from the North to the South, and extend then along the River 60 Leagues j they go again Northward in July and Augujl ; the Roads they make in the Snow are as well padded, and crofs each other as often as the Streets in Paris j the Natives make Hedges with Branches of Trees, and leave Openings in which they fix Snares, and thus take Numbers of them. When they fwim the Rivers in returning Northwards, the Natives kill them in Canoes with Lances, as many as they pleafe. In Summer they have the Pleafure of Fifhing, and with Nets take Pike, Trout and Carp, and a white Fifli fomething like a Herring, by much the beft Fifli in the World j they preferve thofe for their Winter Provilion, by putting them in Snow, or freezing them, as alfo the Flefli they would preferve : They keep thus alfo C^tk,^ Ducks, and ( 23 ) and Buftards, which they roaft with the Hares and Partridges they kill in Winter ; fo that tho' it be a cold Climate, there is good Living there, by getting Bread and Wine from Europe. Tho' the Summer be fliort, they had a Garden and good Coleworts, with SuUads and fmall Herbs, which they had in their Soups in Winter. He had 120,000 Livres Profit out of 8000 fent him in Goods in one Sealbn ; they have alfo Bears, Elks, and all Sorts of Beafts whofe Skins and Furs are valued in France ; and according to him it is one of the mod profitable Ports in North America, confidering the Expence. This is an Extradl of fo much as is material out of Monfieur yeremie's Letter, defcribing the Climate and Countries adjoining to Fort Bourbon. To this I will give an Abftradt of what de la Poterie mentions in relation to that River, and the Nations and Countries adjoining to it. He fays the Ouinebigonhelinis inhabit on the Sea-coaft. The Poaourinagou, or River Bourbon is a League wide, inhabited by the Mi/kogonhirinis^ or Savanna Indians, who make War with the Hakoucbirmiou. Five Leagues within it, are two Iflands of u League in Circuit each, where there are large Trees ; this River ia but five Leagues firom St. Therefa by Land, and feven by Water j here is a flat Coaft for 1 00 Leagues ; a League without the Mouth of the River is a Pool betwixt two Banks, in which is 18 Foot at low Water, and five Fathoms at high Water, 200 Fathom over, and 600 in Length, where Ships may ly at Anchor, A League within the River on the St..r-board Side is Fort Nelfon. This Ri- ver takes its Source fi-om a great Lake called Michinipi, where is the true Nation of the Cm, or Chrijiinaux ; from whence there is a Communication with the AJjiniboueh, tho' far from each other ; the River Mathijipi, called Leogane, empties itfelf on the Larboard Side near its Mouth ; and about a League higher over againfl the Fort is Matchijipi, called Gargoujje -, by thefe two Rivers the Sa- vages come to the Fort of New Savanne, by the great River thev call Kouachoue. Twelve Leagues above the Fort is the River Ou- juragatchoujibi, and two Leagues higher is the River Apithjibi, called the River Pierre, or Fleches, which is the Way by which the Sa- vages come to a great Lake called Namoufaki, or the River of Sturgeons, where the Nakonkirhirinous refide. Twenty M ■ fi.'ii \b ■ it \ '; *lr ( ^4 ) Twenty Leagues above Apithfibi is Kechematouamis, called the Great Fork, by which they go to Kichichouane or ^lany River, in the Bottom of the Bay. Tlie Country about Fort Nelfon is very low, it is filled with WooJs of fir.all Trees, and is very marfliy. The Natives live by Hunting and Fifliing ; Seals abound there, which are larger than thofe of Canada ; they fell the Oil extraded from them at the Fort, which is better and clearer than Nut Oil. They have Bu- ftards an.d wild Gcefc in great Numbers, and fell the Feathers at tlie Fort. The white Partridges are as large as Capons. They have white Foxes and Martin Zebelins fairer than thofe in Mufcovy. Tlie Moiifonis or Nation of the Marlhes live higher up, than tlie Outnebeg\.nhelirds, in a Couhry full of Marflies. As they have u great many fmall Rivers and Brooks, which fall into great Ri- vers, thefe People kill a great many Beavers ; they find fome ve- ry black, a Quality rare enough ; fc they are commonly of a red- difh Colour. Thefe would have prevented the Nations at a greater Diuance from trading with the EngliJJ:) ; but they obliged them to give them a PalTage if they would enjoy any Commerce them- lelves. The Savanna Indiant are more to the Southward > they have Savannas, Meadows, and fine Hills in their Country. There the Elks, Roe-Bucks, Rain-Deer, and Squinaton, have Place to range in. The Squinaton refemblcs a Roe-Buck ; it is higher, has finer Legs, and the Head longer and fliarper. The Cris, or Chriftitiaux, that is Savages who dwell upon the Lakes, are 160 Leagues higher ; they ufe the Calumet of Peace ; they are a numerous Nation, and extend over a vaft Country, as far as the upper Lake, and trade fometimes at MiJJilimakinac. They are lively, always in Aftion, dancing and finging j they are at the fame time Warriors, and very like to the Manners of the Gafcoym. The Migichihilinious, that is Eagle efd Indians, are at 200 Leagues Diftance ; the AJfinihoueh inhabit the Weft and the North ; they are reputed to be the fame Nation, becaufe of the great Affi- nity of their Language. The Name fignifies Men of the Rock. They ufe the Calumet, and live at 250 Leagues Diftance. They paint their Bodies, are grave, and have much Phlegm, like the Flemings. ■•*■ The ?/\ ( ^5 ) The Ofquifakamais live upon Fiili ; tliey kill but few Beavers, but their Coat Beaver is the bell from their greafy Way of living, and cleaning their Hands upon them. The Micbinipicpoets, or Men of Stone of the great Lake, are at 300 Leagues Diftance ; they live North and South. The Netoiiatfimipoets^ or Men of the Point, are diflant 400 Leagues. The Attimofpiquay which fignifies the Coaft of Dogs ; they have yet had no Commerce with the French, becaufe they dare not pafs th« Lands of the Majkigonehirinis, with whom they h.ive War ; here is the Mufk Ox, whofe Hair is as fine as the Beavers, which is fit for Hats ; their Horns turn round like Rams Horns ; they learn from the^^ People, that there is a Strait, at the End of which is an Icy Sea, which has a Communication with the South Seas, Thefe Nations, who come from a great Diftance, aflemble in May at a great Lake, fometimes 1 2 or 1 500 together, to begin their Voyage. The Chiefs reprefent their Wants, and engage the young Men to prepare and get Beavers, and each Family makes a Feaft, and fix upon a certain Number to go together, and they re- new Alliances with each other ; then Joy, Pleafure, and good Cheer reigns, in which Time they make their Canoes, which are of Birch Bark ; the Trees are much larger than thofe in France ; they make the Floor-timbers of little Pieces of white Wood, four Inches thick j they bind them at the Top to Pieces an Inch thick, which keeps the Bark open above, and few up the two Ends ; thefe are fo fwift as to go 30 Leagues in a Day with the Stream ; they carry them eafily on their Backs, and are very light in the Wa- ter i they have no Seats, and they muft paddle either fitting In the Bottom, or upon their Knees ; when they are ready for their Voy- age they choofe feveral Chiefs j the Number that trade annually are riot certain, according as they happen to have War or not, which aftet^s their Hunting j but there comes down generally to Port Neljhn 1000 Men, fome Women, and about 600 Canoes. There are eight Kinds of Beavers received at the Farmer's Office. The firft is the fat Winter Beaver, kill'd in Winter, wliich is worth 5 J. 6 d. per Pound. E The f 1 ?' i: ')| 41 it IS- ■ 'I 11 J: \Mn ( a6 ) The fecond is the fat Summer Beaver killed in Summer, and is worth 2 s. g (f. Tne third the dry Winter Beaver, and fourth the Bordeau, is much the fame, and are worth 3 i. 6 J. The fi.th the dry Summer Beaver is worth very little, about i s. 9 ^. per Pound. The fixth is che Coat Beaver, which is worn till it ishalf greafed, and is worth \s,b d. per Pound. The 7th the A////t(jr//(? dry Beaver, of a fine Skin, covered over with a filky Hair ; they wear it in RtiJJia^ and comb away all the Piort Down, which they make into Stuffs and other Works, leav- ing nothing but the filky Hair j this is worth 4 j. 6 uebec. It is a large Town, about a League and a Half in Circuit within the Walls, which are 1 5 Feet high, of Lime and Stone. They have 300 Men in Garrifon. This is the only conlidcrable Town in Canada befides ^lebec j for Troii Rivieres is but a Village. He fays they have a Fort the Na- tives call Cataraktii Fort, Ho Leagues above Monreal, near Lake Frontenac, in which they keep a Garrifon of 40 Men, as the In- dians informed him, and about as many more Inhabitants. The River St. Laurence, from thence to Monreal, is fo full of Water- falls, and fo rapid, that there is the utmofl Danger and Difficulty in going by Water, and no going fo far by Land through the Woods, fo that no Trade can be carried on that Way but at great Expence. They have no other fortified Places in Canada but one Fort called Champli, near Champlain Lake, upon the Rnglij}) and Iroquefe Frontiers, in which they have 20 Men in Garrifon. He was ■ bove 40 Days in going up the River from Monreal to the Lake Nepefmg, which is at the Source of that River which he calls St. Laurence, and not the River which pafTes through the Lakes, but La Hontan calls it the River Outaouas. He had 36 Land Carriages before he got to Nepiftng. He was but 1 8 Days in going down it to Monreal. He fays the River Nepiftng runs from the fame Lake into the Lake of Hurons, This is what La Hontan calls French River ; it is 20 Leagues in its Courfe, and had three Falls upon it, which they defcended in two Days ; and with a fair Wind they might go from thence to Mijfilimakinac in two Days I more ( 31 ) more along the liLinds. Upon his Return he exchanged liis Goods for Furs, and refolvcd to try his Fortune once more to Mourcal^ and make his Peace with tlie Governor. He fays, when lie left MiJJilimakinaCy there were but 2 Men wit.H the Governor in Garri- fon, which was only to open and fliut the Gates. He lays, that of late the Trade from thence to Monreal is fo much lefltntl upon ac- count of the Englip fupplying the Indiaus much cheaper and bet- ter, by an eafy Navigation through .he Lakes to Kiagara, that there does not go above 1 2 Canoes in a Yeai and thol/; Licences are generally given to fuperannuated Oflkcrs , the Avarice and In- juftice of the Governor of Canada has likewrfe difguftcd the Na- tives. After having got a Parcel of Furs, he, with two Indian Slavci, and 3 Canoes, pafled the Lake Huron, and enter'd the River AV- pt'/ing, and went up it feveral leagues ; but at a Turn in the Ri\cr he met 9 Canoes, in which was the Governor's Brother-in-law, with 30 Soldiers, and as many more to manage the Canoes, who feized him and his Furs, and Slaves, as a Runaway without a Pall^^ port, and would liave carried him away to Monreal, but he made his Efciipe into the Woods in the Night, with only his Gun and five Charges of Powder and Ball, and pafled by Land alojie through the Woods on the North Side of Huron Lake, until he met with fome of the Mijfada Indians, who live there, having been fix Weeks in his Journey, travelling behind the Mountains, on the North Side of the Lake, in a marihy Country, abounding with Beavers, and thus returned to Saut St. Marie ; and having loft all, determined to go to the EngUp in HiidJon\ Bay, by pafling through the Indian Nations Weft of the upper Lake, until he ftiould an-ive, by thefe Lakes and Rivers which run Nortlnvards, at ycrk Fort, on Nelfon River. He fet out in the Beginning of Winter 1739 upon this Journey and Voyage, and hunted and lived v/ith the Indians his Relations the Sauteurs, on the North Side of the upper Lake, where he was well acquainted, ha-'ing hunted and traded thereabouts for fourteen Years. He fays the upper Lake has three Iflands near the North Shore, about 3 Leagues from the Shore ; they are about 3 or 4 Leagues each in Circumference. One of them he calls Ijk du Li- gnon J they are full of fine Woodi^, acif all the North Coaft, which ii j|1f! ( 31 ) is very mountainous, but the Country is very fine to the Northwani ot' the high Land. TJic Upper Lake falls into the Lake of Hurons by the Falls of St. M(iry, which is a Rapid Current of feveial Leagues. From that l'\dl to the River MichipHioton on the North Side of the Lake, is 60 Leagues ; that River is navigable Northward for 20 Leagues, being -^ Fathoms deep and without Cataradls ; '.t runs through a Valley betwixt the Mountains, which is about three Leagues wide, full of fine Woods ; aiid then there is a For k where two Branches meet, and on each Side, at a confidcrable Diftance, are two round Hills detached from the others, which they call Lc deux Mamelles^ or two Paps ; thefe two Branches come from their fcveral Sources, after running about eight Leagues, through a Country abounding in Beavers, /here arc two Indian Nations upon this North Coaft, the Epiuctte Nation are upon the Fall Side of that River, and the Ottaji upon the Weft Side, both Tribes of the Saiiteurs. About 100 Leagues farther Weft is another River, which runs from the North-weft into this Lake, which he calls the Ri- ver du Pique froin a fharp Rock at the Mouth of the River, formed like a Pike or Halbert, it is only navigable for about three Leagues to a Fall, above which is a Lake about fix Leagues long, which comes from a marfliy Country full of Beavers ; on the Weft Side of this River, and of the Upper Lake, is a Range of Mountains full of Woods, and a River full of Cataradls defcends from them, and enters into the River du Pique^ a little before it pafles into the Lake ; among thefe Mountains are feveral rich Mines ; he faw fome very good Lead and Copper Oar, which the Nativ ;s brought down from thefe Mountains. On the South-weft Side of the Lake, under thefe Mountains, is a flat Country, full of Woods and Beavers, but the South and South-eaft Side is a fandy, low, dry Country, without Wood. He ftaid Part of the Winter with the Indians at Michij^ikoton, and in the Month of March got to the River Du Pique, which he pafled on tlie Ice, it being not then thawed. He fays there are many Beavers alfo among the Mountains, Southward of that River, they having great Flats above, and among the Mountains, where tliey make their Dams and Ponds. The Ice was quite gone on the South-weft Side of the Lake by the 1 5th of yipril N. S. He fays the Lake is never frozen at any Diftance from the Shore, only in little Bays, where I it 1 ;*«>■. ■'(JWfe;.^ ( 33 ) it fomctlmcs is frozen, and breaks off, and is carried out and in with the Wind. On tiic fiindy Coaft on the Soutli-eaft Side of the Lake, there is nothing but Siirubs not above fix Feet high ; but at f(m\c Di- ftance from the Coaft there are fine Meadows and Pafturc, full of Elks, Stags, Deer, Goats, wild Beeves, C^c. intcrfpcrfcd witli Woods ; and the Indian Nations in tiic neighbouring Countries remove thither in the Summer Seafon to hunt and feed upon them. On the South-weft Side of the Lake, betwixt the woody and Champaign fandy Country, there is a Land Carriage of 3 Leagues, and they came to a Marfh or Bog about a League long, and five Furlongs over, and from thence another Land Carriage of nine Leagues to the River Du P/uis, which, after a Courfe of fifteen Leagues, falls into the Lake Du Pluis. He was from the Begin- ning to the 1 8th of April 1 740 in getting to this River ; there he, and the Indians with nim, got line Birch Trees of a great Size t(i make their Canoes. The River tlicy embark'd upon was about three Furlongs broad, but was not deep, and had no Waterfalls ; the Courfe was Sou.h-weft. The Indians who arc on the Weft Side of that River are called Monfoni or Mofonique^ or Gens de Orignal. The Lake Du Pluis is 100 Leagues in Length, and is lo called from a perpendicular Water-fall, by which the Water falls into a a River South-weft of it, which raifes a Mift-like Rain. He was 1 5 Days in pafTing down this River to the Lake Du Pluis in his Canoe j he coafted along the North-weft Side of the Lake, which was full of fine Woods, but there was none on the South- eaft Side, as the Natives informed him, except near the Edge of the Lake, for about Half the Length of the Lake, at which Place a River enters it from the South Side, which comes from a low Country, full of Beavers. The French^ upon account of thefe Land Carriages, never pafs into thcic Countries adjoining to this Lake. He pafled the Lake Du Pluis in the latter End of ylpril, and Beginning of May^ and ftaid 10 Days at the Fall witli the Monfo- ni, where they fifli with Nets at the Bottom of the lull. They have two great Villages, one on the North Side, and tlie other on the South Side of the Fall. F The '"flji I If m 1 1 i ^M l'T- ' f"^:j i'M ( 34) I ^ The River Du Pluis, which falls from the Lake, is a fine large River, which runs Weftward, and is about ^ Furlongs in Breadth j its Courfe is about 60 Leagues before it falls into the Lake Du BoiSy or Des IJles^ and is free fror^ Cataradls, having only two (harp Streams. He was 10 Days in going down it in his Canoe j the whole Country along its Banks is full of line Woods, in which are great Variety of Wild-fowl and Bcafts, as wild Beaver, Stags, Elk, Deer, ^c. and the River and adjoining Lakes full of excel- lent Fifh. This River falls into the Lake Du Bois, where he ar- rived about the End of May. This Lake is very large, and filled with fine Iflands ; he was 3 o Days in pafTing it, fifhing and hunt- ing as he went with the Natives, and flaid a Month in one of the Iflands with the Monfoni and Sturgeon Indians^ who live on the North Side of this Lake, and meet in that Ifland to be merry and confirm the-r Friendfliip and Alliance j thefe laft are called fo fi-om the great Number of Sturgeons they take in this Lake, which is the greatefl Part of their Provilions. He flaid there until the Month of Auguji ; all thefe Iflands and Coafls are low, and full of fine Woods, where all kind, of Fowl breed. At the Wefl End of this Lake, which is much longer than the Lake Du Pluisy a great River enters it near the Place where the great Ouinipique River pafTes out of it, and runs into the Lake of the fame Name. This River has a long Courfe from the Soathward. On the South- weft of this Lake is the Nation of the Sieux Indians. The River Oui- nipique is as large as the River Du Pluis, but is much more rapid, having about 30 Falls or Sharps upon it, where they mufl carry their *Janoes. Two or three of them are Carriages of a League or two, the others are very fhort. Upon that Account he was 1 5 Days in going down the River, which runs North- wefl about 1 00 Leagues. It alfo runs through a fine woody Country, having ma- ny Sorts of Timber Trees of great Bulk, On the South-wefl Side, at fome Diflance, is a flat Country, full of Meadows ; at the Falls it is about a Furlong in Breadth, in other Places three or four. He arrived at the great Ouinipique Lake in September ; he was about 30 Days in pafling it, fhooting and fifliing as he went. After going half way through it, he joined the Cris or Chrijh'naux In- dians, who live on the North-eafl: Side, and went on Shore, and hunted Beavers all the Autumn. He faw but two Ifles in it j one w^is full of Wood, it was about 3 Leagues long and 2 broad. He I called ( 35 ) called It the IJk Du Biche, or of Hinds, there being feveral upon it J the other was fandy, and without Wood, full of GecCc and other Water- fowl, which breed there ; he called it Goofe IJlc, but the Natives called it Sandy IJle. On the Weft Side of this Lake the Indians told him a River en- ter'd it, which was navigable with Canoes ; it defcended from Lac Rougeor, the Red Lake, called fo from the Colour of the Sand j they faid there were two other Rivers run out of that Lake, one into the MiJJiJfippi, and the other Weftward, into a marfliy Coun- try, full of Beavers. The Country Weft of the Ouinipique Lake has dry Iflands or Hills with marftiy Bottoms, full of Wood and Meadows. On the Eaft Side is a fine flat Country, full of Woods, until they come to the Bottom of the Mountains, which are betwixt this and the upper Lake. On a Lake on that Side, betwixt this Luke and Lake Du Boisy are the Migechichilinious, or Eagle-eyed Indians ; thefe, he fays, are not called fo from their having a fliarp Sight, but upon account of many Eagles which breed in Iflands in that Lake. Upon the Weft Side of Lake Ouinipique are the Nation of tlie jijfinibouels of the Meadows, and farther North a great Way, are the AJJinibouels of the Woods. To the Southward of thefe are the Nation of Beaux HommeSy fituated betwixt them and the Sieux In- dians. The Indians on the Eaft Side are the Chrijiinaux, whofe Tribes go as far North on that Side as the Affinibouels do on the other. All thefe Nations go naked in Summer, and paint or ftain their Bodies with different Figures, anointing themfelves with Greafe of Deer, Beavers, Bears, Gfld him, further Weftward beyond that barren Country, ther 'JtM. large Woods. He was acquainted, when there about fifteci t'.u a ago, with an Indian Chief, who traded at Churchill, who ha».. jccii often at a fine Copper Mine, which they ftruck off from the Rocks with fliarp Stones ; he faid it was upon Iflands at tlie Mouth of a River, and lay to the Northward of that Country where they had no Night in Summer. As to the Trade at Churchill it is increafing, it being at too great a Diftance from the French for them to interfere in the Trade. The Year 1742 it amounted to 20,000 Beavers : There were about 100 Upland Indians came in their Canoes to trade, and about 200 Northern Indians, who brought their Furs and Peltry upon Sledges j fome of them came down the River oi Seals ^ 1 5 Leagues Northward of Churchill, in Canoes, and brought their Furs from thence by Land. They have no Beavers to Northward of Churchill, t' cy not having there fuch Ponds or Woods as they choofe or feed upon, but they have great Numbers of Martins, Foxes, Bears, Rain-Deer, Buffalos, \Volves, and other Beafts of rich Furs, the Country being moftly rocky, and covered with a white Mofs upon wliich the Rain-Deer or Cariboux feed. There is a great deal of fmall Wood of the Spruce or Fir Kind near the old Fadtory, but the Wood improves as it is further up the River fiom the Bay, where they have Juniper, Birch and Poplar, and more Southerly the Timber is larger, and there are greater Va- riety of Trees. They are under great Inconveniencies at the new Fort, which is upon an elevated Situation upon a Rock without Shelter, clofe by the Shore, furrounded with Snow and Ice for eight Months in the Year, expofed to all the Winds and Storms that happen, where they can have no Conveniency of Grafs or Hay or Gardening, and yet they had four or five Horfcs there, and a Bull and two Cows near the Fadory ; but they were obliged to 1" ?' I'll 4 *■(( 1 I t I 4 1 f'i: ;■( m i- *i m J {48 ) to bring their Hay irom a marfliy Bottom fome Miles up the Ri- ver, to feed them in Winter j but if a Settlement were made higher up the River Southward, fome Lt^agues from the Bay, in Shelter without the Reach of the chilling Winds, they would have Grafs and Hay fufficient, and might have alfo Gardens and proper Greens and Roots propagated there. They fay there is a Communication betwixt that River and Nel- fon River at a great Diftance within Liuid, or a very ftiort Land Carriage betwixt them ; for the Indians who trade here, tell them e.v^h Seafon wliat Chiefs, with their Followers, go down thai- Year to Nelfon or Albany 7- ivers. The Company uvoid ull they can making DIfcoveries to North- ward of Churchill, or extending their I'rade that Way, for fear they fliould difcover a Paflage to the Weftern Ocean of America^ and tempt, by that Means, the reft of the Englijh Merchants to lay open iheir Trade, which they know they have no legal Right to, which, if the Pafliige was ibund, would not only animate the rell of the Merchants to purfue the Trade through that PafTage, but alfo to find out the t^ieat Advantages that might be made of the Trade of the Rivers and Countries adjoining to the Bay, by which Means they would lofe their beloved Monopoly j but the Profpe'fl they have of Gain to be made with trading with the EJkimaux Indians, for Whale-Fin, Whale and Seal Oil, and Sea- Horfe Teeth, induces them to venture a Sloop annually as far 62°. 30'. to Whale Cove, where heft Indians meet them, and truck their Fin and Oil with them : But tho' they are fully informed of a fine Copper Mine on a navigable Arm of the Sea North-weftward of Whale Cove, and the Indians have offered to carry their Sloops to it, yet their Fear of difcovering the Paffage puts Bounds to their Avarice, and prevents their going to the Mine, which by all Ac- counts is very rich ; yet thofe who have been at Whale Cove own, that from thence Northwards is all broken Land, and that after paffing fome I/iands, they from the Hills fee the Sea open, lead- ing to the Weftward ; and the Indians who have been often at the Mine fay, it is upon a navigable Arm of the Sea of great Depth, leading' to the South-v/eft, where are great Numbers of large black Fifli Ipouting Water, which confirms the Opinion, that all the Whales feen betwixt Whale Cove and Wager River, all come there from the Weftern Ocean, fince none are feen any where elfe in Hudjhn's . ,*i I liV ( 49 ) Hudfon'i Bay or Strait. All along this Coait from Lat. 62'. to 65". a very beneficial Fifliery of Whales may be carried on with thefe EJkimaux Indians, who even without the Ufe of Iron, c^n harpoon and kill Whales, and if they were fupplied with Iron Harpoons, and with proper Cordage, might be brought to kill great Numbers o^ ihem ; at prefent all their Nets, Lines and Snares are made of \A hale-bone, and moft of their Boats and other Nc- ceflaries of that. Seal Skins. Fifli Bones, and Sea-Horfe Teeth, and in making all Things necelTary for them they are very neat and ingenious. From thefe feveral Journals, and from the Accounts taken from Monfieur yeremie and De la Poterie, and from Jofep/j la France and Mr. Froji, we may frame a tolerable Judgment of the Cli- mate, Soil, Rivers, and Lakes adjoining to the Bay, and the great Advantage lu be made by improving our Trade there, by making Fadories or Settlements upon feveral of thefe fine Rivers and In- land Lakes j for tho' the Names, Situation and Diftances of thefe Lakes are not the fame, being taken from Indians perhaps of dif- ferent Nations and Languages, and by People who had no Op- portunity, or perhaps were not capable of fixing the proper Lati- tudes or Longitudes of thefe Lakes, yet they all concur that there are many noble and great Rivers and Lakes extending to the South- ward, South- weft ward, and Wcftward of the Bay, in fine Coun- tries and temperate Climates, the Lands and Countries being ca- pable of great Improvement, and to afford a Trade of great Ex- tent, and in Time, of an immenfe Profit. I fhall therefore, from thefe Accounts make fome Obfervations upon the Climate, Soil and Improvements which may be made by Trade in the feveral Parts of the Bay already known, and then (hew the Probability of extending it by a new Paffage to the Weftern Countries of Ame- rica, and through that great Weftern Ocean. The Soil and Climates are vaftly different in the feveral Coun- tries adjoining to the Bay. The Eaft Main, from Slude River to Hitdfon's Streight, is leaft known, there being no Fadtories fixed there for Trade, altho' the beft Sable and black Fox Skins are got there. Here the Nodioay or EJkimaux Indians live, who are in a manner hunted and deftroyed by the more Southerly Indians, be- ing perpetually at war with each other. They icem not to be Na- tives of America^ but rather Europeans from Greenland. The H French 'h '4 M I .'"ii *.i T I a' M ;'■;■* 1? ( S" ) f French imagine they arc defcciidcd from Bifcaviers^ they having Beards up to the Eyes, which the y/;/wzV<7»5 have not; they are of u white Complexion, not Copper coloured like the other Ameri- cans^ having hluck, flirong Hair. They live in Caves under the Snow in Winter, feeding upon Seals Flefli and dried Fifli, drink- ing the Oil, and ufing it for their Lamps, with which they alfo greafe their Bodies, wliich defends them from the piercing icy Par- ticles in the Air. If when travelling a Storm of Snow is too vio- lent for them to withftand, they dig a Hole in the Snow five or fix l''eet deep, and cover the Hole with Skins or Branches, and fo lie warm under tlie Storm. Upon this Coaft, in Lat. 59°. near Cape Smith, is a Paflage 1; 'ely difcovered into an inland Sea, 300 Leagues in Circuit, whch, if a proper Ufc was made of it, would open a confiderable Trade for Furs into the Heart of the 'Terra de Labarador, which the Company now negleds for fear of Expence, as they do all the Coafl: on the Eall Main, having only a Houfe, with feven or eight Servants, at Slude River, in Lat. ^2°. 30'. It is near the South Side of this Sea that the rich Lead Mine has been lately difcovered, which would alfo turn to very good Account, if a Settlement was there in about Lat. 56°. or 57°. it would be in as good a Climate as at York Fort or Ncio Severn, which is in a Cli- mate equal to the middle Part of Sweden or Livonia, being in the Latitude of Edinburgh ; and if one was made in 59°. near Cape Smith, it would be equal to that nov/ at Churchill. Rupert River, in about Lat. 51°. is in a very good Climate, and is a fine River, well wooded, having eight Feet Water at the En- trance, and the Tide rifes eight Feet ; the River is a Mile over, and Cometh from the Southward of the Eaft ; it is about 1 50 Leagues fi-om St. Margaret's River, which filleth into St. Laurence in Ca- nada. A little to Southward of Rupert's is Frenchman's and Nod- nvay Rivers ; thefe run from S. E. and S. S. E. from Sources a great Way up in the Country ; tlie laft is 5 Miles broad to the Falls. Thefe, tho' in fo good a Climate, are all negledled by the Com- pany, upon account of the Neighbourhood of the French, who have encroached upon them, and have a trading Houfe upon the Head of Rupert's River, by which they have engrofled almoft all the Trade of the Eaft Main. To avoid Expence they will not fix a fufficient Fadlory there to recover fo great a Trade, nor will allow any other from Britain to fettle there and trade,, choofing rather to (51 ) to give it up to the French than to their Countrymen, that they may preferve their prelent Monopoly to themfelves. The Fadories at prefent on Moofe River, in Lat. 5 1°. 28'. and in Albany^ in Lat. 52°. on the South-weft of the Bay, are at prcIent in a very tolera- ble Climate, being the fame with thefe already mentioned, but would be in a vaftly better Climate, if they were fixed fome Miles higher up, at fome Diftance from the chilling Winds in the Bay, where it appears all Sorts of Grain and Pulfe would grow to Per- fedion, and moft kind of European Fruits. Here they may have Horfes, Cows, Sheep, and all other domeftick Aninuls, here be- ing excellent Grafs, and very good Hay may be made of it, which would improve by feeding and cutting it for their Ufe in Winter ; and all Sorts of Grain may be had for their Ufe, as well as for the Inhabitants, wild Oats or Rice growing in Abundance fpontaneouf- ly farther up the Rivers to the Southward, at fome Diftance from the Bay. The Moofe River is a noble, large River, which Com- eth from two Branches, Southward and South- weft ward, of the Bay, for fome hundred Miles from the Mountains, above the Hu- ron and Upper Lakes, to near Lat. 48°. There are feveral Falls up- on it, but above the Falls it is again navigable a great Way into the Country, from whence the Natives come down fome Hundreds of Miles in their Canoes to trade at theFadory; yet, from the Ava- rice of the Company, they have in a manner left that Southern Trade to the French^ having allowed the French to have a trading Iloufe upon, or near, the Southern Branch oi Moofe River, witiiin three Days Journey, not 100 Miles from that Factory; who, at fo many hundred Miles from Canada^ underfell the Company, and carry away all the valuable Furs, leaving only the Refufe to them, becaufe of the exorbitant Prices they take for their Goods from the Natives in Exchange. It the Trade was opened, and thefe Rivers on the Bottom of the Bay were fettled farther up in the Country, they would have a very temperate, fine Climate, with all Necefla- ries for Life, and even for Luxury. Here are very fine Woods of all Kinds of large Timber for Shipping or Building, where they may have all Sorts of Fruit and Grain, tame Cattle and Fowl. The Rivers abound with excellent Fifli, and the Woods with Wild-; fowl, and moft kind of wild Beafts for Profit or Pleafure. Goofe-" berries, Rafpberries and Strawberries, grow wild in the Woo^s, every tiling in Gardens would grow with proper Culture. In II 2 tlie .! ill '\: ; . 4 mn "' r: } m I'tr .1 ■ , ( 5^ ) ^ the Couiury the Snow and Froft breaks up in March, and does not begin again until about November. Albany River is aho very conliderable, in Lat. 52°. aiid cometh from W. S. W. and within Land has the fame Climate and other Advantages j at prell-nt the Situation of the Faftories of Moofc and Albany are very unhappy, being placed in the Svi^amps, at the Moutiis of the Rivers J lor the Company's chief Aim being Trade» they don't regard the Soil, Afpeft or Situation, where they fix them, provided they are upon navigable Rivers where their Ships can approach them, and where the Natives can come in their Ca- noes ; fo that their Fadtories the w-, are placed in alow fwampy Ground, which is overflowed by the Rivers upon the breaking up of the Ice, which makes them much moifter and warmer in Sum- mer, and colder in Winter, from the Quantity of Ice there ^s in Winter in the Rivers and Bay : If they had fixed them w.gher up in the Country, where the Thaw begins much fooner than at the Bay, thev would have had a happier Situation, and a quite different Climate and Soil. How can it be expedled that any Thing can thrive in their Garden, or be brought to Perfedion ? when the Floods in the latter End of April leave Flakes of ^ce fe- veral Feet thick in their Gardens, which are not dilTolveo "ntil ti?.e latter End of May ; and yet after that Time, when they dig their Gardens, they have very good Cole worts and Turnips, green Peafe and Beans, when if they had been fituated higher up in the Country from the Bay, they might have had all Sorts of Fruit, Grain and Roots in Perfedlion, and tame Cattle and Fowl for their Ufe :, at prefent the Company's Servants depend upon the Filh and wild Geefe they take for their Winter Store. They have Pike, Trout, Perch, and white Trout in great Perfection in all their Ri- vers ; but the principal Fifh they take is a little larger than a Muckarel, of which 13 or 14000 are taken at Albany in a Seafon, which lupplies them and their Indian Friends in Winter -, thefe they take after the Rivers are frozen over, keeping Holes open in tile lee, in a ftreight Line at proper Diflances, through which they thrufl their Nets with Poles, and the Fifli coming there to breathe, are mafk'd or entangled in the Net ; thefe they fi'eeze up for Winter without Salt. The wild Geefe come to thefe Ri- vers firom the Southward in the Middle of April, as foon as the Swamps are thawed, at which Time they are lean j they ftay I until '1 J ti! !.^( ( S3 ) until the Middle of May^ when they go Northward to breed ; they take ^x. Albany in that Seafon about 1300 for prefent Ufe ; they return again with their young about the Middle of Atigiift^ and ftay until the Middle of 06lobcf\ when they go farther South- ward i they fave generally about 3000 of thefe, which they fait before the Froft begins, and what they take afterwards they hang uj3 in their Feathers to freeze for Winter Store, without Salt j the Natives flioot them in the Swamps. There are three Kinds, one a grey Goofe, which without Giblets weighs from 6 to 10 Pounds, another which they call Whaweys, are from 4 to 6 Pounds ; they have alfo Swans, grey Plover exceeding fat, white Partridges as big as Capons, in Abundance all Winter and Spring, which feed upon the Buds of Spruce, Birch and Poplars, i Th.e New Severn River, which the French call Sf. Hui/es, is in Lat. 56°. this the Company negledts, to avoid Expence, tho' it be a very fine River, well wooded, capable of receiving Ships of 50 or 60 Tons Burthen, and full of Beavers and other wild Beads of rich Furs ; for they being too far off the French, they oblige il ^ to come to Albany or Tork Fort, with their Furs. The Ri- ver Bourbon or Nelfon, upon whofe South- eaftern Branch is Tork Fort in Hafs Ifland in Lat. 57°. is one of the nobleft Rivers in America, and by much the fined and largcft in the Bay, and tho' the Names given to the feveral Lakes and Rivers which enter into thefe Lakes, which are upon it, betwixt its Source on the South-well Side of the 'Jpper Lake, a id Tbrk Fcrt are different, according to tlie Accounts given by "Jeremie, De la Poterie, and yofcph la France, yet they all agree in this, that there are a great Number of very large Lakes upon it, at great Diftances within Land, South-wefterly and Wefterly from the Biiy, in fine Cli- mates and fruitful Countries, among many populous erratick Nati- ons, fuch as the AJJinibouels, Chriftinaux, Savanna, Monfoni, Vieux Hommes, Tete Plat, Panis Blanc, Sturgeon Indians, &c. which abound with all Sorts of excellent Fifli, and are navigable for many hundred Leagues, tho' the Rivers which fall into them have feve- ral Sharps and Falls, which occafions feveral Land Cai-riages, yet Canoes pafs and repafs all thefe Lakes and Rivers from its Source to Tork Fort, the Natives coming down for above a thoufixnd Miles to trade there. The m r " l\ U ,•,. l^ ( 54) The Climate at Tork Fort, tho' in Lat. ^j°. feems not to be colder than at Albany in 52'. lince, if the Account taken from But- ton be true, the Ice broke up there in that River on the 26th of Aprily and the River, tho' not above a Mile broad, was not that Year frozen over tlie 1 6th of February, when at Atham it was frozen over in the Beginning of November ^ and it did not break up at the Fad'tory until the Beginning of May \ this miaht pro- bably be occafioned by the Strength of the Tide at Port Nelfon^ which rofe fometimes 14 Feet, when at Albany it does not rife 4 Feet, and the Waters oi Nelfon River run from the Southward, from more immediately warm Climates, when that at Albany comes from the W. S. W. and all the Bottom of the Bay being full of Ice, makes tlie Cold more intenfe and continue longer at the Mouth of that River. This feems confirmed from La Frances's Account, that within four or five Leagues of the Sea at Tork Fort^ the Cold continued, and there was Ice in the River in June, wheii pi, in about 36". Latitude, about 80 Leagues below the Illinefe River. This Lake abounds with Sturgeon and wliite Fiili, the befl in the World. It is clear of Rocks, Shelves, or Sands, generally 1 4 to I ? Fathoms deep, feldom or never diflurbed with Storms, and theie only in the three Winter Months, when they happen. Stags, Roe-bucks, and wild Beeves abound on its Banks, and Turkeys and other wild Fowl in the Woods. On the North Side a narrow Strip of Land runs into the L ake for 1 5 Leagues. Thirty lycagues to the Eailward of this is a fmall River that rifes near the Bay of Gamaxajki in Frontenac Lake. From this Ri\ to the Fall oi'Niagara is 30 Leagues ; this is fuppofed to be the greatcO Fall in this Globe , from its Height and Quantity of Water it dif- charges ; the Height was compuf^d formerly above 1 00 I'athom, but by a late exadt Account taken by the French in 172 1, it is fliid to be only 26 Fathom perpendicular by a Plumb Line, befides the Declivity above and below, it being rapid and full of Shelves for fix Miles below it, before it is again navigable. The Streight above Niagara at the Lake is about a League wide. From this to the River Conde is 20 Leagues South- weft ; this River runs from the S. E. and is navigable for 60 Leagues without any Catarads or Falls ; and the Natives fay, that from it to a River which falls into the Ocean, is a Land Carriage of only one League. This muft be either the Safquebana or Poivtomacky which fall into the Bay of Chifapeak. There are feveral fine Iflands on the South- weft of this Lake filled with Fruit Trees of feveral Kinds, and there is a Profpeft of rich Mines within 20 Leagues of it upon a Mountain from which Oar has been brought which proved good. From this fhort Abft/ad: of the Lakes, taken from the French; who di (covered them, we muft conclude that the Countries ad- joining to them are the moft delightfiil in the World j that in time, by civilizing the Natives, and making them become induftrious, a very fine Commerce might be carried on through thefe extenfive Lakes, which might be fecured to us, by making a fufficient Set- tlement upon the River Conde, where it begins to be navigable, which is but at a fmall Diftance from our prefent Colonies of Aftf- ry land and Penfihania, from whence we might extend that Settle- ment by Degrees, and by building proper Veffels there to navigate thefe Lakes, we might gain the whole Navigation and Inland I Trade ( 65 ) Trade of Furs, ^c. from the French, the Fall of Niagara being a fufficient Barrier betwixt us and the French o{ Canada by Water, and the Iroquefe and Fort at Ofwcga upon Lake Frontenac, an impregnable Barrier by Land, and by the Neigiibourhood of our moft populous Colonies, and Numbers tranfplanting themfelves annually from Europe, particularly from Switzerland and Ger- many to Penjihania ; they would be eafily induced to ftrenTthen our Settlements upon this River and Lake Erri'e, in fich a rich Soil and delightful Climate ; and by our fecuring the Sti eights of St, Jofeph, betwixt Errie and Huron Lake and the River Fran- pife, netu" the Bay of Toranto, we fliould cut off the French at Canada from their Communication with thefe Lakes and the Mif- JiJJippi, and join our Settlements to be made Southward of Hudfon's Bay upon the Moofe, Nodway and Rupert's Rivers, which in time would fecure to us the whole Fur Trade, and make Canada inlig- nificant to the French ; and alfo by fettling upon the Ouabach or Ohio near Lake Errie, by having the Cberokees and Chickefaws to the Southward, as a Barrier betwixt us and Loui/iana, and fecur- ing the ChoSiaws, we might fpread our Commerce beyond the JMiJJiJJippi ; by which Means, the Inland Trade of that vafl Northern Continent, much greater than Europe, would in time be wholly enjoy'd by us in Britain, independent of any other European Power, How glorious would it be for us at the fame time to civilize fo many Nations, and improve fo large and fpacious a Country ? by communicating our Conftitution and Liberties, both civil and re- ligious, to fuch immenfe Numbers, whofe Happinefs and Pleafure would increafe, at the fame Time that an Increafe of Wealth and Power would be added to Britain. There is at prefent a Beginning of this Scheme by the Zeal of Mr. Barclay^ who is inftrudling and civilizing the Moivhaivks among the Iroquefe^ who from a warlike Nation have embarked in Trade, and entered into Alliances with all the Nations around the Lakes Huron and Errie, and to the Weftward r.s far as the MiJiJJippi, which is firmly eftablirtied by the Gain they make by the Trade the Englijh from Ncw-Tork have fixed at Ojhvcga in their Country, upon equitable Terms with all the Indians, who come now from a great Diftance to trade at that Town, Indians coming now to trade there whofe Names were never before known to the Englijl). This therefore feems to be the critical Time to bes;in this K ^Settle- m 1r -11 '■ ■' i , i 'i.i ( 66 ) Settlement '>n the Banks of Conde River. If there be a War with France^ as we are at a great Expence to fiive the Liberties of Ett- ropcy and fupport the Houfe of jlufiriay fince we can have no- thing in Europe beneficial for us, in cafe we are fuccefsfiil at the Conclufion of the War, we ought to ftipulate for fomething ad- vantageous in America ; and the leaft we ought to claim is our Right to the American Lakes, and fecuring the Navigation of them. The French have at prefent two little Forts, of about tliirty Men in each, at Niagara y and the Streights of St. Jofephy and a few Men at MiJJilimakinac ^ and at the Bottom of the lllinefe Lake j thefe we ought to have from them, either by Force or Treaty, which would fecure the iniand-Trade to us, and prevent their fu- ture Incroachments either there or in Hudfon*s Bay j and to do this cfFeftually, would be to make this Settlement near the Lake Errie^ which may be done at little or no Expence, confidering our pre- fent Barrier, and Alliance and Trade with the Natives ; and when our Troops are difbanded, fome of them may be fent over upon Half-pay to fix in proper Places, and make good our Pofleflions, which would be a fine Retreat to our Soldiers, who can t fo eafily, after being difbanded, bring themlelves again to hard Labour, after being fo long difufed to it. By thefe Settlements, and thofe adjoining to Hudfoh^s, Bay^ and by opening the Trade in the Bay, many Thoufands more would be employed in Trade, and a much greater Vent would be opened for our Manufactures ; whereas all the Gain we have at prefent, whilft the Trade ia confined to the Company, is the Employment of 1 20 Men in all their Factories, and two or three Ships in that Trade, mann'd perhaps with 1 20 Men in time of War, to enrich nine or ten Merchants at their Country's Expence ; at the fame time betraying the Nation, by allowing the French to encroach up- on us at the Bottom of the Bay, having given up by that means the greatcfl: Part of their Trade there to the French j it is therefore humbly lubmitted to the Government, v/hether it is not juft, as well as prudent, to open that Trade to all the Britijh Merchants, and relume, at the fame time, the Charter fo far^ as to take from them all thofe Lands they have not reclaimed or occupied after 70 Years Polleflion, leaving them only their Fadories, and fuch Lands as they have reclaimed adjoining to them j and to give Grants as ufual in other ColonieSj to all who fliall go over to trade and make Settle- ( 67 ) Settlements in the Country ; for no Grant was ever intended to be made to them, to enable them to prevent other Subjedls of Britain from planting thofe Countries, which they themfelves would not plant or occupy; for fuch a Power, inftead of being beneficial, would be the greateft Prejudice to Britain ^ and is become a gene- ral Law in all the Colonies, that thofe who take Grants of Land, and don't plant them in a reafonable, limited Time, forfeit their Right to thofe Lands, and a new Grant is made out to fuch others as fhall plant and improve them ; and if this Grant be not imme- diately refumed fo far, and the Trade laid open, and fome Force be not fent to fecure our Southern Poffeflions in the Bay by the Go- vernment, in cafe there fliould be a French War, we fliall fee the French immediately diipoiTefs the Company of all their Fadtories but Churchilly and all thete Countries, and that Trade, will be in the Poffeflion of the French. To the making fuch Settlements fome Objedlions have been made by the Friends of the Company ; as the great Difficulty of getting People to go to fettic and plant in fo cold a Country, and the Difficulty and Danger attending the making Settlements higher up upon the Rivers, and navigating them, they being fo full of Falls and Rapids, that can only be navigated by the Natives in fmall Canoes made of Birch Bark, which can't contain above two Men with any Cargo ; and in thefe they are often overfet, and are in danger of being drowned, and of fpoiling their Goods ; that they are often obliged to carry their Canoes and Cargo from Place to Place, which obftrufts greatly, and delays the Navigation, and that fcarce 5 Men out of 1 20, which the Company now have in the Bay, will venture themfelves in, or can conduct fuch Canoes, without imminent Danger of being drowned, and confequently thefe Hardfhips and Difficulties will counterbalance the Profit to be made of fettling higher up in the Country, upon the Rivers in pleafanter and warmer Climates. To this I anfwer, that by the Accounts already given here of thefe Climates and Countries by impartial Perfons, who don't want to difguife the Truth, it appears that the Cold is tolerable even at thefe difadvantageous Settlements at prefent in the Bay, and that upon paffing only five or fix Leagues up the Rivers into the Coun- try, the CUmate is fo altered, as to be equi.l to thole of the fame Latitudes in Europe-, and that thefe prodigious Accounts of the Lf- . K 2 ' feels t;^'' ■i l' ■' r.il 4' -h' ki I !^ t T M ( 68 ) H "*iir..!^ :. < fefts of Cold are calculated only to ferve the Company, in order to prevent People from going there to fettle, and encroach upon the Company's Monopoly of Trade. As to the Difficulty they make about navigating thefe Rivers in thofe fmali Canoes, arui tfie fniall Number of thofe employed by the Company, who will venture in them, or can conduft them ; I anfwer, that their Servants, being at prefent no Gainers by Trade, won't endeavour to learn to navigate thefe Canoes, where there is any Rifque, and Care neceflary to prevent the Danger : Belides, the Company allows them no Time to learn, by confining them to their Fa(^ories whilft the Indian Trade continues, and the Navi- gation is open ; and at other Times keep them employed in cutting Wood for Firing, bringing it home, and in fliootlng, fifhing, and digging in their Gardens, to fupply themfelves with Provifions, to leifen the Company's Expence j fo that they are allowed no Time to learn to navigate thefe Boats, or to go up the Rivers to obferve the Soil and Climate, or what Improvements might be made in the Country : But if they were Mafters of their ov/n Time, and could advance their Wealth by Trade, and found a confiderable Profit to arife to them by their Dexterity in managing thele Canoes, and the great Pleafure and Satisfa6tion they would have, by living in a fine Climate among thefe Lakes and Rivers, they would be as enterpri- zing and dexterous as the Cureur de Bois, and be as able to navigate among thefe Water-falls as the French. Neither is it imprafticable to prevent even thefe Canoes fi-om overfetting, by Outlagers or blown Bladders fixed to their Sides ; or other Kmds of Boats may be ufed, fuch as are made at TorneOy in Sweden, upon the Rivers tailing into the Bothnick Gulph j and Laplanden might be pre- vailed upon to go there to teach them how to make and manage thefe Boats, and train up Rain-Deer to draw in Sleds in Winter, and alfo to ufe Lapland Shoes, which are better than thofe ufed in America. If the Trade was once made free, the Profit made upon it would induce many to go and fettle upon thefe Rivers, when not only Horfes and other Conveniencies would be had near thefe Water- falls to alfiit the Land Carriage in Summer, but alfo Horfcs and Rain-Deer to draw their Sleds in Winter as in Rtiffia, which is almoft as cheap a Carriage as by Water, when the proper Roads are made through the Woods ; fo that Objedlion muft be of no I Force 'lA ( 69 ) Force to prevent our opening the Trade, and fettling thele Coun- tries. But uippofing the vvorft, that we could not manage thefe Canoes, that could not prevent our fettling to Advantage upon thefe Rivers and Lakes above the Falls ; for the Natives might ftill be our Car- riers in navigating thofe dangerous Places, and taking our Goods from one Settlement to another, whilll we fhould be employed in Navigation and Trade among the Lakes and Rivers where there are no Falls in larger VefTels, and puHi our Commerce Southward into better Climates and richer Soils, and put the Natives upon Im- provements in Trade, by civilizing and inltrudiing them in build- ing convenient Houfes, and aflbciating in Towns, making Gardens, and tilling their Lands, providing tliem with Horfes and tame Cat- tle, and Fowl for their Ufe, and proper Tools, which our Trada would fur nidi them with. Another Objedlion is, that it is a difficult and dangerous Naviga- tion into the Bay, and the Trade is not worth the Rifque. To this I anfwcr, that the Navigation is not fo dangerous as it is apprehended to be, but appears to be more fo by the Iniinuations and Report of the Company and their Friends, who give it out in order to deter others from venturing and interfering in their Trade j and for that Reafon tney oblige their Captains, under a Penalty, not to publifh any Charts of the Bay and Streight. Captain Mid- dletorty who was in their Service, made above twenty Voyages to different Parts of the Bay, and never loft a Ship, nor had any Ac- cident in thefe Voyages ; nor have I heard that the Company, \n. about 23 Years, have loft any Ships in that Trade but two, and the Men and Cargo were fived by Captain Middleton, Wiiere Cap- tains are careful in the Ice, there is not mucli Danger ; it is of great Advantage to them that there is no Night at that Seafun they enter tlic Bay where the Quantity of Ice is greateft ; and when they return in September ^ or even in OSlober, all tiie Ice is in a manner dilfolved, or pafTed out of the Streight into the Ocean, and none i^:tTi that can obfh'udt their Paffige. It is probable, that during the whole Winter, from Obhher to MarcL\ there is no Ice in the Streight to obftrudl their Piifllige in- to, or out of, the Bay ; for a Ship which chanced to be cloftd up with Ice in an Inlet, by the breaking of the Ice got out, and came through the Streights at Cbrifimas, witliout findijig any Ice in the Screiglit i )■ /< ' 111 I'] 1; "IE ■ 11 % fi 1; ■ 1 f: 1 Ml I' W ( 70 ) Sticiglit to prevent her PalTage : For ihe Ice which Is formed in Bays and Rivers in Winter, does not break up, and get into the Channel or Streight, until it begins to thaw upon the Shores in March and /Ipril -, at which Time it is carried by the Winds and ride into the Streight, and obllrutfls the PafTage in May, ami Part of June, until it is diflblved ; yet even then good Pilots know how to avoid it, and get into the Eddy Tide, out of the Current, where the Ice is more open, ami not drove together by the Winds and Current, as it is in the Cliannel ; but thefe Difficulties would leflen every Day, if tiie Tr idc were open'd, and the Voyages were more irequent by the greater Number of Ships, which would make ma- ny more experienced Pilots j and as there is now a more accurate Chart publiflied of the Streight ■xrA Bay by Captain Middletony with Jie Illands, Soundings, '^" les aod Variation, the Navigation will become le4s diugerous da! . , u. '• Coves and Places of Shelter for Ships will be found out L^ the ^ ambers of Ships which would then pafs, and be trading in thefe Sc: •, which are now unknown. I therefore apprehend, that the Danger from the Ice is more in Imagination than Reality, wlienCare and Judgment are employed; for Ships a.e moflly inclofed in Ice in calm Weather and Fogs, when the Ice prevents the Motion of the Sea j ftormy Weather difperfiis and breaks the Ice and blows off the Fogs, and Ships keep a good Offing from the Ice, unlefs they get under the Lee of a large Ifland of Ice, and then they faften to it and drive along with it, whilft the fmaller Ice to Leeward is drove from them by the Wind ; and the large Iflands being many Fathoms deep in the Water, come on Ground before the Ships are in Danger of be- ing forced on Shore in fliallow Water. The greateft Danger and Delay from the Ice is in the Entrance into the Streight ; for the firft 40 Leagues from thence the Quan- tity is lefs, and they pafs on with lefs Difficulty, and after getting into the Bay, the North-weft Side is freeft from Ice, the Bottom of the Bay is full of low flat Ice, which is all diflblved in the latter End of Summer. Upon the whole, except two Ships which were loft in King William's Reign, and a French Ship, after an Engagement with our Ships, when they attack'd Fort NelJ'on, I have heard of none but the Ships already mentioned which have been loft in that Voy- age. The two Ships which went witli Barlow m 1719 to find I the ltd ill ( 71 ) the North- weft PafTage, contrary to the LicHnationsof the Compa- ny, if they did not make tiic Pulliige, were probably in the Win- ter I'urprized by the Natives, and were not loil in the ke ; for they lay tliat the Natives in about Lat. bT^". where they ibppofe they were loft, are ftiyer lince that Time in trading with the Company's Sloops, which they apprehend to be from a Conftioufr.efs of Guilt, fearing that it might be known, and they fliould be pu- niflied for it. Since therefore the greatcft Danger from the Ice is in pafling the Streight, and fo few Accidents have happened in fo many Years> the Navigation, I think, can't be call'd dangerous, tho' it has been generally fo apprehended ; and not equal to the Whale Fifhers who go annually to Spitzberg and Davis's Streights, to Lat. 78°. and 80°. without any Objedlion to that Navigation, either by the Dutcl\ HamburgerSy Danes, Blfcayners, or Englip, I think therefore it appears, that upon opening the Trade, and fettling in the Bay, a very great Improvement may be made to our Trade, by the Increafe of our Fur Trad' and from the Mines j and beneficial Whale Fifliery, which aia be improved and carried on there by the /W/rt«j i and the who - may be had without Danger or Difficulty, altho' no Pafllige fliould be found to the Weftern Ocean ; but if there be a Probability of that Paf- fage, and the Prefumptions are now vaftly ftron^er, fince the Dil- coveries lately made by the Ships under Captain Middleton's Com- mand, and the Advantages would be fo v / great to our Trade, ia cafe a fafe Paflage fliould be found, I fliall here give a fliort Abftradt of the Journal which he has been pleafed to give us, wherein, tho' many material Obfervations have been concealed and omitted, and others have been mifreprefented •, and the chief Part of the Coaft, where the greateft Hopes was of a Palliige, was en- tirely flighted and negledted by him, Part being pafied in the Night, and the Remainder failed along in hazy Weather, at five, fix, and eight Leagues Diftance, fo as to make no Difcovery of thofe broken Lands, of which that whole Coaft confifts ; which feems plainly done with a Defign in him to compliment the Company at the publick Expence, that he might have it in his Power to gratify them by concealing the Difcovery ; and thought from his Charader of being an experienced Sailor, no other after him would pretend to look after it for tlie future, which would quiet the Com- pany m , M, 'I. 'rt| ( 72 ) m I Ml' p;\ny in tlic PoflelTion of their darling Monopoly in the Bay.for whici), MO doubt, he had ftrong Motives to induce him to flight it, they hav- ing offered him before he went the Voyage /. 5000 not to go, or to flight the Dill overy, by going to Davis's Streights, or any other Way but wlierc he was dirc(f\ed, as he has own'd to feveral Perfons ; yet notwithflanding all his Art in concealing a great deal, and dilguiflng more, in his Journal, enough is didovcred in it, to fliew he was in the Pall'age, and that if his Inclination had been as good as his Abili- ty, he could have made a confiderable Progrefs in the Dilcovery ot tfie P.'fliige laft Voyage ; and after obierving upon hi.i own Journal, I (hall add what further Remarks have been made in the Voyage by fome Otiicers wlio were on board him, and Objcdtions to his Condudt upon the Voyage, fo far as related to his concealing and flighting the Difcovery ; and by comparing his Journal and their Obl'ervations, with the Accounts formerly given by Button, Fox, Scroggsand Norton, fliall fliew that the Prefumptions now of their being a lafe Pafl^age to the Wefl:ern Ocean of America, are as ftrong as well can be, witiiout a Demonftration by an adual pafling it. He could not get out fooner than the ift of July from Churchill River in Lat. 58°. 56'. to fearch for the Paflage ; on the 3d at five in the Morning he faw three Iflands in Lat. 61°. 40'. on the 4th lie law Brook Cobham in Lat. 63°. Long. 93°. 40'. Weft from Lon- don, the Variation there was 21°. Weft. This Ifland had much Snow upon it; on the 6th in the Morning he faw a Head-land in Lati 63°. 20'. Long. 93°. Weft ; Soundings from 35 to 72 Fa- thoms ; at five the Current fet N. N. E. 2 Knots 2 Fathoms ; the Tide flowed from N. E. by N. Variation 30°. Weft ; a W. by N. Moon made high Water; the 8th he was in Lat. 63°. 39'. faw no Whales or other Fifli yet, except one white Whale as big as a Grampus, and fome Seals ; much Ice North of them, cloie in Shore for feveral Leagues ; Depth 60 to 90 Fathoms ; Land 7 or 8 Leagues N. W. loth in Lat. 64°. 51'. Long. 88°. 34'. Weft, the Welcome here 11 or 12 Leagues wide, the Eaft Coaft a low flat Coaft, the whole Welcome full of Ice ; they filled frefli Water off the Ice; clos'd in the Ice until the 12th; the 13th he got through the Ice to Northwards of Cape Dobbs, a new difcovered Head-land, on the N. W. Side of the Welcome, in Lat. 65°. lo". Long. 86°. 6'. Weft, law a fair Opening N. W. of it ; failed into this Opening or River to fecure the Ships from tlie Ice, until it difperfed ( 73 ) fthperfecl in the JVelcome. The Entrance of this River 6 or 8 Miles wide for 4 or 5 Miles. Four Leagues higher it was 4 to 1; Leagues wide ; he anchored on the North vSide above fome Illands in 34 Fathoms ; the Tide in the Narrow flowed 5 Miles an Hour ; not ib ftridt furtlicr up ; much Ice came down with the Ebb ; the Soundings, as they went up, were from 14 to 44 Fathoms in the Middle of the Channel. Next Morning leveral of the EJkt- maux Indians came on board, who had nothing to exchange but their old Cloaths and 20 Gallons of Train Oil ; he gave them fe- vcral Toys ; he went higher about four Miles, above fomc Illands, and anchored in a Sound betwixt them and tlie North Shore, in an Eddy Tide, to be out of the Way of the driving Ice, whicli went in and out with the Tide, and anchored in 16 Fathoms ; this he called Savage Hound ; the River above and below full of Ice ; the 1 5th he fent up the Lieutenant with nine Men well armed, with Provifions for 48 Hours, in the eight oar'd Bout, to try the River, who returned on the 17th j he Iiad been up as far as the Ice would permit, it being taft above from Side to Side ; he found the Depth above from 70 to 80 Fathoms. The i6tli the Captain went alhore on fome Iflands, and found them quite bare, except fome (hort Grafs, and Mofs in the Valleys, and a little Sorrel and Scurvy-Grafs above High-water Mark. They fet the Fifliing Nets but gotno Fifh; many of his Men relapfed in the Scurvy, above half not ferviceable. The Tide at the Mouth of the River on Change Days flows five Hours, and rifes from I o to \^ Feet, Variation 3 5°. Weft ; where the Lieutenant was, it flowed from the Southward, and rofe 13 Foot at Neap Tide. The Northern Indians he took from Churchill knew nothing of the Country; 18th got the Ships into a fafe Cove, and moor'd in nine Fathoms and a half : The Captain went up the River in the Morning with eight Men and the two Indians^ and by eight at Night was got up 1 5 Miles : He found the Tide flowed 1 2 Feet, and a Weft Moon made high Water ; the Tide flowed from S. S. E. the Indians killed a Deer ; they heard an uncommon cry- ing in the Night, generally made by Savages when thf y iee Stran- gers; 19th by two in the Morning went five Miles higher, and got into a fmall River or Sound, fix or feven Miles wide, but how far it went up they knew not ; the main River was there fix «)r Ic- ven Leagues wide, but fo full of Ice they could not go much tiir- L thcr ; X.iL, 1^ 'KJ ■Y V ' M m ( 74) I thcr ; tlie l/.ihi.h on both Sides very liig;h ; he went upon one o\' the hiii;heft IVIountains 24 Miles above Sdvugi' Covr, where the Ships lay, from whence he could Tee where the Ships lay, and u- bout 8 or 10 Leuifues higher up than the Place he was at ; he obferved the River run N. by W. by the Compafs, which, Vari- ation allowed, was to Weftward ot" N, W. but it grew narrower in its Courfe upwards, and was full of Ice ; the 20th, at eight in the Evening, he returned on board with fix Deer, winch tlie In- dians had fliot wliilll he was on Shore : lie called th-'t Phice Deer Sound ; the Land is very mountainous and barren, with Hocks of the Marble Kind ; in t.ie Vales a great many Lakes, with fome Grafs, and Numbers of large Deer, as big as a fmall Horfe, 1 2 or 1 3 Hands high ; upon Iflands not half a Mile in Circuit they generally faw a fmall Herd. 21ft he went down the River, which was ftill full of Ice ; when he was within 4 Miles of the Entrance, he got upon a high Hill, and faw the IVelcome iViU full of Ice from Side to Side. 2 2d the Ice very thick in the Rjver above and below, and more drives in every Tide, if the Wind comes from the Welcome j he fent the Lieutenant with the fix oar'd Boat up the River. 24th more Ice in the River than ever : no fending a Boat downwards. 25th Lieutenant returned, after having been 48 Hours founding among the Iflands near Deer Sound', he found the River full of Ice; he brought three Deer with him. 26th fent the Lieutenant and Mafter down to fee if the Ice was clearer below, and in the Welcome; Savage Sound h in Long. 89". 28'. Weft, Variation 35°. Weft; the Entrance of Wager River is in Lat. 65°. 23'. Deer Sound 65°. 50'. the Courfe from Savage Bay is N. W. by Compafs, which. Variation allowed, is W. by N. 27th Lieutenant returned, having been carried out by the Ice and Tide fix or feven Leagues, and found the River be- low quite choak'd up with Ice, but thinner when they got into the Welcome. 28th at one in the Afternoon, the Lieutenant and Mafter went up the River, to try if they could find out any other Way into the Welcome belides that they came in at, on Account they had feen many black Whales, and other Fifli, the Time they were up laft, and none were feen where the Ships lay, nor any where below ; he was likewife ordered to try Deer Sounds and every Opening, to find whether the Tide came in any other Way, than the Way they came in at, this lie had Time to do, until the il! ( 75 ) the Ice cleared in the Mouth of" the River ami lydcotni', 29th he lent the Boat with eight fick Men, and feveral that were lame with the Scurvy, to an Idand about five Miles oft*, it having Plenty of Sorrel and Scurvy-CJral's upon it, and left with them Tenting and N^ceflliries ; the Tide flowed 12 Fathom 6 Inches ; the Cap- tain went up one of the highelt Mills, and found the River full of Ice below, but fomcthing thinner above. 30th he perceived the Ice was all fall below them, and for eight or ten Mili;s above them, wi';hout the Illands ; but pretty clear without the Cove. 31ft: Abundance of Ice drove in from the fVc/tomey and almoft fil- led the Bay without them. The ill of ylugu/i the Lieutenant and Mafter came on board, having been four I>ays out, who laid they had been 10 or 12 Leagues above Deer Sound ; they faw a great many black Whales of the Whale-bone Kind ; they tried every Opening they faw, and conftantly found the Tide of Flood came from the Eaftward, or in at the Mouth of the River Wager, 2d they unmoored and warp'd out into Savage Sound, and on the 4th by 10th at Night got out of the River, the Ebb carrying them out at the Rate of five Ivliles in an Hour, being clear of*^ Ice unril they got out ; it being J.nioft: iralm put the Pinnace a Head. and tow'd and rovv'd with the Ship's Oars. They were then in 65". 38' and Long. 87°. 7'. Weft Variation 38°. Here they entered a new Streight N. E. of ^rf^^r River, 13 Leagues wide; the Entrance of IVager River is in Lat. 65°. 24. Long. 88°. 37'. the 5th they were in Lat. 66". 14. Long. 86°. 28'. Weft ; the Strait there was about 8 or 9 Leagues wide, failing among Ice ; the S. E. Coaft: was law and lliingly 7 Leagues long ; at the N. E. End of the Beach was a mountainous ragged Land like Part of Hudjhn's Streight ; good Soundings herefrom 25 to 44 Fathoms, Variation 40°. Weft } the Tide comes from E. by N. by the Compafs j the Tide runs very ftrong here with Eddies and Whirlings, 6th tried the Tide, and found it came from the E. by S. ♦^he Point of the Beach at two was diftant four or five Miles ; a'- l-.ilf an Hour paft two lent the Lieutenant afliore with the fix oai d Boat to try the Tide, and found it had ebbed two Feet, and the Flood came from the Eii'lward ; at three made a Signal for the Boat to coiiic on board ; at four law a fair Cape or Ilead-land on the Weft or Nortli Shore, bearing from them S. W. half S. fix or feven Leagues, the Land trenching away from E. by N. to N. by W. makina; eight L 2 Poiiittj ^ h 4 ( 76 ) Points of the Compufs j this gave them Joy, believing it the North Point of jimcrica^ and therefore he called it Cape Hope j they work'd round it through mucli flraggling Ice all Night j in the Morning wlicn the Sun clear'd away the Haze, they Hiw Land all round, quite from the low Beach to the Weftward of the North, meeting the Wert Shore, and made a deep Bay, but to make fure they kept their Courfe to the Cod of it, until two next Afternoon, when every one faw plainly it was a Bay, and they could not go above fix or eight Miles farther ; fb trying the Tide feverai Times, and finding it always flack Water, tliey found they had overil\ot the Opening where the Tide came in at, from the Eaftward, the Variation here was 50°. This Bay at the Bottom was fix or (t\Qx\ LeagiTwS wide from Side to Side ■■, very high Land from thence to the trozen Streight Eaftward of them ; Soundings from 50 to 105 Fathom ; they failed Eaftward out of the Bay, much Ice to Eaft- ward. The 8th at 10 in the Morning the Captain went on Shore with the Boat, taking the Gunner, Carpenter, and his Clerk with him, to try if he could find from whence the Flood came in at to this Streight or Bay. At Noon Cape Hope bore N. half E. five or fix Leagues ; the Beacli W. S. W. four Leagues ; the Entrance of the frozen Streight amongft the Iflands on the Eaft Side, bore Eaft two Leagues ; at four the Middle of the frozen Streight bore E. S. E. three Leagues > at half an Hour paft nine at Night he re- turned on board ; he had travelled about 1 5 Miles to the liighcft Mountain that overlooked the Streight, and Eaft Bay on the other Side, and faw the Paflage the Flood came in at j the narroweft Part of this Streight is four or five Leagues, and five, fix or feven in the broadeft, almoft full of large and finall Iflands, and in length about 16 or 18 Leagues j it ftretches S. E. round to the vSouth and to the Weftward j it was full of Ice not broke up, all faft to both Shores, and Iflands therein ; he faw very high Land, about I 5 or 20 Leagues Southward of the Place he was at, which he took to run towards Cape Comfort, and the Bay betwixt that and Wejlon\ Portland^ being Part of Hudfon'':. North Bay ; the Ice being not yet broke up, it was refolved in Council to try the otiier Side of the IVclcome, from Cape Dobbs to Brook Cobham^ to know if there was any Opening there, and then return to Eng- land, The ( 77 ) The 9tli at two in the Morning they bore aw.iy -, at tliree founded 35 Fathom within a Mile of the Beach, fjx Leagues to Cape Hopcy and three to the Beach Point ; they iailed along the South-eaft Shore at three Leagues Diftance , there being much Ice to Weftward, almoft one thira over ; at four in the Atlernooa Cape Dobbi bore N. W. three foiuths W.by Compafs fix Leagues; at 10 founded 50 Fathom ; at 12, 60 to 65. The 10th at four in the Morning 43 to 25 Fathom, five Leagues from the Weft Land at eight ; 66 to 70 Fathom ; then in Lat. 64°. 10'. Long. 88". j6'. Weft; t\i& Welcome htrc 16 or i8 Leagues wide ; the extreme Part of the S. E. Shore ilill in Sight, bore fi-om S. to S. E. by E. diftant fix or fevcn Leagues. The i ith at four in the Morn- ing 45 to 35 Fathom, the North Shore from N. E. to N.N. W.- four or five Leagues diftant, then in about Lat. 64°. and Long. 90°. 53'. near the Head-land ; they kept as near as thej-^ could to the Shore, to fee if there was any Opening into the Land, 25 to 35 Fathoms ; continued failing in Sight of the North Shore fironr Cape Hope ; at four in the Afternoon haul'd off fi-om the Shore to deepen the Water ; at fix, 34 to 28 Fathom ; at eight, 30 to 40 ; then lay by until Day-light ; Soundings all Night fi'om 44 to 60 Fathom. At four on the 12th i.iade fail ; at fix-, ftood in with the Head-land 9 or i o Leagues to Eaft ward of Brook Cobham ; it bore then from them N. W. by N. 5 or 6 Leagues ; founded 60 to 49 Fathom ; at ten 49 to 9 Fathom, ftanding in to the Head- land ; at twelve haul'd off to deepen the Water, they were then in Lat. 63". 14'. and Long. 92°. 25'. W. He fiys he found in coafting along the Shore of the Welcome^ from the frozen Streight to this Place, that it was all a Main-land, tlio' there arc feveral Imall Iflands and deep Bays ; this Head-land, and the other in Lat. 64°. makes a deep Bay ; in their Pafiagc out they did not fee the Bottom of it, as they did upon their Return ; and by keeping clofe along Shore, they faw many large black Whales oi the right Whaie-bone Kind. They had fi-om 20 to 40 Fathom off Brook Cobham, which at four in the Afternoon was W. N. W. 4 Leagues diftant. The 1 3th he fent afhore to fee if he could water the Ships ; the two Northern Indians went alliore in the Boat ; the Illand is -; Leagues from the Main, 7 I^eagucs long and three broad, all of hard white Stone like Marble. The 14th the liieutenant returned with the 1 Boat, ,ii, !' ( 78 ) r r. ■«; % m Boat, and brought a Deer the India/is \ud ihot, and a white Bear j they favv feveral Swans and Ducks. The 1 5th fent the Boat for more Water with the two Northern Indians, who were defirous of being lett near their own Country, he gave them a fmall Boat, whit h he taught them the Ufe of, and loaded it with Powder, Sliot, Proviiions, Hatchets, Tobacco, and Toys, of every Kind he had on board. T\^c Afternoon the Boat returned on board, and brouglit an Account, that by Marks left on the Shore, tlie Tide flow.-, fometimes there 22 Feet ; they left the two Indians nihovc, who deligned to go to the Main-land the firft Opportunity ; the other Indian being defirous of feeing England, he brought with him, and the fame Day bore away for England. If nothing more was known or difcovered by this Voyage, than what is here mentioned in this Journal, yet it even appears from it, and by the former Accounts given by Button, Fox, Scroggs, and Norton, that there are ftrong Prcfumptions of a Paflage, ot which I iliall give a (hort Abflradt, with Obfervations upon this Journal, as here given in by Captain Middleton. But when I ihall take No- tice of what more has been difcovered in this Voyage, which has been induflrioufly concealed by him, and that he not only flighted examining the material Parts of the Coaft, and the Direction and Height of the Tide, where the greateft Probability was of a Paf- fage by all former Accounts j but even avoided the Coaft, and pafTed great Part in the Night, and has given falfe Accounts of the Courfe of the Tides, and has made an imaginary frozen Streight, in order to bring a Title of Flood through it to fupport the falfe Fads he lias laitl down in his Journal, and publiflied in his Chart of the Courle of the Tide, from thence to conclude, that there is no Paflage ; and when a Paflage or Streight free from Ice, lead- ing to the W. S. W. four or five Leagues wide was difcovered, and reported to him under tiie Lieutenant ;\'-.d Mailer's Hand, he would not purfue it, but fail'd out of the Streight N. E. a Courfe the Re\ erfe of what he fliould have taken, and followed the Tide con- trary to his Inftrudtions ; and afterwards, when a Tide of Flood was difcovered coming fi\)m the Welhvard at Miirhlc IJland, through an Open on the Wcllern Shore, ht; not only flighted looking into it, but even rcfufcd the Lieutenant when lie dcliretl to try that 0])cning, and difcouragcd all tliofe wh./ were on hoard 2 him, ( 79 ) i^r^^ him, who were of Opinion that there was a Paflage, and were ini^uifuive and defirous of having it found. When all *hi:; is fhewn, it will not only increafc the Probability of there being a PalTage, but alio confirm the Belief, that undue Influence has been maae Ufe of by the Company, to induce the Captain to conceal the Pafliigc and flifle the Difcovery, and publirti a falle Chart to fix it, and deter any others from j'.ctempting it for the future. In order to m.ike all this plain, I fliall firft give a fhort Ahftraft from Button^ Fox, and ScroggSy of what they obferved, and then reafon from their Accounts, and the Fadls he himfelf lias allowed his Journal, before I mention what he has concealed, avoided in and fahified in it. It appears from liuf ton's Jouinal, who was the firft we have re- corded to have been upon that Coaft i!i 1613, after wintering in Port Ncljhn, that he faw a Head-land when in 62". 42'. North La- titude, bearing from him N. E. by E. 8 or 9 Leagues, and ano- ther Head-land in about Lat. 64°. which are the (lime mentioned in this Journal ; he was then forced by a Storm into Lat. 65°. and fell in with the Eaft Land ; this Place he called A^*' Ultra, j-iot knowing whether it was a Bay or Inlet. He was afterwards forced by ftormy Weather to the Southward, without making any other Difcovery, only leaving it doubtful. He was here on the 28th of yuh, but faw neither Ice nor Snow upon th" Coaft at that Time, but faid all he faw was a broken Land and Iflands upon the North- weft Coaft. Fox was the npvf. who was there in 1632. The firft Land he made, after pafiing C^rv's Sican's Ncft^vfA'^ in Lat. 64°. 10'. which he called Sir Thomas Ror'fi H'dcomc, but was the fame Button called Ne Ultra. Thi.s, he fays, was an Ifland, a high, broken Land. Heliadfine, clear Weather, an open Sea, free from Ice, no Snow on the Land, but a bold, ragged Coall, like Head-lands upon the Ocean, with Tangle and Rock-weed, and great Store of Fiih leap- ing. Hd ^ the Tide ro(t- 4 Fathom. He failed from thence South- weft, afid in Lat. 63". -^7'. faw another Head-land to Southward o<^ him, and fmall Iflands and broken Land upon the Main, with Hiany Fifli and Seals, and one black Whale. He failed to South- ward, and came to Brook Cohbam, an llland in Lat. 63°. where he faw two Whales, and betwixt that Ifland and the Main his Men faw I', ( 1 f,H- ; iii r . ' ( 80 ) faw 40 Wlwles, This was the 27th of July. He (iilled thei.ce to tlie Southward. Scro^gj was tlie th.id thac was there. He failed from Ch'Tchill River on the 22d of June 1722. In Lat. 62°. he traded with the Nati.es for Whale-fin and Sea-horfe Teeth. On the 9th of July he was drove in hazy, thick. Weather, to Lat. 64°. 56'. where he anchored in 1 2 Fathoms. When it cleared up, he found himfelf within 3 Leagues of the North Shore. The Head-land which bore E. N. E. from him, he called Whalebone Point. He law at the fame time fcveral Illands bearing from S. W. by W. to S, W. by S. which, Variation allowed, was from S. W. by S. to S. S. W. He law Land from Soutli up to the Weft ; the Welcome was very high Land, as high as any in Hudfon's Streight. The Southermoft Illand he called Cape Fullertou. Here he faw many black Whales, and Ibme white. He lent his Boat on Shore, they faw many Deer, Geefe, Ducks, &c. He faid it flowed there 5 Fathoms upon his Lead-line, he having but 7 Fathom at low Water, and 1 2 at high Water. He had two Northern Indians with him, who had win- tered at C/jurcbill, and told him of a rich Copper Mine fomewhere in that Country, upon the Shore, near the Surface of the Earth, and they could dire, faw again many Whales, but faw no Ice when he was there. The Land from Whalebone Point fell off" to the Southward of the Weft, and the Men who went afliorc, faid they faw nothing to prevent their go- ing fiirthcr. They liad Soundings there from 40 to 70 Fathoms. Captain Norton, late Governor of Churchill, was then with him, and confirmed this Account, and tliat the Tide role 5 Fathom ; a Mountain, and op law i ( 8i ) faw the Land full away to the Southward of a Wert, and noticing to prevent their going iiirtlier. Captain Midiik.cn \v his Journal confiims all tl"cfc I'cad-land.^ in the very lime Places tiey mention them, with high, ragged Lands and lilands oft'tlie iViain, ami law many Whales at tiie lame Head-land Fox had ft .n one. Upon his going out it appears he kept at a great Diftance from the Well Shore, lb as fearce to de- fery it, under Pretence of Ice; and upon his Return, tho' there was tlien no Ice, it appears he was 6 Leagues to Eatlward of C>'.pe Dobbs, palled IVbalcbonc Pciiit in the Niglit, witlioiit feeing that Coaft, and was 5 or 6 Lcagu*:s to Eailward of Cap'* ^'^ullcrton next iMorning, as it appears from his Logg-book j he afterwards coarted down the Bay Southward of that Cape. But by the Logg-book it appears he was 7 or 8 Leagues off the Co ifl, and generally fo ha- /^y, as only barely to defcry Mountains, as it were, in the Clouds, never once fending his Boat on Shore to try the Tide, or look out for Inlets, until he arrived at the Marble Kland he called Erooh Cobham ; fo that he could not fee any Whiles where Scro^gs ob- ferved them, nor could he dcfcrv any Lanil at the Bottom of the feveral Bays, when he was fo far to Eaflward of the Iflands ami Head-lands ; and yet he takes upon him to fay, he had fearched all that Coaft, and found it to be a main Land from Cape Hope to Brook Cobham, and found the Tide always flowed from the North- eaft. In his going out he fiw nuich Ice from Lat. 63". 35'. to Cape Dobbs, as well as to Deer Sound, in Hunger River, and in th.e Streight and Bay near Cape Hope, this Year ; but none was feen in the Welcome by Button, Fox and Scroggs, the feveral Years tliey were there at the lame Seaf)n, tho' Button and Scroggs were s high up as fFlmiebone Po\nt \n Lwt 65'. and Fox law as far fro t Lat. 64". 10'. without feeing any Ice in the Sea, or Snow up ■> the Land, but law great Nmnbers of fmall Firti leaping, as weil as many Whales, near Brook Cobbmn. Captain Middleton had, durinj'. his whole Voyage out iii)m Churchill, and back ai!;ain to Brook Cobham, very tine Weather, without any Storm, or Froll, or Snov/, the Winds for the moll part blowing from the Lallcrr. (^uirtcr ; (o that he had no Pretence upon his Return to avoid Icarcliing the Weft Side of the Welcome; it was thefe Eafterly W'imis that Year ^vhich carried 'io much Ice into the Jir'elccnie from the Soutli-caft, ^ I as KJ ^•1 ( 82 ) .\s well as from ihe Bay Jind Streight near Cape Hopi\ all which was forced by the rapid Tide into JVugcr River ; and it appears fxo\x\ the Journal, that it was thefc Winds which caufed fo great a Quantity of Ice in the I'.iver as high as Deer Sound y and not from the breaking up of the Ice above, in a frefli Water River, as he gave out, and ne would have made the flowing in of the Tide (o far from the South-eaftward to have been a Confirmation of it ; whereas, by what he has mentioned in his Journal, it is by all Cir- cuniftances a fait Water Streight or Paffage ; for the Increafe of its WiJencfs, from 7 Miles at its Entrance, to 8 Leagues, and of its Depth, from 14 to 80 Fathoms, the Boldnefs, Height, and Craggednefs of the Coaft, without Tree or Shrub, and without any Snow or Ice in the Valleys or Hills, are all Symptoms of its being a fait Water Paflage ; but the Number of Whales and other FiHi fcen above in the Streight, at leaft 20 Leagues up the River, when none were fecn below, or in the Welcome, or Streight and Bay above Cape H'-pe, is a Demonftration they did not come under the Ice into Wager River from the Eaflward ; and there being none e\er it^w in the Bay or Streiglits of Hudfon, but by the broken Lunds on the North-well Coaft, it is next to a Certainty that they came from the Weftcrn Ocean to that Place : For it is contrary to Rc-afon and Fad to fuppofc that Whales and other Sea Fifh fliould for if there be a Conimur-ication betwixt the Weflcrn Ocean and the Bay i ( 83 ) Bay ill tliis Place, the Prcfiiniptioii is tli.it it is not by one Pana^;c, but that it may be all a broken Land, iiiuiijx'rfcd witli Iflands, ,\s the Lands of 'Terra del Fuogo are at the Strcights oF Magellan, which is almoft a parallel Inllance, and therefore this Strei^ht of JVager may not be the only Inlet into the Bay -, but from fVhnle Cove unto that River may be all broken L.inds, with fcvcral Sounds among the Iflands, which is mentioned by Scroggs and Fox, and can't be controverted from tjiiy Journal ; fo that the Whales miylit get to that Part of the Bay fooner, as there was no Ice there to ob- llrudl their Pafllige, when there was mucii Ice in the H'elcnte and Eafl Entrance of laager Strei'ji;ht, which prevented thefe Whales getting any farther than Deer Sound. Tiiis, I think, makes ii highly probable, tlvat there is a better and eaiier Paflage Southward of Cape Dobbsy betwixt that and H^balc Cove, in Lat. 62°. 30'. where there is no Ice to ob(hu«it tiie Pailage from the Middle of 'ymic to O£lobcr ; and if the Trade was opened, this might be dilcovered by any Ships who woul-'. go there to Hfli for Whales, or would trade with the Natives for Fin and Oil, who mi^ht follow them into the Inlets through which they come into the Bay, and this may be done without wintering in the Bay, for they may return any time in September or October fafe from any Obilrudion from the Ice. • The only feeming Obje(fbion to this, and which gave a Handle to Captain MidJleton to reprefent JVager Streight as a frefli Water River, was the Tide flowing into it from the Eaftward, when, if it had beeen a Streight, he imagined he might have met a Tide of Flood from the Weftward, and therefore reprefented it as if the Ice was but breaking up in the River atter he had enter'd it. But fince this is a Streight, and not an immediate Communication with the Weftern Ocean, he could not expert to meet the Weftern Tide until he had got half way through the Streight ; for each Tide flows up its own End of the Straight, and meet in the Middle. This is not only founded upon Reafon, but upon Fart, in the only parallel Inftance we know, that is, in the Magelhiiick Streight, tho', by Appearance, this Streight is a greater and bolder Streight than the other. The Tide at the North-eaft Entrance oi Magellan Streight How^ from the Eaftward, and rifes 4 Fathom, before it comes to the firft Narrow, which is but half a League wide, nd from 30 to 35 M 2 ' F.ithom %' '.li W' ' ( ^^'4 ) I I Fathoni deep ; after v\ Lcicjuc or two it increafes to fix or fevcn Leagues wide to the Ibcond Narrow, wlierc it is about a League wide, and ^o I'athoir. deep. Within the Iccond Narrow it incrcaies again to live or lix Li-.igucs wide, and the Tide ftill flows troni the Ealbvard, and riles uoout lo Ivct. In the Mid-channel, about 30 Leagues witliin th.e btrei^^ht, it is 200 Fathom, and the Channel but < Leugues wide, and troni thence to the Middle of the Straight it is leii'ened to 2 Lcaii^ucs wide, and about 100 I-'athom deep, and the Tide ilill flows from tlie Eallward for above 50 Leagues. As they come near the Middle of the Streight the Current of the Tide is not above an Hour at each Tide, and the Tide riles nine Feet. Near Cape ^aJ, beyond the Middle of the Streight, it is but 2 Leagues wide, and for about 1 3 Leagues farther is rather lefs, fometimcs not 4 Miles wide, from whence it gradually widens to the Weft Entrance, where it is 5 Leagues wide ; fo that H'^agcr Streight is much larger, for lb far as they were in it, which was about 30 Leagues, it being by the Account, as mentioned in the Journal, 6 or 7 Leagues wide, and 80 Fathom deep, which, if there be no other, is a noble Palfage ; but there is a great Proba- bility of their being a better and liifer FalTagc to the Southw.utl of JVhalebone Pointy by which the Whales get into that Part of the Bay. Thus from tlie former Accounts, and what has been divulged by Captain MiJdIeton in this Journal, there iecms to be ftrong Pre- fumptions of a PalTage ; but after lliewuig what he has Cf)nccaled and falfified in his Journal, and his whole Conduit from his going to Churchill until his Return to England, and even fince his Return, it will appear plaiidy that he intended to ferve the Company at the publiek Expencc, and contrived every thing fo as to ftifle the Dif- lovcry, and to prevent others from undertaking it for the future, fo as to lecure tJie Favour of the Company, and the Reward he fad they promifed him before he began the Voyage. As to his Declarations and Condu't during the Voyage, it ap- pears by undeniable Evidence, that he declared, in Prefence of ibme of his Oriictrs, to the Coinpany's Governor at Churchill^ 'That he Jhould be able to make that Foyage^ and none on btmrd him jhoiild know whether there was a Paf/age or not -, and he would be a bftter I'riend to the Company than ever. '3'he Lieutenant finding one of the Men at the Fadory, who ve- I ry _( 85 ) ry well undcrftood the Northern Indian Language, and would Iv.ive been of great Ule upon the Dilcovery, ort'ered to take him with them at his own Rilk, laying he would iinfwer it when lie came back, it being for the good of the Service they were upon ; but the Captain would not allow of it for fear of difobliging the Company. The Captain, in going Northward from Churchill ^ never once went alliorc, nor fent his Boat to look out for any In- let or try the Tide ; having only once tried the Current at Sea in 63°. 20'. where he found a very rapid Tide, altho' he found much Ice to Northward, and had Time enough before he entered the Ice to try all the Coaft, but rtood off to the Eaftward, until he pafied Cape Dobbs -, and tho' he then found an Opening North- v/eftward, he only went in with a View to fhelter his Ships, but not to look out for a Paflage ; and therefore, when he went in, got to the North -eaft Side out of the Tide, inflcad of the South- weft Side, where he ought to have gone, if he had puflied for a Paflage J and tho' he lay there three Weeks, he never but once went crofs to the Weftern Shore, and that only one Day or tW(^ l-)efore he quit the River, pretending he could not do it f n* Ice, and even this he docs not mention in his journal, altho' he found there an excellent Cove for fheltering his Ships, He once pretended to crofs the Streight from Deer Sounds where he Iiad no Ice to prevent him, but after going two Leagues he returned, and laid it was too far, and he had tailed the Water which was fief]), afking the Roatmen if it was not lb, which they contradic'tcd, faying only, it wz^ not very fait. When the Lieutenant went up to Deer Sound, he difcovcred from a Mountain an Opening South- weftward, upon the other Shore 10 Leagues diftant, betwixt a high and low Headland, and alio obferved the Ice there, when it was a Quarter Flood at JVa^cr River, move down the River againli that Tide ; upon his mentioning this to the Captain, he was laugh'd at, who afk'd him from whence that Tide could come, and no farther Enquiry was made into it. Afterwarils, when from the Numbers of Whales, and Breadth and Depth of the River, it was given out aniong the Ship's Com- pany, that they believed it was a Streight and no River ; he rated feveral of them for pretending to lay fo againli his Opinion, laying his Clerk was a double-ton^nied Rafcal, that lie would cane the Lieutenant, broomftick the Mafter, and lalliany others who w<;uKl concern ( 86 ) .'.*. I (PI concern thcmfclvcs about the Voyage, and threatened that if any kept private Journals, he would break up their Boxes, and take them troin them j and tho' he allowed his Clerk to take the Bear- ings of the Land, and Profpedl in other Parts of the Voyage, yet when in fVager River, and at the fydconie, he forbid Jiim from taking any. This happened when the Lieutenant and Mailer were down the River, to look out for a Cove for the Ships, when they Ihould fail out of the River ; wlien they returned, he imagining that Rumour might turn out to his Prejudice, in cafe no farther Enquiry was made about its being a Streight, or River, he fiid they miglit go up to try the Tide, and fee if there was any other Way out into the JVclcome ; which was into the Bay, not into the Weftern Ocean ; but by his Warrant limited them to go to Deer Sound or thereabouts ; whicli was only where he had been himfclf before, and ordered them to come back with the utmoft Difpatch the Nature of the Service would allow ; this was the 28th of Ju- ly. When they were gone, he faid, he fuppofed the Lieutenant would bring back fome romantick Account of a Streight or Paf- fage ; but for his Part he would not take the Ships a Foot farther, and accordingly before their Return unmoored, and was preparing to warp out of the Cove, which he did the Morning after they re- turned. The Lieutenant upon his Return gave the following Re- port under his Hand. viz. Ju/y 2jtb, 1742. I Was ordered, with the Mafter, to take the fix oar'd Boat, and to go up Savage Sound, as high as Deer Sound, and try the Tides. I find that the Flood there comes from the River JVager ; it (low 'd there 10 Foot Water. We then fail'd from Deer Sound for the High Bluff" Land on the N. W. Side of the River fVoger. The Courfe from the Iflands off* the North Side of Deer Sound is N. W. and N. W. by N. by Compafs (Variation allowed W. by N.) We founded all the Way over, and had no Ground with a Line of 68 Fathom, to the High Bluff" Land. We then ran up a Branch of the main River, and found- ed, and found 50 Fathom one third over that Branch. There were leveral Iflands in it ; founded about a League off" an Ifland on the North Side, and found 30 Fathom Water. In running between the Iflands and tlie fuppofed Main, which was on the Weft Side of ( 87 ) Oi'that Branch, the Tide or Frcflics fuddcnly turned againft us, the Boat altering the Land very much before j founded near fome of the Iflands, and had no Ground at 68 Fathom ; as we run up it, we founded near a fmall Ifland, and had 29 Fathom. We ftccred W. N. W. between the Iflands, and the Weft Land liy Compafs (W. by S.) there being ILveial Iflands in tlie fair Way, and no Ground in the Middle of the Channel at 6H Fathom. We went about 15 Leagues above Deer Sounds and faw a Frelh or Run of Water coming againft us ; and the Wind being fair, I was afraid of ftaying any longer for fear of hindering the Siiips from going to Sea. There is a great Probability of an Opening on tlie Weft Side, by the coming in of the Whales •, but I could not go higher up to try it for the above mentioned Reafons. Wc went to the Top of a high mountainous Land, from whence we faw a great Run or Fall of Water between the Weft Land and the Iflands, it was very narrow, lecmingly not a Mile broad, and at the fame time faw a fair Channel or Streight to the North- wards of the Iflands, with Lands on both Sides, as high as the Cape of Good Hope, running away to the Weftward, with many Bluff Points and broken Lands. Incoming down we f.iw fcveral very large black Whales playing about the Boat and in Shore. j4ug. I. 1742. John Rankin. This being aftrong Proof of an open fair Channel or Streight going to the Southward of a Weft, the Captain thought it too fla- grant, and therefore, there being fome little V^ariation between his Account and the Mafter's, made them cook up the following Re- port between them, which both were to fign, which being not (r. particular, did not appear fo ftrong for the Pafliige : It run 'u\ thefe Words. 1^ Purfnant to an Order from Captain Chriftopher Middleton, Commander of his Majejlfi Ship the Furnace, bearing DrJe the ijth of ]\x\yy ij^z. WE whofe Names are hereimtofubfcribed, took i\\c Furnact^, fix oar'd Boat, and went from Savage Sound, where hi^ Majefty's Ships Furnace arid Difcovery then lay ; and on the 2Stl\ at one in the Morning arri , ed at Deer Sound, where we tried the I Tide, It*- - i- r IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) /. <- ^^>. {./ C ^<° ^^°/^ , /. Ux 1.0 I.I 1.25 '^ I4£ IIIII2.0 2.2 U III 1.6 V] <^ /2 ^P: "> > y -iS^ Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 873-4503 o Ua ^ ( S8 ) ■i :^:m cV!i''?« If! m 11 Tide, and found the Flood came into that Place from the River IP^iger, and rofe at that Time lo Feet ; at fix o' Clock the lame Morning we left Deer Sound (where we put the two Northern /;;- (iinns afhore to kill fome Deer) and failed for a high Bluff Land on the North- weft Side of the River Wager. Our Courfe from the Iflands on the North Side of Deer Sound, to the High Bluff Land, was N. W. by N. by Compafs j we founded frequently, and had no Ground with a Line of 68 Fathom all the Way over. When we were abreaft of the High Bluff Land, we fteered W. N. W. keeping the. Mid-Channel, and ftill found no Ground at 68 Fathom, except nigh fome Iflands that lay in the fair Way, a- bout one third over the River, and 30 Fathom within a League of one of them; this Courfe we.kept until we got about 15 Leagues from Deer Sound ; but finding the Tide or Frefli againft us, and the Wind coming fair, we were afraid of ftaying any longer, for fear of hindering the Ships going to Sea. However, we came to a Grapnel with the Boat, and went upon a high mountainous Land, where we had a very fair View of the River j from thence we faw a great Run or Fall of Water between the fuppos'd Main- land and the aforefaid Ifland, very narrow, fcemingly not a Mile broad, and about a League from where the Boat lay ; but to the Northward we difcovered a large CoUedion of Water, in which were feveral Iflands and high mountainous Land on both Sides of it, the Weft Side of it having many Bluff" Points and broken Lands. In our Return towards the Ships, and not far from Deer Sounds we law feveral large black Whales of the Whalebone Kind, fome of which came very near the Boat ; fo that upon the whole, we think there may be fome other Paffige i'.to the Sea from the Ri- ver Wager, befldcs that which his Majefly's Ships Furnace and Difcovery came in at ; and imagine there is a great Probability of an Opening or Inlet into the Sea fomewhere on the Eaft Side there- of, tho' we cannot fix the Place. Given under our Hands this firft Day of Augujl, 1742. ychn Rankin. Robert Wilfon. It may be eafily feen with what View that Report was altered, the moll material Points being changed : For when they got be- yond the N. W. Bluff, inftead of faying that the Current or FreHi fuddenly ( 89 ) iuddenly turned againft them ; it is here faid, being againft them, the firft being a Tide, the other a Stream. Again, inftead of mentioning a fair Channel or Streight over the Jflands, running between high Lands to the Weftward ; it is here altered, to a large Collection of Water to the Northward, in which were feve- ral Iflands, with high Land on each Side of it, the Weft -Side ha- ving Bluff Points and broken Lands, without determining the Courfe of the Streight to the Weftward. And inftead of faying there was a great Probability of an Opening on the Weft Side, by the coming in of tlie Whales ; it is here altered to, Upon the whole, we think there may be fome other Paflage into the Sea from the River Wager, befides that which his Majefty's Ships came in at, without determining it to the Weftward, as in the other } but on the contrary, lO make it ieem otherwife, tliey fay, and imagint'y there is a great Probability of an Opening or Inlet into the Sea, fomeivhere on the Eaji Side thereof, tho' we cannot fix the Place. This Change feems wholly calculated with a View to leave it luidctCTmined, that the Captain might have it in his Power to fay that the Open was from the Northward or Eaftward from Baffin's Bay, and pretend that the Whales came from thence. But both the Lieutenant and Mafter .lave fince confirmed, that the Streight beyond the Iflands was four or five Leagues wide, free from Ice, and its Courfe ran W. S. W. and the Mafter having feen further than the Lieutenant from the Top of the Mountain where he killed two Deer, was for going further j but the Lieutenant, his Provifioas being fpent, and he having exceeded his Orders by 15 Leagues at leaft (for he computed it 20 Leagues, but the Cap- tain would not allow it to be fo far) and had alfo outftay'd his Time, he was afraid he fliould be put in arreft if he proceeded farther, and durft not proceed. However, he took a Bottle of Water fil- led there at the Shore, and two Bottles filled further down the Sti eight Eaftward ; and the Captain, when he came on board, own'd that the Bottle of Water taken up at the Weftern End of the Streight, near the Current or Fall of Water, was the falteft, which the Mafter faid was as Salt as any he had tafted in thoie Seas, which was alfo confirmed by others who tafted it on board j the Lieutenant is now convinced that it was a Tide or Ripling which came from the W. S. W. which ftoptthe Way of the Boat, and made tliem come to a Grapnel, and that it was the Tide of N Flood ; m ■I' f| i iji 'i^^'-l.M ( 90 ) Flood ; fot it was tlicn flowing Water, and flowed 6 Feet when he was afliore : But the Captain, under Pretence it was brackifli, would not purfue the Difcovery of that South-wefl:ern Streight or Paflage, but immediately warped out of the Cove, and on vhe 4th of Augujly the beft Month in the Year to perfedl the Difcovery, he failed out of the River to make the Difcovery North-eaftward, the quite contrary Courfe he fliould have taken according to his Inftrudtions : Nor did he call a Council to warrant him for quit- ting the Difcovery ; tho' on all Emergencies or where it was like- ly to turn out of Advantage in promoting the Difcovery, he was diredted to call one, and a»5t for the beft: of the Service he went upon, but quit the PaflTage without Advice, by his own Authori- ty and Pleafure ; pretending all the while he was in the PafTage, to regret that he could not get out of the River, for the Ice in it and the Welcome^ in order to profecute the Difcovery. After this, in order to have an Excufe, and to pretend that he had followed his Infl:rudtions, which was to proceed without Lofs of Time to Whalebone Pointy and there to endeavour to meet the Tide of Flood on either Side of that Point he found the beft PafTage, in cafe It were an Ifland, whether the Flood came from the North- weft or Southweft ; and if he found, after doubling that Cape, either a Streight or open Sea to purfue his Courfe, ftill meeting the Tide of Flood ; tho' this limited him to meet the Tide, if it came from any Part to the Weftw\rd, yet he finding that the Tide did not meet him, but followed him into Wager River, and hav- ing taken no Pains to know how the Flood was at the Weft End of the Streight beyond Deer Sounds defpifing the Lieutenant's firft Report, which mentioned a Tide from the W. S. W. meeting them, thought, if he could find a Tide, or have a Probability to ac- count for a Tide's coming from the North-eaftward into Wager River, he might then fay he followed his Inftrurtions in mi-vwing the Tide, akho' it came from the N. E. and accordingly, with- out allowing any Boat to go afliore to try the Tide, until he him- felf landed at Cape Frigid^ at what he calls the frozen Streight: He in his Journal from his own Obfervations of the Current, al- ways affirms the Tide of Flood came from the N. E. by Cape Hol>e, to Wager River, and alHrms that at Cape Frigid a W. by S. Moon made high Water, and that it flowed from the South- eaftward through a frozen Sti"eight, from four to feven Leagues. I wide. !■ i. v'r. ( 91 ) wide, and accordingly he has laid it down fo in his new Chart fince his Return, and pointed all the Darts in it, (hewing the Courfe of the Flood, through that frozen Streight up into tVager River, and as far as Brook Cobham along the Welcome^ where he pretends the South-eaftern Tide meets it. Now I fliall plainly make it appear from Reafon, andirom the Obfervations of experienced Men on board him, his own Officers; and from his Caution in preventing any on board him, from know- ing the Time, Current, and Height of the Tide, by his making his Obfervations only on board, and regulating and minuting them down in the Logg Book and Journal as he thought proper ; that there was no fuch Tide from the North-eaft, and that he muft have known that there was no fuch Tide, but endeavoured to conceal the true Tide from his People on board ; I fliall alfo (hew, that the Tide of Flood came the contrary Way from the South- weftward near Brook Cobham^ and fo went up Part of Wager Ri- ver ; I (hall alfo (hew, there was no fuch frozen Streight as he has laid down in his Chart, but the whole is falfely laid down, and the only Streight there was round the Ifland he (lood upon, which was but three Leagues wide, and full of fmaller Iflands, which Streight went round the Ifland from the North by the Eaft, and came out again by the South and Weft, between the Ifland he was on, and the low Beach oppofite to Cape Hope , fo that to make out that Point, that he had fo far followed his Inftrudlions in meeting the Tide of Flood, he has manifeftly and falfely im- pofed upon the Publick in his Chart, by making a Streight and Tide where there were none. To (liew that he has given a falfe Account of this Tide and frozen Streight, I muft obferve, that when he fent down the Lieutenant and Mafter to look out for a Cove at the Mouth of Wager River, they were inclofed in the Ice, and drew up their Boat upon a large Piece of Ice, which was carried by the Tide of Ebb to the South- eaftward, clofe by the Sliore about Cape Dobbs^ and when the Tide flack'd, they row'd over with the Flood to the North Shore, to get into the Eddy out of the Current, and next Day went up the River. Again, when the Ships failed out of the liiver, they were becalni'd, and were afraid of being forced up again by the Return of the Flood j upon which they towed with their Boats a-head, and plied with the Ships Oars with all their Force to N 2 the ■!! '^-^ M! 'I ( 9^ ) the North-eaftward, to get out of the Way of the Tide of Flood j but if the Flood had come from the N. E. they would have been juft in the Way of the Tide of Flood, and to have avoided it, they ought to have fleer 'd tlieir Courfe S. E. to Cape Dobbs ; fo that both thcfe Accounts tally, that the Flood came from the S. W. round Cape Dobbs. At lialf an Hour after two, on the 6th of ylttgufty he ordered the Lieutenant on Shore at the low Beach, to try the Tide, being then four Miles from '' ° Shore) at three he made the Signal for him to come on board before he g jt to the Shore, but he was fo near as to report that the Tide had fallen two Feet lo that he feemed to repent his having fent him to try the Tide, left he fl\ould find a contrary Tide to what he gave out. And tho' the Lieutenant, when he got aboard, told him it was eb- bing Water, and that the Ebb went to the South- weft ward, yet he minuted it down in his Logg-Book, and printed it fo in his De- fence, that it was flowing Water, and the Flood came from the Eaftward j but in his Journal, he fays it had ebbed two Feet, and the Flood came from the Eaftward. The Captain, Clerk, Gunner and Carpenter went afliore at Cape Frigid the 8th of Auguji, about ten in the Morning, and after going fifteen Miles into the Country, returned to the Boat about feven at Night, when he found it was low Water, and rofe 1 5 Feet, which being three Days and a half after the full Moon, a W. S. W. Moon made low Water, and confequently a N. N. W. Moon made high Water j and having afcertained that a W. by N. Moon made high Water in JVager River, the Tide at Cape Frigid being five Points later, could not raife that Tide ; for the Tide the farther it flows, is always the later in flowing j and tlierefore the Tide in JVager River being at leaft three Hours fooner than at Cape Frigid^ it could not poflibly be caufed by any Tide from thence ; nor could the Tide near Brook Cobhamy where a Weft Moon made high Water be caufed by that Tide for the fame Reafon, it being above four Hours fooner than the Tide at Cape Frigid. It appears alfo that there was no Tide nor Current in the Bay atove Cape Hope^ and the Gunner, who was afliore with the Cap- tain, went with the Carpenter 2 or 3 Miles farther than the Cap- tain and Clerk, even to the very Shore of what he called the Fro- zen Streighty and confequently knew it better than the Captain ; he fays it was an Ifland they were upon, and the Streight was only 2 an y. > I' :»,r.. ( 93 ) an Arm of the Sea that fufrounded the Ifland, and detached it from the Loiv Beach ; that it was not above 3 Ltigues wide on the Eaft Side, and full of Iflands, and the Ice was frozen faft from Side to Side ; fo that it is impoflible fo great a Qaantit)- of Water could flow through that PalTagc, if it had a Communication with Hud- Jbn's Strcight by Cape Comfort, us would fill fo large a Bay as that above Cape Hof)L\ (the Streight from Cape Hope to tVager River) all that River, for thirty or forty Leagues, which was from 4 to 12 Leagues wide, and the whole Coaft of the JVekome to Brook Cobham, for above 60 Leagues, an'i that from a Streight which was but 3 Leagues wide, and liad many Iflands in it ; fo that the Stre'ght, exclufive of the Iflands, v/as not probably four Miles wide Befides, had fo much Water flowed through that Streight, as he has laid it down in his Chart, it mufl: h^ve caufed a very rapid Current in the Bay above Cape Hope^ it being in the diredt Courfe of the Tide. The Captain of the Difcovery alfo in his Anfwer allows, that the Opening of the Streight he faw, which was betwi ,<♦ Cape Frigid and the Low Beachy was not above three Miles wide, and no fuch Tide flowed there as in Wager River, al- tho' it was fo narrow in that Place. This alfo accounts for that Arm of the Sea's being frozen which lurrounded the Ifland, becaufe there was no Tide or Current there to break it up. It alfo appears from the Lieutenant, who was left on board to command when the Captain went afliore, that at ele- ven of the Clock, after the Captain left the Ship, a flrong Current forced him to Northward, which mufl: have been the Flood, as it was not high Water until near one of the Clock. And it appears alfo the fame from the Men who were left with the Boat ; for upon the Captain's Return to the Boat, he aflc'd them which way the Flood fet, and they faid to the Northward, which he contradidted, and laid they were miftaken, for it could not be fo. So that from dll thefe Fads, as well as from Reafon, it appears that the Tide of Flood came from the South- weftward to that Place and the Ri- ver IVager^ and that the Tide and Streight which he has laid down in his Chart, and publiflied in his Journal, is falfe, and an Impo- iition upon the Publick, and only calculated to ferve his Pnrpofe of concealing the Pafllige, by endeavouring to make out that no Tide came from the Weftward, but all through Hudfon's, Streight, or Bajin's Bay, and that Wager was a frefli Water River, and that the »; r^ i; W V ( 94) Wl •i the Wliales feen there came all in through that frozen Streight from Bajin's B.iy or Cumberland'?, inlet, he having allowed that none came in through HiuJfon's Streight, or round Cary's Swan's Neji. But as a further Confirmation of this South-weftern Tide, and that it camu from the Weftern Ocean, it appears, that after the Captain had neglefted looking into the Bays and Inlets in the Weft Side of the Welcome, from Cape Dobbs to Marble IJland, (altho' it had been ordered in Council) in thefe Words : *' It was agreed ** upon to make the befl: of our Way out of this cold, dangerous, and narrow Streight, and to make further Obfervations between the Latitudes of 64". and 62^ on the North Side of the JVel- come^ having (cen large Openings, broken Land and Iflands, with ftrong Tides, but had not an Opportunity of trying from whence the Flood came in our Paflage hither." Given under our Hands this 7th of Augujl 1742. lie fome Days at my former Habitation, before it was forwarded to me, and I fhall tranfmit you the Chart, together with the Journal and other Obfervations, by the firfl convenient Opportuni- ty ; in the mean time, I fliall give you the beft Satisfaftion I am able, with relation to the Difficulties which have occurr'd tc yo\i ; and firft, 'tis to be noted, that all the Land along the Eaft Side of the Welcome, from the 64th Degree of Latitude to the frozen Streight, is one continued level Land, fomewhat like to Dungen- nefs, low and Ihingly. The great Tides you mention, which flows up the River IVcger, and off Cape Dobbs, comes all fropj the frozen Streight E. by N. by Compafs, according to the Courf^ of the new Streight, that we pafTed between Cape Dobbs- and Cape Hope -, the mean Variation between the faid Capes is 40°, Wefterly, and makes the true Courfe of this Streight N. 40°. Eafterly j the laid Streight ends to the Weftward of Cape Hope, in a Bay 20 leagues de r md 15 Leagues broad, which lies W, N. W. by the true Beariijgs ; and we very carefully furrounded itj, foiling up to the very Bottom, within two or three Leagues, and found no Appearance of a Paffage for either Tides or Vellels ; and all the Way I failed from Cape Hope, quite down to the Bottom of this Bay, I tried the Tides, and all round, found neither Ebb nor Flood, which mufl have appeared, had there b;en any. The. Land 'a, ■ In jiV,, ^ \< ' 1 u- :? ' <:' K :. h ill- ( 102. ) I/and was all very high and bold, afcending into tlie Country to a vafl Heighth, without any Breaks, fo that had there been a Paf- (age here, we could not have mifled of it With regard to the Tide, which you tiiink would have been obflrudled from flowing fo rapidly to Wager lliver, if the Streight was froze fafl from Side to Side ; I need only obferve to you, that at Churchill, all the Winter, the Tide ebbs and flows up the Ri- ver in the f^me Manner as if tliere was no Ice, being lifted every Tide from 12 to 18 Feet, all, except what is faft to tlie Ground, and falls again upon the Ebb, tho' eight or nine Foot thick ; now clofe to the frozen Streight is 100 Fathoms of Water or more, and probably that Depth may continue the whole Length j and then there is a Paflage tree for tne Flood and Ebb to pafs without lifting ; but I obferved this Ice was all crack'd round the Shores, and on the Iflands as at Churchill. You feem to be at a Lofs how to account for the black Whales getting to Brook Cobhanty if they do not pafs and repafs by Hud- Jon's Streights ; now, 'tis true I never faw any above 20 Leagues up Hudfon's Streights, but I have traded with Indians off Not- tingham .nd DiggSy for Whale-bone frefli taken ; for my own Part, I can't think thefe Whales came round Gary's Swan's Nejiy but through the frozen Streights under the Ice, for we faw many of them in Wager River, and in the 66th Degree of Latitude ; and thefe may not come through Hudfojt's Streights,. but to the North- ward, as all the North Side of Hudfon's Streight, appears to be broken Land and Iflands j and Cumberland's Bay, Baffin's Bay, and Streight Davis, may have a Communication with this new frozen Streight, and Whales, Gff. may come from thence. It is hardly poflible to account for all die Difficulties about the Tides ; for tho' it flows E. S. E. at Refolution, and S. by E. at Cape Diggs, which makes five Points in running 130 Leagues j yet it is but one Point in going down to Albany and Moofe River j for there it flows South, and the Difliance is 250 Leagues. So from Humber to Cromer in the Lincolnjhire Coafl:, (as I mentioned for- merly) is but 14 Leagues, and at one Place it flows W. by S. af the other N. W. likewife from the fi-ozen Streight to Churchill, is. but two Points Difl^erence, or an Hour and half of Time, in the Diftance of 200 Leagues. So that I think no Rule can be fixed where ( 103 ) where Tides flow into deep Bays, obftruded by Iflands or Coun- ter Tides. The Ice I met with in the Welcome^ was moft of it to the Northward of all the Parts before difcovered ; fo that none who went before me could have feen it, for moft of it lay to the North- ward of Whalebone Point, and every Year is not f.like, with refpedt to the Wind bringing it to the Southward ; and it is entirely di- refted by the Winds here, as well as in all other Parts of the Bay; in our Way to Churchill there was lefs Ice than ufually happens, and it was alfo fooner clear in the Spring by 1 5 Days than com- mon. Undoubtedly there is no Hope of a PafTage to encourage any further Trial between Churchill and fo far as we have gone ; and if there be any further to the Northward, it muft be impaflable for the Ice, and the Narrownefs of any fuch Outlet in 67°. or 68°. of Latitude, it cannot be clear of Ice one Week in a Year, and many Years, as I apprehend, not clear at all. In any other Attempts, I (hall be glad to iMve you all the Aflift- ance I can, and flirnifh you with any other Informations, that you may think needful to promote your Delign j but I hope never to venture myfelf that Way again. My Friends being out of the Admiralty, I find there will be a great deal of Difficulty to get any Thing done for me in the Navy at prefent, or to procure any other Recompenfe for my Lofs thefe two Summers, in leaving the Hudfon's Bay Service, where I fhould have received 1400 /. in the Time that I have acquired 160/. in the Government's. I remain with great Sincerity and Refped:, Sir, Tour mofi chliged himble Servant, Chrijhpber MidJIcfoii- P. S. The E/kimaux and the Northern Indians I had with me» are utter Strangers to each other, in Manners and l.anguage, neither could I make the EJkimaiix undtrftand nic by the Vocabulary I had of tliofe in Hudfon's Streight. It appe-jui-s from this Letter, how uleful it was for him to have this new frozen Streight ; for without it he could not account for tht: great and rapid Tides at Cape Do' 5s and Wager River, and • 1 !|m'| ■Jm h \ Wo > V. 1! ' \- I 11 ( 104 ) i M. '•' ,| and at Brook Cobham^ the Tide from Hudfon's Streight being all loft in the Bay, and could not poffibly afterwards raile fuch h:gh Tides in the Welcome and Wager River ; nor could he give any Reafon why Whales fhould be at Brook Cobhanty or how they could get there, without coming from the Weftern Ocean, but for liis frozen Streight ; fince he gives up their coming in through Hudfon's Streight^ and alfo is convinced they did not come round Gary's Swan's Neji ; and as a further Proof that they came through liis new frozen Streight, he difcovers, what he had concealed be- fore, tJiat there were feveral alfo in Wager River, and fays farther, tliat they were alio fecn in Lat. 66°. which was to make me be- lieve they were feen near Cape Hope by the frozen Streight j tho* it is evident from his Journal, and all his People on board, that none were ever fecn. there j and to make this appear more pro- bable, he fays, the Sea at the North Entrance of the frozen Streight was above loo Fathoms deep, tho' it appears both from Logg- Book and Journal, that thefe Soundings were taken in the Bay North of Cupe Hopey and when they came near Cape Frigid hy his frozen Streight, in the Mid-Channel between that and Cape Hope J they had but ^^ Fathoms; and as they went nearer it, had 48, and ftanding in ftill nearer to it, had Soundings from 40 to 27 Fathoms ; fo that what he mentions of the Depth of the Streight, was not only at random, but feems to be contrary to Fadl, but were neceffary to be believed to ferve his Purpofe of Hood- winking me ; and tho' he owns the Difficulty of accounting for the Time of the Tide at Cape Frigid^ yet he endeavours to evade it, by fliewing in other Inftances where different Tides met, and in Eddy Tides, Difficulties not eafily accounted for ; tho' in thefe the Inflances were not parallel. For the Inftance he gives of its flowing from Refolution to Diggs's Ifle, 140 Leagues, the Length of Hudfon's Streight in five Points, or 3°. 48'. and being but one Point or 48'. in flowing to Moofe River 250 Leagues, is a grofs Impofition •, for a North and South Moon making high Water at the fame Place, a North Moon makes it there, which is 17 Points Difference, or 1 2 Hours 48 Minutes, which he muft know is the Cafe J and yet in his Letter he would impofe this for Fad, that I might believe there was nothing to be known from the Tide. Yet as he dogmatically afferted, that there was no Hopes of a Paf- fage from Churchill to the frozen Streight, but all was a Main- 1 land i ili\^-n ! 'ii =• :t" ^ I ( loS ) land ; fince I did not doubt his Veracity, I was obliged to take his Solution to my Objedlions as the bcft could be given to ac- count for it. And accordingly on the 14th o^ December I anfwer- ed his L etter, that lince no other Way could be found for the Whales to come into that Part of the Bay but through his frozen Streight, nor for the Tide, I took it as the only Solution could be given, and therefore did believe he had done as much as could be done, in his Attempt to find out the Paflage ; and that it would be to no Purpofc to look for it farther North, as the Navigation would be too difficult and dangerous ; but as he promifed to aflift me in any other Attempt, I defired his Afliflrance, by informing me of what he knew in relation to the Climate, Coafts, River, and Trade in the Bay, that I might prepare Matters to attack the Company's Charter, and open the Trade, which I thought would be of great Advantage to Britain^ by making Settlements higher up upon the Rivers in better Climates, and by that Means iecuring that Country and Trade from the French. This I had Reafon to hope for from him, becaufe before he went upon the Voyage, the Company had done all they poflibly could to have diftrefled him in the Attempt of the Difcovery of a Paflage, even fo far as to forbid their Governors to give him the Ufe of their Ports, and when applied to by the Lords of the Admiralty, to give him Afliftance, they only allowed their Governors to give him Afliftance if he were in the utmoft Danger, but not other- wife ; but to my great Surprize, inftead of his affifting me as he promifed in his former Letters in any other Attempt, I found his Anfwer calculated to ferve the Company, and fhew it to be im- pracfticable to fettle the Lands, or lay open the Trade ; unlefs vv e could difpoflefs the French of Canada^ which was the only Me- thod to fecure the Company in their Monopoly ; and this he faid was the principal Thing he could think of at prefent, for his In- difpoiition prevented him from drawing up a further Account of his Voyage ; and he had nothing material farther worth imparting to me, except a Chart of the whole Bay and Streight, which would be foon engraved, having already fent his Journal and Obfervations. His Letter I fhall give in his own Words, viz. f:: '■1 1 11 S I R, I v ( io6 ) t'[i SIR, I Was duly favoured with yours of the i4tli December, and am forry I could not rel'irn my Anfwcr fooner, but the ill State of Health that ! labour under pre>'ented me in this, as well as in many other of my Affairs. It gives me much Satisfadllon to find, that you approve of the Solutions I fent in regard to the Difficulties you propofed ; and that you are convinced I have done all that was neceflliry to put the ImpafTability through thofe Seas tj the Weftward out of Que- ftion, in fuch Manner as to render any Attempt needlefs for the future ; but on the contr try, I fliould have been infinitely pleafed had our Expedition fucceeded according to the Reafonablenefs of your Expectations. I have ferioufly confidered your Propofition of laying open the Hudfon's Bay Trade, and fettling the Country his/her up, upon thofe great Rivers which run into the Bay ; and tho' I may agree with you in the great Advantage the Publick would reap from fuch a Settlement, (could It be made) in the Obftrudllon it would give to the French, both as to their Trade, and their cutting off" their Communication with the MiJfiJJippi ; yet I muft declare my Opini- on, that it is altogether impradlicable upon many Accounts j for I «_annot fee where we could find People enough that v culd be wil- ling or able to undergo the Fatigue of travelling thofe frozen Climates, or what Encouragement would be fufficient to make them attempt it, with fuch dangerous Enemies on every Side ; no . Europeans could undergo fuch Hardfliips as thofe French that in- tercept the Englip Trade, who are inur'd to it, and are called by us Wood-runners, or Coiireurs de Bois ; for they endure Fatigues juft the fame as the native Fidians, with whom they have been mixed and intermarried, for two, three, or more Generations. As to the Rivers you mention, none of them are navigable with any Thing but Canoes, fo fmall that they carry but two Men, and are forced to make Ufe of Land Carriages near one fourth Part of the Way, by Reafon of Water-falls, during that little Summer they enjoy. Out of 1 20 Men and Officers the Company have in the Bay, not five are capable of venturing in one of thefe Canoes, they are fo apt to overturn and drown them ; many of our People have been twenty H >■ 1 i.iy. u i m M. 'i ( I07 ) tvvcHty Years and upwards there, and yet are not dextrous enough to manage a Canoe j Hi there would be no tranlporting People tJiat "Way. Should there happen a French War, the beft Step we could take towards rooting them out of yhnerica^ would be, in the firft Place to take Canada^ which I make no queftion might be done, it attempted in a proper Manner, and at a right Seafon cf the Year. Had Sir Hovenden JValker fucceeded when he was fent upon that Expedition, it would undoubtedly have been of great Advantage to us J for at that Time the French were not one tenth Part fo nu- merous as now, that they have intermarvied witli the Natives, and over-run the whole Country : So that it is become a Matter of infinite Difficulty to root them quite out of their Pofleffions and Trade in America. I look upon Sir Hovenden's Mifcarriage in his Expedition, to be owing to this, that he did not arrive there till the latter End of Atigufl^ at which Time he ought to have been returning ; and whenever a War happens again with France^ fliould it be thought proper to attempt the taking of Canada^ we ought to be in the River St. Laurence by the firft of ywie at farthefl ; and as to the Difficulties Sir Hovendcn complained of, from the Uncertainties of the Currents, Fogs, &c. they are fuch as we make no Account of conquering in Hudjbn's Bay^ and the Streights, where they are cer- tainly greater. I can fet the Currents and Tides in any Weather, even under a Main-fail, in a Storm of Wind, fo as to difcover both how fift and upon what Point of the Compafs it fets : And then as to ob- ferving the Latitude in foggy Seafons, I have feldom mififed two Days together, if it be tolerable fmooth Water, as you will find in our Journals. Now I apprehend that the Navigation in the River St. Laurence mull be attended with much fewer Inconveni- encies than in Hudfon's S freight ; and thofe Coafls where we have no Soundings, much Ice, great Fogs, with flrong Tides and va- rious Currents. Tills is the principal Matter that I can think of at prefent. Had not my Indifpofition prevented me, I fliould before this Time have drawn up feme further Account of our late Voyage ; but I have nothing material worth imparting to you farther, except a Chart of the whole Bav and Streight, which will be engraved in a P 2 little t ^^ ; n ■ . 7 ii I llll. ( io8 ) little Time j for you already have my Journals and Obfervatlons, as well as the Accounts of thofe that attempted the Difcovery be- fore me. I am very much obliged to you for your kind Wifhes, and all the Favours you have conferred on me, and am as yet quite un- certain as to what their LorddiipF intend to do for t ^ ; they treat me with great Refpedl, and fuch as I have the Honour to vifit, as Lord Winchclfea^ Lord Baltimorey and Admiral CavendiJJ) have all promifed me their Favours. London, jfan, 18. 1742-3- lam. Sir, Tour moji obedient humble Servant. Chrijiopher Middleton. Before I got this Anfwer, his long expe ■3'r:;^', A L'T- ( iS'S ) I i.r; ■' LETTER FROM BARrHOLOMElF de FONTE, Vice- Admiral of Peru and Mexico: GIVING An Abstr/ct of his Voyage from Lima In Penij to prevent or feize upon any Ships who ftiould attempt to find a North-west Passage to the South-Sea. THE Viceroys of New Spain and Peru having Advice from the Court of Spairiy that the Attempt for the finding a North-weft Paflage, which had been tried before by Hudfon and yame^^ was again attempted in 1639 by fome induftrious Navigators from Bojion in New-England^ Admiral De Fonte received Orders from Spain^ and the Viceroys to equip four Ships of Force, and being ready, he put to Sea the 3d oi April y 1 640, from Limay the Admiral in the Ship St. SpirituSy the Vice- Admiral, Don Diego Peneloffa, in the St. Lucia, Pedro de Barnarda in the Rofatiay and Pbtlip de Ronquillo in the Ki'ig Philip. The 7th of .^prily at 5 in the Evening, he got to St, Helen, in 2°. South Lat. where he took in a Quantity of Bitumen or Tar, by way of Medi- cine againft the Scurvy and Dropfy. The i oth he palTed the Equi- R 2 nox ( iM ) li^ i' I ( «". im^'i Mcx at Cape del Pajfuo, the nth Cape St. Franci/co, m i". 7'. N. Lilt, and anchored at the Mouth of tlie River 5^. Jago, and took in there feveral Refrcfluncnts. The 16th he failed from thence to the Port and Town Ralco, 320 Leagues W. N. W. We- fterly, in about n°. 14. N. Lat. It is a llife Port, covered from the Sea by the Iflands Ampallo and Mangreza, both well iniiabited by Indians ; Ralco is but 4 Miles over Land to the Head of the Lake Nicaragua, that falls into the North Sea in 1 2". N, Lat. near the Corn or Pearl Iflands : Here being Plenty of fine Tim- ber, he bought four Shallops, built exprefly for failing and rowing, about 12 Tons each, 32 Feet in the Keel. The 26th he failed from thence to Saragiia, within the Iflands and Shoals of Cbamilli^ in 17°. 3 1'. N. Lat. 480 Leagues N. W. by W. from Ralco. From Saragua and Compojlella, near this Port he took in a Mafter and fix Mariners, ufed to trade with the Natives on the Eafl: Side of California for Pearl, which the Natives catch on a Bank in Lat. 29°. North from the Baxas St. Juan, in 24°. N. Lat. 20 Leagues N. N. E. from Cape St. Lucas, the S. E. Point of Cali- fornia. The Mafter, the Admiral had hired with his Vefliel and Mariners, informed him that 200 Leagues North from C.ipe St. Lucas, a Flood from the North had met the South Flood, and he was fure it muft be an Ifland. Don Diego Penelojfa under- took with his Ship and the four Shallops, to difcover whether California was an Ifland or not, along with the Mafter and his Mariners they hired at Saragua -, but Admiral de Fonte, with three Ships, failed from them within the Ifles of Chamilly the i oth of May 1 640 ; and having got the length of Cape Abel on the W. S. W. Side of California in 26°. N. Lat. 160 Leagues N. W. fey W. from the Ifles Chamilly, the Wind fprung up at S. S. E. a ftea- dy Gale ; that from the 26th of May to the 14th of fune, he had failed to the River Los Reys in 53°. N. Lat. not having Oc- cafion to lower a Top-fail in failing 866 Leagues N. N. W. 410 leagues from Port Abel to Cape Blanco, and 456 to Riolos Reys, and failed about 260 Leagues in crooked Channels amongft Iflands, named, the Archipelago de St. Lazarus, where the Ships Boats al- ways ^iled a Mile a-head, founding to fee what Water, Sand and Rocks there were. The 2 2d of fujie Admiral Fonte difpatch- cd one of his Captains to Pedro de Barnarda, to fail up a fair Ri- ver, .ir '- ;!^,:( ( 1^5 ) ver, a gentle Stream and deep Water j he went firft N. and N. E.. N. and N. W. into a large Lake full of lilaiids, and one very large Pciiinfulu full of Inhabitants, a friendly honcft People in this Lake. He named it Lnke f^eiafco, where Captain BcrnarJa left his Ship j nor all up the River was it lefs than 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 Fathom Water, both the Rivers and Lakes abounding with Salmon, Trouts, and white Perch, very large, fonic two Foot long, and with three large Indian Boats called Periaguas, made of two large Trees, ^o and 60 Foot long. Captain Bernarda firft failed from his Ships in the Lake Velajco 140 Leagues Well, and then 436 E. N. E. to 77°. N. Lat. Admiral de Vonti\ after he had difpatched Captain Bernarda on the Difcovery of the North and Eafl Part of the Tartarian Sea, failed up a very navigable River, which he named Rio los Reys, that ran neareft N. E. but on feveral Points of the Compafs 60 Leagues, at low Water, in a fair navigable Channel, not lefs than 4 or 5 Fathom Water -, it flowed in both Rivers near the fame Water, in the River los Reys 24 Foot Full and Change of the Moor, a S. S. E, Moon made high Water; it flowed in the River de Haro 22 Foot and a half Full and Change. They had two Jefuits with them who had been on their Miflion to 66°. N. Lat. and had made curious Obfervations. The Admiral de Fonte received a Letter from Captain Bernarda, dated Ae 27th of yune 1640, that he had left his Ship in the Lake Velafco, betwixt the Ifland Bernarda and the Lake Conibaffety a very fafe Port ; he went down a River from the Lake three Falls, 80 Leagues, ami fell into the Tartarian Sea in 61°. with the Pa- ter Jefuits and 36 Natives in three of their Boats, and 20 of his Spanifh Seamen, that the Land trended away N. E. tiiat they fhould want no Provilions, the Country abounding with Vcniiori of three Sorts, and the Sea and Rivers with excellent Fifli, (Breaxl, Salt, Oil and Brandy they carried with them) that he fhould do what was poflible. The Admiral, when he received that Letter, was arrived at an Indian Town called Conafj'ety on the South Side of the Lake Belle, where the two Vater Jefuits on their Miflion had been two Years, a pleaflmt Place. The Admiral, with his two Ships, entered the Lake the 2 2d of ^une, an Hour before high Water, and there was no Fall or Cataraft, and 4 or 5 Fa- t om Water, and 6 and 7 generally in the Lake Belle : There is a little Fall of Water till half Flood, and an Hour and Quarter before "I r : m ( 126 ) ^!|^ ;;];: n\'-u licfore liigh Water, the Flood begins to fet gently into the Lake lic/h'. '1 he Riv'jr is ficlh at 20 Leagues Diftancc troni the Moutli or Entrance ot" the River Los Re\s. The River and Lake abounds with Sahnon, Sahnon Trouts, Pikes, Perch and Mullets, and two (ither Sorts of Fifh peculiar to that River, admirable good, and Lake Belle alfo abounds with all thole Sorts ot" Filli large and delicate ; and Admiral de Fonte lays, the Mullets catch'd in Rios Keys and Lake Bclk\ are much delicatcr than are to be found, he believes, in any Part of the World. The ill of July 1640 tlic Admiral failed (from the Ships in the Lake Belle in a good I'ort covered by a Hne Illand, before the Town ConiijJ'et) tioin thence to a River he named Purmentiers, after his Comrade Mr. Parmefitiers, who had exactly marked every Thing in and about that River, and pafs'd eight Falls, in all 3 a Feet perpendicular from its Source out of Lake Belle ; it falls into the large Lake he called Ldke de Fontey at which Place they arrived the 6th of July j this Lake is 160 Leagues long and 60 broad ; the Length is E. N. E. and W. S. W. 20, 30, and in fome Places 60 Fathoms deep J the Lake abounds with excellent Cod and Ling, very large and well fed ; there are feveral very large Illands, and ten fmall ones ; they are covered with Ihrubby Woods ; the Mols grows 6 or 7 Foot long, with which the Moofe, a very large Sort of Deer are fat in the Winter, and other lefler Deer, as Fallow, &c. There are abundance of wiM Cherries, Straw-berries, Hurtle-berries, and wild Currants, and alfo of wild Fowl, Heath-cocks and Hens, likewife Partridger and Turkeys, and Sea Fowl in great Plenty ; on the South Side of the Lake is a very large fruitful Ifland, which liad a great many Inhabitants, and very excellent Timber, as Oak, Afli, Elm and Fir Trees, very large and tall. The 14th of July they failed out of the E. N. E. End of the Lake de Fonte, and pafled a Lake he named EJiricho de Ronquillo, 34 Leagues long, 2 or 3 broad, 20, 26 and 28 Fathom Water ; they palled this Streight in 10 Hours, having a flout Gale of Wind and whole Ebb, as they failed more Eafterly, the Country grew very fenfibly worfe, as it is in the North and South Parts of America ; from 36 to the extreme Parts, North or South, the Wefl differs not only in Fertility, but in Temperature of Air, at lead i o Degrees, and it is warmer on the Wefl Side than on the EafI:, as the bell SpaniJljD'ii- coverers found it, whofe Bufinefs it was, as it is noted by JUvarez Acojle I ( 12.7 ) jlco/le and Mariana. The 17th they came to an 7m//^« Town • and the India.is told their Interpreter, Mr. Varmentien, that a little Way from them Jay a great Ship, where there never had been one be- fore; they failed to them, and found only one Man advanced in Years, and a Youth ; the Man was the greatcft Man in the mechanical Parts of the Mathematicks he had ever met with. The Admir d's fecond Mate was -aw Eu^lijhmatiy an excellent Seaman, as was his Gunner, who had been taken I'rifonerin Campeachy, as well as the Mailer's Son. They told him the Ship uas oi Ne^-England^ from a Town call'd Bojion. The Owner and the whole Ship's Company came on board the 30th, and the Navigator of the Ship, Oiptain Shnplryy told him his Owner was a fine Gentleman, and Major General of the largeft Colony in Nnv-England, called the Ma[fachiifcts \ fo he received him like a Gentleman, and toiJ him, his ConimilTjon was to make Prize of any People feeking a North-wcfl: or Weft PafTage into the South-Sea, but he woulu .00k upon them as Merchants trading with the Natives for Beavers, Otters, and other Furs and Skins, and (o for a fmall Prefcnt of Provifions he had • o need of,, he gave him his Diamond Ring, which coil him i 200 Pieccp of Eight, (which the modeft Gentleman received with DilHculty) and having given the brave Navigator, Captain Shapley, for his fine Charts and Journals, 1000 Pieces of Eight, and the C wner of the Ship, SeimorGibbonSy a Quarter Cafk of good Pcruan Wine, and the I o Seamen each 20 Pieces of Eight, the 6th of Aiiguft, with us much Wind as they could fly before, and a Current, they arrived at the firft Fall of the River Partncntiers. The wth o^ yliigujh eighty fix Leagues, and was on the South Side of the Lake Belh\ on board their Ships, the i6th o( Augnjl, before the fine Town ConaJJ'et, where they found all Things well, and the honcfl Na- tives of Conaljet had in his Abfcnce treated his People witli great Humanity, and Captain De RonquiHo anuvcred their Civility and Juftice. T'Jie 26th oi Augnft an Indian brought him a Letter to Co- nafj'et, on the Lake Bi7/c, from Captain Bcnutrda, dated the 1 1 th of Auguji^ where he fent him word he was returned from his cold Expedition, and did afllire him there was no Communication out of the Spanijli or Atlantick Sea by Da-vis's Strcight ; for the Natives had condudted one of his Seamen to the Head oC Davis's Streight, which terminated in a frefli Lake of about 30 Miles in Circumfe- rence, in the 80th Degree N. Lat. and that there was prodigious I Mountains I U ( 1^8 ) ?'!•'' "'11 i ^^ i Mountain8 North of it ; befivles, the North-weft from that Lake, the Ice was fo fixed from the Shore to loo Fathom Water, for ought he knew fi'om the Creation, for Mankind knew little of the wonderful Works of God, efpecially near the North and South Poles. He wrote farther, that he had failed from Ba//et IJland N. E, and E. N. E. and N. E. by E. to the 79th Degree of Latitude, and then the Land trended North, and the Ice relied on the Land. He received afterwards a fecond Letter from CdL^i^m Bernarda^ dated from Mifihanfety informing him he made the Port of Arena, 20 Leagues up the River Los Reyes, the 26th oiAuguJl, where he waitcvl his Commi'ads. The Admiral having Store of good fait Proyilions of Venifon and Fiih that Captain De Ronquillo had fak- ed, by the Admiral's Orders, in his Abfence, and 100 Hogflieads of Indiaii Wheat or Maize, he failed the 2d of September, 1640, accompanied with many of the hone 11 Natives of Conajfet, and on the 5th oi September, in the Morning, about 8, was at an Anchor betwixt Arena and Minhanfet, in the River Los Keys, failing down that River to the N. E. Part of the South-Sea, after that returned home, Jiaving found there was no Paflage into the South-Sea by that they call the North-wef: Paflage. The Chart will make this much more demonftrable. Tho* the Style of the foregoing Piece is not fo polite [being wrote like a Man nvhofe Li'velihood depended on another Way, but with Abun- dance of Experience, and like c Traveller) yet there are in it fo many curious, and hitherto unknown Difcoveries, that it was thought wor- thy a Place in thefe Me?noirs, and 'tis humbly prefumed it will not be unacceptable to thofe who have either been in thefe Parts, or will give themfelves the Trouble of reviewing the Chart. By this Abftradt of De Fonte's Voyage, which has all the Ap- pearance of being authentick, it is olain that there is a navigable Paflage from Hudfon's Bay to California, and tho' it has not had Juftice done to it in the Tranflation, and probably has not been exactly copied or printed ; yet, giving an Allowance for Errors of th'^t kmd, and it has throughout the Air of Truth. There may be probably fome Errors in the Figures relating to the Degrees of Latitude and L eagues in their Courfe j for the Length of the Lake De Fonte is faid to be 160 Leagues, and the Streight Ronquillo 34. Upon Ml , .■■■ ii::'' ( 12.9 ) Upon his Return from the Bojion Ship he is CM to have got again to the Mouth of the River Parmentiers in 5 Days, with a ftout Gale and brifk Current, which he fays was 80 Leagues, which plainly ought to have been 180, otherwife with that ftout Gale and Current it would have been but 16 Leagues in 24 Hours, and the other would be but 36, which was reafonable Sailing. As to his faying there was no Paffage, altho' he met the Bojion Ship, I take his Meaning to be, that either Bernarda found no Paffage by the North-weft of Davis's, Streights, the Way probably the Spaniards expedted it ; or that by his pafling up one River to Lake Belle ^ and down another to Lake De Fonte, by what he called Sharps or Falls, he apprehended tliere was no navigable Paf- fage for Ships the Way he went, or he defired to difguife it, to prevent other Europeans from attempting it to his Country's Preju- dice, and therefore he did not publifli his Chart which he refers to in his Letter. It is plain that it was an Ifland below the Lake Belle which divided the River Los Keys from the River Parmenti- ers, and as the Sea in Lake De Fonte was upon a Level with the Sea at the Mouth of Rio Los Reys, and the Tide flowed up that River into the Lake Belle, it muft alfo flow up the River Parmentiers, and the Sharps and Falls he obferved in that River, were only the Sharps occafioned by the feveral Ebbs he had in fail- ing down that River, being 5 Days in paffing to the Sea ; fo that the great and true Paffage was without that Ifland, which the Ad- miral miffed by getting among the Iflands in the Archipelago of St.: Lazarus. It is a Misfortune his Chart was not publiflied, which would have given more Light as to the Lands, Lakes and Rivers he men- tions, now we can only guefs in the Dark, and may be miftaken ; however I fliall venture to give my Opinion of their Situation, tho' I may not judge right. As I apprehend it, the Archipelago of St. Lazarus, and Rio Los Reys, and Lake Belle, and alfo the Lake of Velajco, are no Part of North America, but a Country diftincl from it, the Paffage lying betwixt thofe Lands and America ; for in his Journal he lays lie failed 866 Leagues N. N. W. (xom Q.x^q ylhel'm California, in Lat. 26°. the laft 260 of which was in crooked Cliannels among inands, until he got to Rio Los Reys, in Lat. 53". lincc by all other Accounts the Coaft of America falls off N. E. from Cape Blajico. S This a ( ^o ) This muft have been a Country diftindl from America ; here lie found two Rivers, one came from the North, from the Lake Ve- lafco, which Bernarda failed up, and tl.e other came from the N. E. from the Lake Belle ^ which lay betwixt Lat. c^°. and 55°. Upon what Point the River Piirme/ifiers ran out of the Lake Belle is not mentioned $ but as Rio Los Reys ran S. W. we ijiay fuppofe the other ran E.or S. E. and fell into the Sea which he calls the Lake de Fonfe, in near the fame Latitude, that Lake, or Arm of the Sea, llretching thence E. N. E. 160 Leagues ; if there was any Weft Variation, as there is now, the N. E. End of that Lake might be in Lat. 57 or 58°. almoft Weft of Ckurchill^ and the Streight Ronquillo running ftill N. E. might end in Lat. 59°. In two Days from thence he came to an Indian Town, probably about Lat. 60°. near which the Bo/ion Ship lay ; fo that it may be ima- gined that the Bojlon Ship had pafled into fome of the Openings near Whale Cove, and got to Lat. 60°. or perhaps to 59°. and was trading for Furs, and the Ship might have been afterwards loft or ftirprized by the EJkimaux upon her Return, having but 12 or 13 Hands on board, lince no Account of this Voyage was ever tranf- mitted from Bojlon. Upon Enquiry made by Order of Sir Charles Wager, whether any of the Name of Shapley, which was the Ma- fter's Name, lived at that time in Bojlon, it appeared from fome Writings that fome of that Name then lived in Bojlon, which adds to the Weight of De Fonte's Letter, and confirms its being an au- thentick Journal. 4mII'*' A N A N ABSTRACT O F ALL THE DISCOVERIES Which have been Publifh'd of the ISLANDS and COUNTRIES IN T H E Great Weftern Ocean, BETWEEN AMERICA, INDIA and CHINA, AND How Great a TRACT yet remains to be difcovered Between The Arctick ^/?^ Antarctick Circles: WITH The Advantages to BRITAIN from fuch Dilcoveries, in cafe a Passage fhould be found from HUDSON'S BAT to that Western Ocean, which has lately been undertaken with great Probability of Success. %' f::i' I ■. ( 133 ) A N ABSTRACT O F All the Difcoveries which have been publiflied of the Iflands and Countries in the Great Wejlern Ocean^ between America^ India^ and China^ &c. 'INCE there are the greateft Prefumptions of a Paf- fage to the Weftern Ocean, from the late Difcoveries made on board the Furnace in Wager River, and in the broken Lands near Marble IJlandy it may be pro- per to take notice of what Difcoveries have hitherto been made in that great Pacifick Ocean, as it is called, as well in the temperate Zones on each Side of the Tropicks, as be- tween the Tropicks from Jmerica, on the Eail Side of that Sea, to the Coaft of Japan, China, the Philippines, and New-Guinea, on ':''].! %-^ '%i mii ( 134 ) on the Weft Side ot' tlie fame ; and alfo give Reafons why hitherto fo few Di* /eiies have been made, or divulged when made, in fo large a 1 radt, which makes very near one Third of the Globe ; when at the fame time there are very large Countries, and almoft an infinite Number of Iflands difperfed through it, part only of which have been difcovered and divulged ; and the vaftly greater Part remains undifcovered to us in Europe^ as the greateft Number of the Iflands yet difcovered are extremely populous, and probably nioft of them abound in the feveral rich Mines and Commodities found in other Countries in their feveral Latitudes, their further Difcovery, and eftablifliing a Commerce with them, may be of immenfe Benefit to Britain, in cafe this Paflage is found, as it will give us a more immediate Paflage and Courfe to them, than to any other Nation in Europe, except the Spaniards, who might have a Trade crois the IJihmus of Atnerica ; and we may have the earliefl; and choicefl: Settlements and Fadtories in proper Climates, fecuring to ourfelves the beft Harbours in the beft Parts of America ; from whence we may carry on a Commerce as well to Japan and China, as to the more Southerly Parts of America, and all tlie Courktries and Iflands in the South-Sea, yet to be difcovered, as far as Nenv- Guinea and the Philippines. I (hall therefore firft give the Reafon why fo little has yet been difcovered, notwithftanding the Number of Englijh^ Dutch, and SpaniJJj Ships, which have failed round the Globe, and many French Ships which have been alfo in thofe Seas ; and then fhall take no- tice of fuch Journals as have been publiflied of thofe Ships which have been in thofe Seas, and have made any Difcovery worth tak- ing notice of; and from thefe Accounts fhew how much has been difcovered, and what remains flill to be difcovered, and then pro- pofe the mofl: convenient Places to make Settlements in, from whence further Difcoveries may be made with the greateft Hopes of Succefs, and enumerate fome of the great Advantages we may reap from fuch Settlements and Difcoveries. The Reafon why greater Difcoveries have not been made in that vaft Trad, notwithftanding the Number of Ships that have been in thofe Seas, I take to be this j that moft of the Ships that went into thofe Seas, or furrounded the Globe, either went to enrich thcmfelves with the Plunder of the Spaniards on the Weftern Ame- . rican Coaft, or to carry on a clandeftine Trade with them, or eife to I find i^' ■■i'!'";'i! ( 135 ) find out a fhort Paflage to the Raft India and Moluccoes^ fo a3 to avoid the Portuguefe,who were at firft Mafters of the Indian Seas,that they might more eafily come at tlie Riches of the Eafl: j and therefore all thefe Ships, upon pafling the Magellanick Streights, or thofe of Le Mair^ by Cape Horn, failed clofe along the American Coaft, to get the fooner into a warm Latitude, and into the Trade-wind, and alfo to get Wood, and Water, and frefh Provifions, for their fa- ' tigued and fick Men j and for thefe Reafons did not attempt Dif- coveries in the Southern temperate Zone, at any Diftance from the American Coaft, from the Latitude of Cape Horn, in near 5S De- grees, to the Latitude of 28 Degrees, where they generally met the Trade-wind > for if they had been at any Diftance from the Coaft, when they came into the Trade-wind, they could not then pretend to make the Coaft, againft both Wind and Current ; there- fore all thofe who went to carry on xi clandeftine Trade, or to plunder the Spaniards, k^pt as clofe as they could to the American Coaft, and thofe who went to find a Paflage to India, got out of the variable Winds, into the Tiade, as foon as they could, and ne- ver endeavoured to go forther Weft than the Iflands of Joljn Fir^ nando, until they got into the Way of the Trade-wind, within 28 Degrees S. Lat. The Spaniards, who v. ere the only People who failed in the South-Sea to make Difcoverierij (except 3 Dutch Ships fent by their IVeJi India Company in 1721) after making fome, concealed them, all they could from the reft of Europe ; and where any were pub- liflied, took up the whole Impreffion, finding that the £«g////> and Dutch had found the Way into thofe Seas, they being feniible that they had difcovered in America more Couiitrics tlian they were able to protedl or defend ; and if thefe Countries were difcovered and divulged, it would have tempted the Engliji^ and Dutch to make Settlements there, which would not only enrich them by their Trade, but enable them to carry on a private Trade with Peru and Chili, and all their Southern and Weftern Coaft, and perhaps dit-. poflefsthem of fonic of their Conquefts and Settlements, and there-^r fore they took all the prudent Methods tlicy could to check thefe Difcoveries, and prevent their beings divulged ; notwithftanding which, I (hall ftiew, from what Difcoveries have been made, that the greatcft Part of thefe Seas are full of ricli populous Iflands, and that there is the greateft Probability, that in the higher Latitudes in thefe ! I - ( 136 ) !^* . if » i b thefe temperate Zones, there are great Countries equivalent to Con- tinents, iince the Continent of America is only a greater Ifland, and ours of Europe^ Afia and Africa^ is furrounded by the Sea, and are therefore called Continents, as they are greater than the fmaller Iflands furrounding them ; fo all other great Countries or Iflands, furrounded by the Sea, may be called Continents in refpedt to the lefl'cr Iflands on their ieveral Coafts. To illuftrate this, and fhew that thefe are tlie true Reafons why fo few Difcoveries have been made in thofe Seas, I Hiall give fhort Extrads from the Journals which have been pubjiilied of all thofe who have furrounded the Globe, or navigated in thofe Seas, who have made any Difcoveries worth remarking, and then make fome Obfcrvations upon their Journals. Magellan^ with five Ships, was the firft who failed through thefe Seas in 1519, and found out the Streights called after him, and by that Way pafled to the Philippines. He died in India, but his Crew were the firft that furrounded the Globe, Sebajiian de Ca- m being Captain. After pafiing the Streights he failed near the American Coaft, until he got within the Tropicks, and then being in hafte to get to India^ he did not attempt to make Difcoveries, but failed N. W. from 20 Degrees S. Lat. to 13 Degrees N.. Lat. that he might fall in with India North of the Line. In his Courfe he faw but 3 Iflands South of the Line, one in 20 Degrees unin- habited, which he called Copingknr^ another in 1 5 Degrees, which he called Sumbd^t^ and the third in 5 Degrees South Latitude, and 1 20 long ; the two lafl were 200 Leagues afunder ; he takes no notice whether thefe lafl were inhabited or not. In 1 3°. N. Lat. and 146°. Long, he difcovered the Marian ox L^^rowf Iflands, and in 10°. N. Lat. and 161°. Long, he failed ihxon^ the Archipelago of St. LazarrCy a Number of Iflands between the Marian and Phi' /ippines, and thence difcovered the Philippines. Sir Francis Drake was the next who circumnavigated the Globe in 1537. He went only with Defign to plunder the .S/>tf«/tfr following ; they made no Stay there, but fuil'd to Ferdinando's Ifland in South Lat. 34°. and after lefrelhing there, failed from thence the latter End of March N. \V. and got into South Lat. 28°. and Long. 251°. as the Author has made it ; but from what fir ft Meridian he takes his Account I can't find out ; there they expeded to fee the Land Davis law, but did not, tho' fome of the Crew apprehended they faw fome Land; (what he faw was in Lat. 27" ) but they liad Symptoms of being near Land, for they faw great Numbers of Fowl, and among them many Teal ; and had variable Winds, which are all Signs of Land in that Latituile. They failed in that Parallel 1 2 Degrees Weft, and were in all that Courfe attended by many Land as well as Sea-fowl, until the 6th of Aprily being Eajier-Da\\ when they faw an Ifland tlicy called Eajler IJle ; which was fixteen Leagues in Circuit, in South Lat. 28°. 30'. it was full of Inhabitants of a brown Colour, tho' fome among them were black, white, anci »ed. The Lands were all well cultivated, regularly divided and bounded, and laid out in Plots j they had Abundance of Fowl and Fruit, particularly Cocoas, and Indian Figs. The Inhabitants were peaceable, and had no hoftile Wea- pons J they came on board them in Canoes, and invited them ufliore ; they obferved they had Idols fet up along the Coaft, be- fore whom they proftrated themfelves next Morning , when they landed, they crowded about them, and being afraid of their Num- bers, they were obliged to fire among them to make them to keep their Diftance, by which one who had invited them to go aftiore happened to be killed. They intended to have gone next Day afliore, and made fome farther Difcovery of the inward Part of the Ifland ; but being in a Place open to the Sea, and having no good Anchorage, they were forced by high Winds to weigh Anchor, and were drove by the Wind and Current to Leeward of the Ifland, and tho' they beat fome time to Windward, they could not regain the Ifland. Leaving that Ifland they quitted the Parallel, and in a little Time got into Lat. 1 5". which they called the bad Sea ofSchouteny in which Parallel he failed many Days without feeing Land, yet they appreliended they were in the right Trad: to find the South- ern L and ; but they failed 300 Leagues, and fo on to 800 Leagues, without Sight of Land ; about the Middle of May they fiiw an Ifland 1 / 1 ( IS' ) Ifland in Lat. i^". 45'. and Long, 280°. which fhey thouglit might be Schouten's Ifle of Dogt^ but his being in Lat. 15°. 12'. they called it Carlep^off; the Wind changed to S. W. and drove them next Night to four Iflands j 2 Leagues Weft of Carlefioff^ which . they called Pernicious IJle, tivo Brothers^ and Sijler j they were low Jflands, full of Trees, Cocoas, ^c. where were many Oyfters, Mufclcs, and Mother of Pearl Shells. Falling in with thefc Ifles in the Night, they loft their fmallcft Ship, which kept a-head ; they were five Days getting clear of thefc Iflands, and laving their Men ; four or five of them who had mutinied, got on ^horc there and quit them ; nor would they again come on board, tho' they promifed to pardon them, Thefe Iflands were fully inhabited ; the Natives were a large ftrong People ; the Morning after they left thefe Iflands, eight I -eagues farther Weft, they difcovered an Ifland four Leagues in Circumference, full of Trees, which they called Aurora or Morn- ing IJle^ and in the Evening faw another Ifland about 1 2 Leagues in Circuit, which was flat, and look'd very green with Trees, wjiich they called Vefpers^ or Evening Ijh ; going Weft ward ftill, between Lat. 1 5°. and 16°. they at once difcovered another Coun- try, on all Sides full of Smokes, and well inhabited j and were engaged in a Number of Iflands ; here were fix very pleaflmt, about 30 Leagues in Extent ; they are 25 Leagues from Pernici- ous Ijle ; they called them the Labyrinth, being inclofcd and en- gaged fb among them, that with their winding and turning they could fcarce get through them ; as they found no good Anchorage, and no Inhabitants came oft' to them, they filled on Weft, and in fome Days faw an Ifland which appeared high and fine ; they found no Anchorage, but fent their Sloop on Sliore with twenty five Men J Crowds met them armed with Lances upon the Shore, fo that they were obliged to fire upon them, and then landed to ga- ther Herbs for their fick Men, and gave Ibme Trifles to the Na- tives who afllfted in gathering them > but attempting to do the flime next Day, and going farther into the Ifland to view it, the Natives, with a Chief at their Head, decoy'd them on, and then in gi eut Numbers fell upon them with Stones, wounded many of them, who being ill of the Scurvy afterwards died on boird, and drove them to their Boats j they called this the Ijle of Refrejk- ment^ becaufe of the Benefits they found from the wholcfomc 2 Herbs jawi ( i5i ) Herbs they found there ; it is in Lat. i6*. and Long. 285", a- bout 1 2 Leagues in Circuit ; it was very fertile, with many fine Trees ; the Natives were well featur'd, had long black Hair, oil'd and fllining ; they were very adive, the Men half clad with a Kind of Net, and the Women all cloathed with a Stuff as foft as Silk, with Ornaments of Mother of Pearl. They quitted that Parallel of Latitude, and Hxiled N. W. giving up the Difcovcry to get to Ntw Britain and the Eaji Indies^ as foon as they could, that they might not lofe the eafterly Mon- foon, and in three Days were in Lat. 12°. and Long. 290'. they fjiw there many Iflands at once, which appeared fine and ai!;ree- able, with green Trees ; the Inhabitants met them with Filli, and many excellent Fruits, Cocoas, Indian Figs, &c. many Thou- fands came to the Shore, with Bows and Arrows ; a Man of Di- ftindion came on board, with a fair young Woman in a Boat, furrounded with many more ; all the Inhabitants were white, but burnt with the Sun ; they were peaceable and humane, were well cloathed, and not painted, like the others they had feen ; they wore Silk Garments, and had a kind of Hats upon their Heads, and Bracelets of fine Flowers about their Necks and Arms. The Iflands were hilly, and were from 10 to 20 Miles in Circuit. They called thefe Bowman'^ JJles ; the Lands were cultivated and divided, and the People the moft civilized, and the honeftefl: they had feen in the South-Sea. There they were received like Angels, they had good Anchorage, and were all well refi"eflied, and might have had all their fick Men cured, but the Commanders being afraid of lofing the Monfoon, tho' they were miftaken by two Months ; yet their Hafte made them negledl to fearch and know thefe Iflands more accurately, and many more they pafled by in their Pafl;i?;e from thence. They failed on N. W. and next Day faw two Iflands, which they took to be Cocos and Traylors I/kSy difcovered by Schouten. Cocos was high, and about 8 Leagues in Cir- cuit i the other was low and bare, in about 11°. S. Lat. Soon after they faw two very large' Iflands, they call'd one Teerboven, and the other Groninghen ; the lafl: was fo large, they imagined it might have been Part of the Continent; they look'd fine, and they coafl- cd them a Day without feeing the End of them, fo that they ap- prehended it to be a Part of Terra AuflraVu, Tiiey faw other neighbouring Ifles 1 50 Miles in Circuit ; fome ^-ere for landing, but ( 153 ) Init the Hufte they were in to gain the Monfoon, prevented them iiom landing, and they thought they would have been foon at New Britain^ but they were miftaken, for they had many Days failing before they arrived at it ; at laft they faw Mew Britain in S. Lat. 5". it was full of Inhabitants, and look'd fine, it was mountainy, the Natives were of a 3'ellow Colour ; after a Storm they failed N. VV. and faw fo many IHands they could not name nor number them ; at laft, in S. Lat. 2". they came to Moa and Arimoa, fo called by Schouten ; they failed from thence among numberlefs Iflands, they called them 1000 Ifles, tlie Natives were black, and were very bad People ; they failed along New Guinea 400 Leagues, which was very high Land, but fertile ; at laft, through innumerable Iflands they arrived at Boere in South Lat. 2°. a Dutch Iflaad, about 40 or 50 Leagues in Circumference, m September 1722. Thefe being all the Journals or Extrads I have met with that I can depend upon, relating to the Difcoveries made in the Southern and Weftern Ocean of America ; I Ihall from thefe, endeavour to fliew in one View, what Regions or Iflands have already been dif- covered by Europeans, and what Space in thofe Seas remain ftill undifcovered in that immenfe Trait, which comprehends at leaft one third Part of the Globe j in which we have Reafon to believe, that many noble, rich, and populous Countries and Iflands, are yet undifcovered to us in Europe, which might afford an extenfive Trade t"> Britain, and ope.i a nev/ Market for our Manufadlures, and vaftly enlarge our Comiaercc and carrying Tradu, and we might afTift in civilizing numberlefs Nations, and afford them ma- ny Neceilaries and Conveniencies, as well for Food as Cloathing, which they are now entirely unacquainted with, and at the fame time improve Britain both in Wealth and in the Knowledge of Nations we are at prefent entirely Strangers to. In making thefe Obfervations I ftiall begin with the more Nor- therly Latitudes, and proceed Southerly to the Southern Polar Circle. From thefe Journals or Extrads, I don't find that any Countries have been difccvered by Europeans, except thofe feen by Gama in about N. Lat. 45". to the Eaftward of Japan, m all that great Trad: betwixt Japan and California, from the Lat. of 3 8". to the Polar Circle, unlefs thofe Iflands mentioned by Cox in his Caro^ lana, N. W. from Cape Blanco in California, be a real Difcovery, X in ( 154 ) in cafe the Manufcript Journal from which Ivc took it was genuine ; the Spaniards never exceeding that Latitude in failing from Ma- nila to Acapulco, unlefs Storms fliould f(jrce Miem out of their Courfc J and yet there is the grcatell Prcfumptioii to believe, in fo gccat a Trait, at lead looo Leagues from the Lands of Jedfo to America, and from Li:t. 38°. to 65^ 540 Leagues, that there are great and populous Cou»>tries and Iflands not yet difcovered ; as ahb all the N. W. of Atntrica from Cape B. nco in Lat. 43°. to the Polar Circle } and it feems to be confirmed from the Accounts given by D. Cuallc and Gcmelli m their Journals, the firlt comin;^ within 200 Leagues of California hud no hollow Sea, and faw many Firti which are generally fecn near Iflands or Sea Coafls ; and alfo fron\ the Ducks, fmall Birds and Doves feen by Gcmelli, as well as the Weeds, Trees and Filh, he law fome liundred leagues from California, which were all Symptoms of their having been neai Land. From Lat. 35°. to 38°. I apprehend there arc no Iflands, from 200 Leagues Eafl of Japan to California ; for that being the ge- neral Courfe from Manila to America, the SpanifJj Ships, had there been any, had difcovered them in theii P.illage. From Lat. 29°. 1035°. I apprehend there may be fcveral iflands, De Guaile faw miiny Iflands Eaflward of Japan, in Lat. 32". and 33". and failing farther Eaft, he law many populous and rich Iflands, ibme with Volcanos, which abounded with Gold, Cotton, and Filh ; Gemelli mentions Rocks feen in Lat. 30°. and an Illand laid to be rich in Gold, and alfo another in Lat. 32". called Rica de Plata ; which, from their Names, and abounding in Gold, may- be fuppofed to be well inhabited ; he fpeaks alfo of another more cafterly , called Donna Maria Laxara^ in Lat. 3 1 °. Since few or no Ships have traverfed that Ocean from Mexico and California, to the Philippines and China, betwixt the Latitude of Guam in 13°. 20'. and 35°. a Traft of above 400 Leagues in Extent from North to South, except fome few who have been forced out of their Way by Storms ; as the St. Jo/eph, upon an Ifland they called St. Sebajlian in Lat. 18°. 20'. and the Fleet fent by Mendofa from Natividad, which difcovered St. Thomas, and Nubleda or tlie Cloudy Ifland^ in Lat. 17°. and Roca Partida, I may reafonably fuppofe, in fo large a Tradt, that there are many more Iflands to be difcovered, probably in thofe Latitudes, very rich ( '55 ) rich, and as well inhabitetl as the Man'.f,! inands, and tho others tlilcovercd Eaft of Japan. Spilbergen dilcovcrcd fomc Illands in Lat. 1 8**. 19°. ami 20'. within 100 Leagues oF the /Imcncan Coaft ; and the Duke and Dutchefs of lirijlol had Symptoms ol Land from the Fifli and Fowl they faw, and the Kyin they had in the fame Latitude ; and Captain Shehock fiw an Illand 8. W. from Cape St. Lucas in California in Lat. 22°. but .iinft of thefe Ships falling into the Par dlel of Lat. 13'. as foon as they could, after leaving the y////^r/V^w Coart, can give us no farther Account of what may be found in tliofe Latitudes at any Diftance ftom the ylmerican Coaft. F*or the fame Rcafon, very little h.is been difcovcrcd betwixi the Line and N. Lat. 13". Noort fiilcd Weft from yftnerica in N. Lat. 5°. but foon got into the Lat. of 13". and therefore could make no Difeovery, but near the American Coaft. Lopez failed from Natividad in N. Lat. 19°. and fteered thence S. W. to Lat. 9". in that Height looking for the Iflands de los Reys, after failing 50 Days Weft, he iliw an Ifland of Fifliermen, and many unin- habited Illands, and then changed his Courfe to Guam. The Fleet fent by Mendofa, found the Ifles de los Reys, and fe- veral other Illands in Lat. 1 o ; and Saavedra found ks Jardines in the fame Latitude ; but all the Remainder of that Tradt remains undifcovered. From the Line to S. Lat 9°. nothing as yet has beer, difcovered, except an Ifland by Magellan in S. Lat. 5°. near the Ladrom Iflands, as he crolTed the Line to get to a Northern Latitude, and no other Ships tamj within 9 Degrees of the Line, until they were near the Coaft of New Britain, except the Ship commanded by the Mejlizo mentioned by Hackluit, who found out feveral rich Iflands, one of which he called Monte de Plata, near the Iflands of Solomon, fo that all under and near the Line is yet undifcover- ed except the Gallopagos Iflands under the Line, near the ylmcri- can Coaft, which are uninhabited. That Tradl in the Southern Ocean from 9". to 1 5'. S. Lat. is filled with great, rich, and populous fllands, and large Countries. The Ifles of Solomcn found by Mandana, 800 Leagues from Pc- ru^ in thofe Latitudes, in which were 1 1 great Iflands, one with another, 80 Leagues in Circuit ; Guadalcanal, o;ie of them, being above 150 Leagues in Length, in which they found Gold and X 2 Spice, % . 1' ( 156 ) Spifce, together with thofe difcovered by G/Vw, extending to 1 5 Degrees Weftward of Solomon'^ Ifles, twenty of which he gives Names to, feven of which extended 200 Leagues, all abounding in Pearl, and exceeding fruitful, one of them near Santa Cruz be- ing 50 Leagues in Circumference ; to which is joined a large Country called Auftralia de Spiritu Santo^ having large and capaci- ous Harbours and Rivers, being exceeding populous and civilized, abounding in Spice, Gold, Silver and ?earls. Tafman, in the Weftern Part of that Ocean, and near the New Guinea Coaft, found many Iflands from Lat. 15°. to 22°. 35'. but the Eaftern Part of that Parallel has never yet been difcovered. From the Lat. of 22'. 35^ to the Lat. of 34". 35'. nothing has been difcovered but the Ifland of Eajier, :n Lat. 28°. 30'. by the three Dutch Veflels iii 1721, at no great Diftancefrom America ; nor is there any Thing difcovered from that to the Southern Polar Circle, except fo much of Neno Zealand as Tafman failed along from Lat. 34°. 35'. 1042". 10'. a Country very populous and war- like i fome Accounts mention that Giros had coafled a Country from the Height of the Magellanick Streights to Lat. xy. but that is doubtfiil, and not fupported by his own Memorials, or any other authentick Account ; fo that the greateft Part of that vaft Traft in the Southern Temperate Zone, is yet undifcovered, tho' there is the greateft Prefumption that there are, in fo great a Tra<^, very great, rich, and populous Countries and Iflands, very capable of Trade, and of being civilized and improved. From the Numbers cf People in New Zealand difcovered by Tafman, and in the Iflands difcovered by Scbouten, and the three Dutch Veflfels, and the large Countries and Iflands difcovered by Giros i and alfc the Ifles of Solomon and thofe of de las Marquis fas ; and from the different Colours and Mixtures among them; as black. Copper-colour 'd, brown, yellow, and white, it is highly probable that they are a mixed Breed from many different Coun- tries and Iflands, adjacent to thofe difcovered ; for fince the Canoes and Veflicls feen with them were fmall, except fbme large Peria- guas mentioned by Giros, which held a hundred People, and the double Canoe feen by Schouten, which held 23 Perfonsj it is pro- bable that thefe Jfles and Countries are almoft contiguous, and that a confiderable Continent is in the Temperate Zone, South-weft- ward of America j the Country feen by Tafman being near 500 I Miles ■ n m ( 157 ) Miles long, confirms tliis j sird the Numbers of warlike People, and their Ule of Trumpets, (hews that they were civilized, and be- long'd to a populous State, which encouraged them to refill the Dutch when they attempted to land, other wife their Fire-arms muft have ftruck a Terror into them, ixrnn-! From the variable Windi and Rain in Lat. aS". and tlie Number of Land and Sea Fowl which accompanied the three Dutch Ships for 2 or 300 Leagues, we may conclude they were near fome Sea Coaft until they came to the Ifle of Eajier ; and had they continued in that Parallel, they might probably have difcovered that Southern Country j but by quitting that Latitude, and falling into Lat. 15°. where Schouten had before found an open Sea, with only a few Iflands in it ; they failed from that Southern Land, and fo miffed the Country they went to difcover. The Trad betwixt S. Lat. 9°. and N. Lat. 13°. having never yet to our Knowledge been difcovered, except the Ifles de los Reys^ and the Ifland of Fifhermen, and fome uninhabited Iflands near the Ladro- nes, we have the fame Rcafon to believe that there may be rich and populous Iflands there, as well as in thofe Seas which have been attempted, where Difcoveries have been made ; for I find no Ac- count of any Ships failing between thefe two Parallels, except the Ships that crofs'd the Line in failing towards Mexico^ after finding cut the Ifles of Solmotiy and thefe Ships endeavouring to fhape their Courfe to Mexico the fhorteft Way, muft crofs this Trad from South to North, failing upon a Wind to get out of the Trade Wind, which was againft them, and had confequently very little Chance to make any Difcovery in their Paffage. The Reafon why this great Trad in the richcft Climate in the Globe is not yet difcovered, I take to be this ; That moft of our Navigators have fhunned (Iiiling near, or under, the Line, from a miftaken Notion, that the Equator was more liable to Cahns, Rains and Tornado's, than other more diftant Latitudes ; becaufe it fo happens, that upon the Guinea and African Coaft the Line is fo iituated, as to be in the Eddy between the Land-wind and Trade, which occafions thefe Calms, Rains and Tornado's ; and the Spa- niards alfo find it fo upon the American Coaft, in the South-Seay under the Line, for the fame Reafon ; but it is not fo under the Line near the River of Amazons, where the true Trade blows, nor at w "!ii { IS8 ) •'M-.a \m at a proper Diftance from the Weftern Coaft of Africa ^ nor in the South- Sea more Wefterly, where the Trade-wind prevails j for there it will blow as frefh as in any Part betwixt the Tropicks, un- lefs there fhould be many Iflands more Wefterly under tlie Line, and then they would have the regular Land and Sea-breeze, or if interrupted, as in India^ by many very large Iflands, then they would have regvilar Monfoons, as they have in India. If therefore v/e fliould attempt to difcovev thefe Seas near, and under, the Line, I make no doubt but we Ihould difcover iflands C' aally abounding in Spice and other rich Commodities as any in Luiia. I make no doubt but many Iflands may be found in the Northern Seas, from Lat. 13 to 35°. as populous as thofe to the Jiontliward, tho' we have no Account of them at prefent from the Spaniards, wlio difcovered fome of them, fince in the Marian Iflands, and thofe Eaftward of Japan, they arc all inhabited, and very populous ; nor can there be the leaft Doubt but thofe Coun- tries, from Lat. 40°. to the Polar Circle, are as well peopled as thofe in the flimc Latitudes in A/ia and America. If then an eafy Paflage (l:ould be found by Sea from Hudfon's Bay to that vaft Weftern Ocean, and a Trade to it be open'd to all the Merchants in Britain, it may, f;om the foregoing Difcovc- ries and Obfervations, plainly appear, that a moft extenfive, as well as beneficial Commerce, would be laid open to Britain, pre- ferable to any other Nation in Europe ; for we are already in Pcffef- lion of all the Trade carried on through the Streights, and in th« Bay of Hudfon ; and alfo all the Trade to be found through the Bay, \-'l-ich has been given up to us by the French in the Treaty of Utrccbi ; and therefore we have a legal Right, by that Treaty, to preven: la^ French from having any Benefit by that Paflage; and we fli.iU have a Right againft the Dutch, Swedes, and Danes^ as firft Difcoverers, befides the Advantage of fettling in the moft convenient Situations and Harbours on the other Side of the Paf- lage, which will be of great Benefit in carrying on our Commerce in thofe Seas : Befides, by the unaccountable Behaviour of the Hudfon's Bay Company, the Government and Parliament have a juft and legal Right to lay open that Trade to all the Merchants in Britain, as it is at prefent a Monopoly granted only by Ciiartcr fi-om King Charles the II. without aiiy A&. of Parliament for it, as I have already mentioned ; befides, if they had a Right, they have in- 2 . tirely ?!• .!,.,|,M ( 159 ) tirely forfeited that Right by Law, in not fulfilling the Intention of the Grant, which was chiefly to encourage them to find out the Paffage North- wett to the Weftern Ocean, which is the Prayer of their Petition, upon which their Charter was founded, and is fo ex])reffed in their Charter : This they have not only negledted to do, but have concealed the Knowledge, or Prefumptions they had of it, as much as poffible ; and have not only chican'd when ap- plied to, but ' ive adlually, by Letter from their Governor, refuftd to look for it, when applied to upon that Account, and have alfo difcouraged the Attempts of others, not only by concealing the Na- vigation into thofe Seas, by obliging their Captains, under a Penal- ty, not to make or publifh any Charts or Journals of thofe Seas and Coafts, or Voyages thither, but alfo by having laid all the Difficul- ties they duril upon the King's Ships lately fent upon the Difcove- ry, having claimed and taken from Captain Middleton an Indian Boy, whom he had brought to England^ and having learned the EjigliJ}} Tongue, would have proved a good Interpreter, and made his Clerk a Governor of one of their Fadlories to induce him to leave him, and alfo fent away their Ship« a Month earlier than ufu- al, to lie in the Orkneys^ left he fliould have got any of the Sailors who had been accuftomed to, and acquainted with, that Naviga- tion ; but even went farther, to tempt the Captain, if he is to be believed, to quit the King's Service, and not to attempt the Dif- covery, and offered him 5000 /. either to return into their Service, oi' look for it iri D^v/Vs Streight, or Baffin's Bay, and noi look for it in Hudfon's Bay at the IVelcome, alledging it would coft the Com- pany fo much to fupport their Right againft the Crown, and as he had beeen their Friend, and knew all their Concerns, it would be better to give him that Sum than to give it to the Lawyers. When they found him Proof againft their Bribery, they then thought to diftrefs him another Way, by writingto their Governor at ChiirchiH, which was the moft convenient Harbour tor the King's Ships to winter in, and was neareft to the Paffage, not to receive him into their Port j and afterwards, when the Company were applied to by the Lords of the Admiralty, to allow him to winter there, if it was neceffury for him, and to give him what Affiftancc they could in fupplying his Wants, which they would thankfully repay the Company in London. After deliberating fome Time upon an An- fwer, they wrote to the Lords of the Admiralty, that they had fent fuch I r ( i6o ) fuch a Letter as their LorcUhips defired to their Governor at Church- hill, and difpatched it by Poft to their Ships at the Orkneys. This being no way fatisfadtory to Captain Midaleton^ who had been in- formed of their Letter to their Governor not to admit him, he ap- plied for a Duplicate, to carry it with him, in cafe the other (hould milcarry, there being no fettled Poft to the Orkneys ; upon which they gave him a Duplicate fealed up, and upon Application a Copy of it, to know what it contained, which was in thefe Words : Hudfon's Bay Houfe, London y May 15, 1741. Air. James liham, and Council^ at Prince of Wales's Fort, Churchill River, Gentlemen, NOtwithftanding our Orders to you, if Captain Middleton (who is fent abroad in the Government's Service to difcover a Paf- fage North-well) fhould, by inevitable Neceffity, be brought into real Diflrefs, and Danger of his Life, and Lofs of his Ship, in fuch cafe you are then to give him the beft Afliftance and Relief you can. We remain Tour loving Friends^ Bibye Lake, Governor. William Elderton. y. Winter. Atwell Lake. John Anthony Merle. John Merry. Upon 10 extraordinary a Difcorery of the Inclinations of the Company to baffle the Attempt of finding out the Paflkge, and to difcourage Captain Middleton from profecuting the Difcovery, the Lords of the Admiralty thought it neceifary to apply to the Lords of the Regency, that the Secretary of State might, by their Or- ders, write to the Company, to require that Afliftance which they refilled to the Admiralty, which was fent ; and upon that the Com- pany gave a Letter to the Captain in a more humane and friendly Stile ; but, in confequence of their OfFer, it is plain that he Irifled and ( i6i ) :' lu and difguifed the Difcovery of the PafTage. By this it is evident that the Company believe there is a PafTage, which they want to conceal j for otherwife it had been their Intereft to have had the Attempt made, and if not found, there would have been an End to the profecuting it any farther ; and they might probably have en- joyed their Trade to the Bay, without its being coveted, or enqui- red into. Upon the Prefumption therefore of this Paflage, I fhall mention what beneficial Commerce may be laid open upon this Difcovery's being made. The firft that appears is upon the North- weft Coaft oi America^ firom the Welcome^ or Ne Vltra^ 'n Lat. 65°. to Cape Blanco, in California, in Lat. 43°. In this is contained 2 2°. of Latitude, and at leaft 30°. in Longitude, befides the Inlets that may be Li thofc Seas into the North- weft Coaft of America, a Tradt of at leaft 600 Leagues, which abounds with Furs, Skins and Copper, and pro- bably with other rich Commodities. By all the Accounts tranfmitted to us fiom the Spaniards upon the firft Difcovery of New Mexico, and the Countries of Cih/a and ^ivtra, North-weftward of it, we have reafon to believe that there are many populous, civilized, and induftrious Nations, from the Latitude of 38°. North, to the Latitude of 50°. or more North- erly, on the North- weft of the Continent of America; which Accounts are of late confirmed by Lahontan, and by Cox, if his Ac- count may be depended upon, in which they feverally agree that tiiere are great trading Nations upon large Rivers and Lakes, which difcharge their Waters into the Weftern Sea, in which they have great VefTels for Trade, which is carried on upon that Coaft. This is now confirmed by the Natives Weftward of Churchill, who hav- ing been there, informed them that they Hiw upon the Weftern Coaft, almoft in the fame Latitude of Churchill [Lxt. 59".) many trading Ships, as large as ours, from whom they got Copper Oar, and Copper, which they produced to them at Churchill, within thefe few Years. I think therefore a fliort Abftrad of the Spanijh Account, and alfo of Lahontan's, may be properly infertcd ii this Place. In the Year 1537, fome Friars travelling Northward from Mex- ico, as Miffionaries to inftrudl and civilize the Natives, and make Difcoverics, went as far North as Cibola, in about Lat. 37'. and upon their Return gave fo fine an Account of that Country, and Y thnff ( l62 ) thofe through which they puffed, aflirming that there were large Cities, the Houfes 3 or 4 btorics high, built of Lime and Stone, which were very rich, abounding in Turquoifes ana rich Mines ; that it encouraged the Viceroy to fend Vafques deCoronado^ with a large Body of Horfemen, and others, to make a further Difcove- ry, and to fubdue thcni, and make a Settlement; and in 1539 he fent two Ships, commanded by Francis de Ulloa, to difcover the Gulph and Coaft of CaHfomia ^and the Year following Ferdinand Al- archon failed tlie fame Courfe, to difcover that Gulph by Sea, whilft Coronado was to travel by i and, and, if poffible, to correfpond with each other, Coronado being fuppofed not to travel far from the Sea- coaft. Coronado either went a different Rout from the Friars, until he got to Cibola^ or found the Country he paffed through quite diffe- rent from what the Friars had reprefented it ; and when he came there, found the Towns neither fo rich nor populous as the Friars had given out. They had Stone and Lime Houfes 3 or 4 Stories high, and went into the upper Stories by Ladders ; but they found very few Turquoifes or other rich Metals among them. He pufli'd farther Northwards, towards ^ivira, and Weflward, where he found the Country better improved, and the People more induftri- ous, and better civilized, and fent Don Garcias Lopez de Cardenas as far as the Weftcrn Sea ; the Country was very temperate, and abounded with Fruit there ; they laid they faw Ships on the Coait which had Alcatrazas or Pelicans of Oold and Silver on their Prows, which had Merchandize j they apprehended them to be from Ci>i- ntty having been above 30 Days in failing thither, as they made ap- pear by Signs to the Spaniards. Coronado fending fo indifferent an Account of Cibola, which the Spaniards faid was occafioned from his iufl having married a young Wife, and his being apprehenfive, that if he made a Settlement, the Viceroy would oblige him to flay there j and afterwards dy- ing upon the Road as he was returning, the Spaniards for many Years did not renew the Attempt, yilarchon, at the fame time, by Sea, in about Lat. 3 ^<'. got to the very Head of the Gulph of Ca- lifornia, where both Uiloa and he found a Tide, which flowed from the Southward, which rofe 6 Fathoms, he coming on Ground upon the FalUng of the Tide, thought he had lofl his Ship ; but it foon after floating with the Tide of Flood, he got into a great Ri- ver, ( i63 ) ver, moored his Ship, and in his Boat went up the River about 85 Leagues, finding numerous Nations of humane and civil Peo- ple, and at laft got fome Account of Cibola and Corcnado^ whicii was ten Days Journey from the Place he was at. He thence re- turned to his Ships, and from thence to Acaptdco ; he called the River Buena Guia. TJiefe two Voyages afcertains California to be a Part of the Continent, they having had the Land in view on both Sides until it clofed in that River. The Spaniards difcontinued the further Difcovcry of Cibola and ^ivira until the Year 1 582, when it was again undertaken by ^;- ionio de Vefpejo, from St. Bartholomew in Mexico, by the Rio del Nord, or North River, a very large River, whicli runs from the North through New Mexico, and falls into tlie Gulph of Mexico, Weflward of the MiffiJJippi. He fet out the loth of November, 1582. In two Days Journey he reached the Conchas Indians, who conduced him 24 Leagues North. He then got to the Pajfaquetcs, who went with him four Days Journey in a Country rich In Silver Mines. A Day's Journey farther he got to Tobofas, 1 2 Leagues farther he got to others called Jumanos, a numerous People, in Stone and Lime Houfes. 1 hey travelled on 1 2 Leagues along the North River, KAX Northward, and got to another Nation cloathedin Shamois Skins, and covered with Cotton Mantles ; thefe-condufted them five Days Journey Weftward, to a Country full of Silver Mines. They went thence higher up the River to another popu- lous Nation, 15 Days Journ.v Weflj they were '■old there was a great Lake, the Coaft of which was full of populous Towns, but they went not to it, but proceeded Northward 1 5 Days, above 80 Leagues, through Woods and Plains, upon the fame River, until they got to New Mexico, fo named by them. Two Days further they got to i o Towns upon the fame P v er, well inhabited by 1 0000 People, well cloathed, who lived in high Houfes with Stoves ; they had Cotton and Deer Skin Cloaths, with Shoes and Boots, and arable Lands. From thence they went to the Province of Tigues, who having fome time before kill'd two Friars, they fled froni them. The Captain and two of his Men went to anoher Pro- vince, near Cibola, where there were 4C000 People ; they tlicn went to the ^iros, where there were 14000, in Lat. 37". 30'. 1 4 Leagues faither they arrived at Cunanes, or Puneincs, wliere were 5 Towns, one called Cia, which had 8 Market Places ; the Houfes m f IS ," Y 2 were ( i64 ) were plail'tered and painted ; in this were 20000 Inhabitants, tlicfe were civilized, and better governed and cloathed ; here were rich Metals. 6 Leagues farther they came to another Province of 7 Towns, containing about 30000 Inhabitants, thefe were alfo well governed and civilized. 15 Leagues further Weft they found ano- ther Town called Acoma^ fituated upon a Rock, containing 6000 People, clad as the others in Cottons and Shamois Skins. 24 Leagues farther Weft they came to Z«;w, called by them Cibola^ where Cb- ronado had been above 40 Years before ; there they found three Indian Chriftians, who had been there from that Time, who told them, that 60 Days Journey farther was a great Lake, upon the Banks of which were many large populous Towns, rich in Gold. Coronado had gone 1 2 Days Journey towards it, but wanting Water returned, defigning to go again, but died upon his Return, as is mentioned before. The Captain, with nine Men, deligned to go and make this Difcovery, the reft returning. After he had travelled 28 Leagues Weft, he found a great Province, which con- tained above 50000 People, who fent to him not to enter their Country, but they afterwards received him kindly, and gave him many Prefents. Thofe confirmed the Account he had before of the great Lake, and the Riches of the Towns about it j he left here five of his Men to return to Zuni, and rode Poft with four to fee fome rich Mines which they told him of, and travelling with his Guides 45 Leagues Weft, he got to the Place, and took out very rich Oar from the Mine. Here were peaceable Indians , and two pretty large Rivers, where were fine Vines, Walnut-trees and Flax. The Men, by Signs, told them, that beyond thefe Moun- tains there was a great River, 8 Leagues wide, but could not find out how far it was to it, but faid it run into the North-Sea, and that upon its Banks were great Towns, to which their own, when compared to them, were but fmall Hamlets. He returned from thence to Mexico. LudoiHCus Tribaldus wrote from Valadolid to Richard Hackhiit^ in 1605, that Don John de Onate in the Year 1599, went with 5000 People to conquer thofe Countries 500 Leagues fi"om Mexico ; that he took the Town o^ Acoma in about Lat. 32°. 40'. after that he proceeded Northwards to another great City, whibh he obliged to fubmit ; and after that came to another which was greater, which he through Friendship induced to fubmit to him j he afterwards I built 11 ( i6s ) 'ilili^' built a City near Cihola, which he called St. 'John's Town, and finding rich Mines there, they refolved to fettle. In 1 602 he un- dertook a new Difcovery of the great Northern River, which at length he accompliflied, and went from thence to the famous Lake called the Lake of Conibas, where he pretended he faw a City of vaft Extent, (^sen Leagues long, and two wide, the Houfes feparated frr' each other, and finely built and ornamented, with fine Gardens : ne faid the numerous Inhabitants had all retired at his Approach, and fortified themfelves in the Market-place or great Square ; upon which not daring to attack them, he returned to St. John'* Town, and lived there happily. This latter Part feems to have the Air of a Romance. Lahoncan CxiVingxip the long River in 1688 and 1689, found the Gnacfitares more civilized than the more eafterly Indians near the MiJjtlJippi, and the Mofemkek Nation at the Foot of the Hills on the Weft Side, where the Rivers take their Rife which fall in- to the Weftern Sea, were much more civilized than the Gnacfitares^ they were cloathed and had Beards, and their Hair came down to their Ears, and had as grave an Afpedt as Spaniards $ thefe laft told him, at the Diftance of 150 Leagues from the Place he was in, their River difcharged itfelf into a great Salt Lake 300 Leagues in Circumference, where it was two Leagues wide ; that on the lower Part of the River were fix large noble Cities, furrounded with Stone, cemented with fat Earth ; that there were 100 Towns great and fmall around the Lake j they had upon it large Veflels 130 Foot long, with which they navigated that Lake, the Inhabitants made Stuflfs, Copper Axes, and other Manufadures ; the Govern- ment was dcfpotick ; they were called TahugUmk, and faid, in tiieir Way of Speech, they were as numerous as the Leaves upon the Trees ; they had Leather and make Boots of it j the Lake is 30 Leagues broad, ftretching to the Southward. T\\QTahuglatik had Beards two Inches long. Coats down to their Knees, had fharp Caps on their Heads, had Canes with tip'd Heads, and Boots ; the Women did not fliew thenifclves ; they were at War with feveral populous Nations near the Lake, and in its Neigh- bourhood. Cox in his Carolana fays the Tellov) River, or River of the Ma/- forites, has its Source in the fame Hills with the long River, on the Weft Side of which, after a Day's Journey, are Springs, which form fm % I ( i66 ) torin a great River, which fells into the great Lake mentioned by Lahontan^ the Indians affirming that there are great Ships failing in that Lake, twenty times larger than their Canoes ; that this Lake forms another River below it, which is difchargcd into the Weflcrn Sea. Cox fays farther, that he had a Journal communicated to him in Manufcript, by which, if genuine, it appeared that one Cap- tain Coxton, in King Charles the Second's Time, Commander of a Privateer cruizing for the Manila Ship, being too foon at Califor- via by fome Months, liiiling Northwards, difcovered a graat Ri- ver in N. Lat. ami within it a great 1 akc j ne.ir tlie Entrance he found a convenient liland to reht his Ship in, and ftaid there two or three Months ; he happened to have a Man on board who nnderftood their Language ; he was kindly received by them, when they underftood he was an Enemy to the Spaniards ; he called them the Nation of T^hoya -, they often engage the Spani- ards and beat them, bringing 30 or 40000 Men into the Field, At the proper Seafon they failed W. by S. and came to five Iflands, about ^o or 60 Miles each in Compafs, one he touch'd at was called Earinda or Carinda, they fupplied him with Provifions, and 86 Pound Weight of Gold, in Truck for his Commodities, in three or four Days Time ; they faid they had no more then, fup- plying themfelves only at a certain Seafon, when Ships came to trade with them from the Weft, fuppofed by him from Japan. So ^ar Cox, if he is to be credited. On the Right or Starboard Side of the Paflage, it is highly pro- bable that there are many great Countries, in a Tra;?■;■ ( 172. ) 7.tn and Goldfniith of LofjJcn, have, at their own great Coft and Charges, undertaken an Expedition for Hudfon's Bay, in the North- weft Parts of America^ for the Difcovery of a new PafTage into the South-Sea, and for the finding of fome Trade for Furs, Minerals, and other confiderable Cunitnoditics, and by fuch their Undertak- ing, have already made fuch Difcoveries as do encourage them to proceed farther in Purfuance of their faid Delign, by means where- of there may probably arifc great Advantage to Us and Our King- doms, ?.!H3i iV^ttCUfi the fiid Undertakers, for their farther Encourage- ment in the faid Defign, have humbly befought Us to incorporate them, and grant unto them, and their Succeffors, the whole Trade and Commerce of all thofe Seas, Streights and Bays, Rivers, Lakes, Creeks and Sounds, in whatfocvcr Latitude they Hull be, that lie within the Entrance of the Streights commonly called Hudfon'i Streights, together with all the Lands, Countries and Territories, upon the Coafts and Confines of the Sea*', Streights, Bays, Lakes, Rivers, Creeks and Souiuls, aforeiliid, which are not now adtually polTelTed by r. ly of Our Subjcdls, or by the Subjeds of any other ChriHian Prince or State. The Grant Ii30l0 kUOU) V? , That We being dcfirous to promote all Endea- of incorpoM- vours that may tend to the publick Good of Our People, and to fiidPatcm- encourage the faid Undertaking, have, of Our efpcc' d Grace, cer- tecf. tiiin Knowledge, and mere Motion, given, granted, ratified and confirmed, and by thcfe Prefcnts for Us, Our Heirs and SuccefTors, do give, grant, ratify and confirm, unto Our faid Coufin Prince Rupert, George, Duke of ullbcmarle, fVilliam, Earl of Cruuvu, Henry, Lord Arlington, Anthony, Lord Apley, Sir Jotjn Robinjon, Sir Robert Vyner, Sir Peter Colleton, Sir Edward Hungerford, Sir Paid Neele, Sir John Grijfith, Sir Philip Carteret, and ^ir James Hayes, John Kirke, Francis Millington, William Prettyman, John Fenn, and John Portman, that they, and fucli others as fliall be admitted into the faid Society as is hereafter exprefled, fliall be one Body CtM-porate and Politique, in Deed and in N.;me, by the Their Title, Namc o? The Covern(ir and Company of Adventurers of En-jjand, i'{'J^o'"h"y trading into Hudfon's Bay, and them by the T-^uTie of The Cover- tfsofE7"- ^-^r and Company of Adventurers of England, tradiu% into Hudfon's I fj tr^itiins ^(ly, one Body Corporate and Politique, in Deed and in Name, i,.'.^Hu.ipn, really and fully for ever, for Us, Our Heirs and Succeflbrs, We do I make i -f 1 ii ( 173 ) nuke, ordain, conflitute, eftablifli, confirm and declare, by tlicfe Prelcuts, and that by the fame Name of Governor and Company of Aih'e?itiirers of England, trading into Hudfon's Bay, they Ihall have perpetual Succeflion, and that they and their Succeflbrs, by the Name of Governor and Company of Adventurers oj England^ trading into Hudfon's Bay, be, and at all Times hereafter fliall be, perfonable and capable in Law to have, purchafe, receive, poflefs,' enjoy and retain, Lands, Rents, Privileges, Liberties, Jurifdi<5tion> Franchifes and Hereditaments, of what Kind, Nature or Quality foever they be, to them and their SuccelTors ; and alfo to give, grant, alien, affign and difpofe Lands, Tenements and Heredita- ments, and to do, execute ail and lingular other Things by the fame Name that to them fliall or may appertain to do. And that they, and their SuccefTors, by the Name of The Governor and Com^ pany of Adventurers of England, trading into Hudfon's Bay, may plead, and be impleaded, nnfwer, ami be anfwered, defend, and be defended, in whatfoever Courts and Places, before whatfoever Judges and Juflices, and other Perfons and Officers, in all or ixw' gular Adions, Pleas, Suits, Quiirrels and Demands, whatfoever^ of whatfoever Kind, Nature or Sort, in fuch Manner and Form as any other Our Liege People of this Our Realm of England, be- ing Perfons able and capable in Law, may, or can have, pur- chafe, receive, poflefs, enjoy, retain, give, grant, demife, alien, affign, difpofe, plead, defend, and to be defended, do, permit, ;jk1 execute. And that the fiid Governor and Company of Adven- ^^^^^^ f^^ ^^ lurers of England, trading into Hudfon's Bay, and their Succefl'ors, fiid Company may have a common Seal to fervc for all the Caufes and Bufincfles "^ •n^' o- tlierj ii. their Koon; for tlu' Rcm:iindcr t^ that Year. Power ahii -v* rcinov." jnv Mciiit);' ot tlifComMiir- tcf . the '"■'« Aid cUIi a- iiuthcr in his RooiTi, and the like alfo in cal'c of Death. The Grant of the Trade, And Territo- ries to the faid Compa- ny, with the Royalties of Fiihing, (s\-. Mines and Minerals. The Pl.inti- tioii ro be called Ku- ^ri'i Land. ■ ( 178 ) t!ic Death or removing of any of tlic faid Committees, to aflemblc themfclvcfi in fuch convenient Place as is or fliall be ufual and ac- luAomed for the Election of the Governor of the faid Company, or where elfe the Governor of the faid Company for the Time be- ing, or his Deputy, fliall appoint. And that the faid Governor and Company, or the greater Part of them, whereof the Gover- nor for the Time being, or Jiis Deputy, to be one, being then and there prefent, fliall, and may, then and there, before their Departure from the faid Place, cledt and nominate one or more of the faid Company, in the Place or Stead of him or them that fo died, or was or were fo removed, which Perfon or Perfons fo no- minated and eleded to the Office of Committee of the fiid Com- pany, fliall have and exercife the fiid Office, for and during tlie Refiduc of the faid Year, taking firft a corporal Oath as is aforc- faid, for the due Execution thereof, and this to be done from time to time, fo often as the Cafe fliall require. 9utl to the End the fiiid Governor and Company of Adventurers of England trading into Hudfori's Bay, may be encouraged to un- dertake, and effedlually to profecute the faid Defign, of Our more efpecial Grace, certain Knowledge, and mere Motion, We have fiven, granted and confirmed, and by thefe Prefents, for Us, Our leirs and Succeflbrs, do give, grant, and confirm, unto the faid Governor and Company, and their SuccefTors, the fole Trade and Commerce of all thofe Seas, Streights, Bays, Rivers, Lakes, Creeks and Sounds, in whi'tfoever Latitude they fliall be, that ly within the Entrance of the Streights commonly cal'ed Hudfons Streights, toge- ther with all the Lands and Territories upon the Countries, Coafls and Confines of the Seas, Bays, Lakes, Rivers, Creeks and Sounds aforefaid, that are not already adually pofl^JifTed by the Subjedls of any other Chriftian Prince or State, with the Fifliing of all Sorts of Fi(h, Whales, Sturgeons, and all other Royal Fifl.cs, in the Seas, Bays, Inlets, and Rivers within the Premifles, and the Fifli therein taken, together with the Royalty of the Sea upon the Coafls within the Limits aforefaiH, and all Mines Royal, as well difcovered as not difcovered, of Gold, Silver, Gems, and precious Stones, to be found or difcovered within the Territories, Limits, and Places aforefaid, and that the Land be from henceforth rec- kon'd and reputid as one of our "Plantations or Colonies in Ame- rica, call'd Rupert's Land, 3nts ;i m t3 ( 179 ) anH {UctbeC) We do by thefe Prefents, for Us, Our Heirs and SucccflTors, make, create and conftitute, the faid Governor and Company for the Time being, and their Succcflbrs, the true and abfolutc Lords and Proprietors of the fame Territories, Limits and Places aforefaid, and of all other the rremifles, faving always the Faith, Allegiance and Sovereign Dominion to Us., Our Heirs and SuccclTors, for the fame to have, hold, poffefs and enjoy the faid Territories, Limits and Places, and all and fingular other the Pre- mifles, hereby granted as afor*faid, with their, and every of their Rights, Members, Jurifdidtions, Prerogatives, Royalties and Ap- purtenances whatfcever, to them the faid Governor and Compa- ny, and their Succeflbrs for ever, to be holden of Us, Our Heirs and SuccciTors, as of Our Mannor oi Eajl Greenwich in the Coun- ty of Kent^ in free and common Soccage, and not in Capite or by Knight's Service ; yielding and paying yearly to Us, Our Heirs and Succcflbrs, for the fame, two Elks and two black Beavers, whenfoevcr, and as often as We, Our Heirs and Succcflbrs, fliall happen to enter into the faid Countries, Territories and Regions hereby granted. a'lt ractt)er5 Our Will and Pleafure is, and by thefe Prefents, for Us, Our Heirs and Succcflbrs, We do grant unto the faid Go- vernor and Company, and to their Succcflbrs, that it rtiall and may be lawfu', to and for the faid Governor and Company, and theu* Succcflbrs, from time to time, to aflcmble themfclves, for or about any the Matters, Caufes, Affairs, or Bufineflfes of the faid Trade, in any Place or Places for the fame convenient, within our Do- minions or clfewhere, and to hold Court for the faid Company, and the Aflairs thereof ; and that alfo, it fliall and may be lawful to and for ihem, or the greater Part of them, being fo alfembled, and tliat fliall then and there be prefent, in any fuch Place or Placcij, whereof the Governor or his Deputy for the Time being to be one, to make, ordain, and conftitute, fuch, and fo many reafon- able Laws, Conftitutions, Orders and Ordinances, as to them, or the greater Part of them being then and there prefent, fliall feem neceflluy and convenient for the good Government of the faid Com- Pany, and of all Governors of Colonies, Forts and Plantations, aitors, Mafters, Mariners, and other Officers employed or to be employed, in any the Territories and Lands aforefaid, and in any of their Voyages ; and for the better Advancement and Conti- A a 2 nuance The fir« Lomjwny Lord , I'l'ipil- ctors oi );tivl l.ailJ. To hold the fame for ever Power for if- fcmbling the faid t'ompa- ny. Who may make Laws tor thf Go- vernment thereof, and all their Fortf, Plantations, Ships, diTi-. C i8o ) The faiJ Liws being rr;iron;iblt.-, .'.lid not re- pjgnane to ihr L'lws of thit Re.ilin. (Irisirof nil wtfvcr Trade >vhith ttiry 'ukill iiiul ttom It,:- Pi;icc :i- \'r l:»i.I. nuance of faiil Trade, or Traflick anil Plantations and the fame Laws, Conllitutions, Orders and Ordinances fo in.dc, to be put in Ufc and execute accordingly, and at their Pleafurc to rev >ke and alter the fame, or any of them, as the Occalion fliall require : And that the faid Governor and Company, fo often as they (hall make, ordain, or cftabliHi, any fucli Laws, Conftitutions, Orders, and Ordinances, in fuch Form as aforefaid, fliall and may lawful- ly impofe, ordain, limit and provide, fuch Penalties and Puniih- inents upon all Offenders, contrary to fuch Laws, Conftitutions, Orders and Ordinances, or any of them, as to the faid Governor and Company for the Time being, or the greater Part of them, then and there being prefcnt, the faid Governor or his Deputy be- ing always one, fliall feem neceflary or convenient for the Obferva- tion of the fame Laws, Conftitutions, Orders and Ordinances ; and the fame Fines and Amerciaments fliall and may by their ( fficers and Servants, from time to time to be appointed for that Purpofe, levy, take and have, to the Ufc of the faid Governor and Compa- ny, and their Succeflbrs, without the Officers and Miniflcrs of Us, Our Heirs and Succeflbrs, and without any Account thereof to Us, Our Heirs and Succeflbrs, to be made. All and Angular which Laws, Conflitutions, Orders and Ordinances, fo as aforefaid to be made. We will to be duly obfervcd and kept under the Pains and Pe- nalties therein to be contained j fo always as the faid Laws, ConAitu- tions, Orders and Ordinances, Fines and Amerciament;, be reafo- nable, and not contrary or repugnant, but as near as may be agree- able to the Laws, Statutes or Cuftoms, of this Our Realm. 3lHl fattbCtinO^fj of our ample and abundant Grace, certain Knowledge, and mere Motion, We have granted, and by thefc Prcfents for Us, Our Heirs and SuccelTors, do grant unto the faid Governor and Company, and their Suctclfors, that they, and their Succeflors, and their Fadtors, Servants and Agent-, for them, and on their Kchalf, and not otherwife, fliall for ever hereafter have, ufeandcnioy, not on/y the wbo/f, ititire^ tmd onl)' Liberty of Trarle iiiid -Trajjlck^ and the whole, iiitire, and only Liberty, Ufc and Privilege, of Trading and Traftick to and from the Territories, Li- luirs and Places, aforefaid ; but alfo the whole and intire Trade and 'I ratiick to and from all Havens, Bays, Creeks, Rivers, Lakes and Seas, into which they fliall find Kntrance or I^iflagc by Water or Land out oi the Territories, Limits and Places, aforefaid and to mi ( i8i ) to and with all the Natives and People^ Iiihabitanis, or which Hull inhabit within the Territories, Limits and Places aforefa" and to and with all other Nations inhabiting any the Coads adjact .it to the faid Territories, Limits and Places aforefaid, which are not already poflefled as aforefaid, or whereof the fole Liberty or Privilege of Trade and Traffick is not granted to any other of Our Subjedls. SintI of Our farther royal Favour, and of Our more efpecial ^q subjeih Grace, certain Knowledge, and mere Motion, have granted, and of Hi»MajV- by thefc Prefents for Us, Our Heirs and Succcllbrs, do grant to the |1; ,hc^,:jj[i'"''' faid Governor and Company, and to their SuccefTors, that neither piates bcfidf) the faid TerritorieSy Limits and Places, hereby granted as aforefaid, O 7 /A Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 o ( i8i ) Furniture thereof, wherein fuch Goods, Merchandizes, and other One Half to Things, (hall be brought or found, the one Half of all the faid mhe'^'uf the*"^ Forfeiture to be to Us, Oik- Heirs and Succeflbrs, and the other Company. Half thereof by thefe Prefents clearly and wholly for Us, Our Heirs and Succeflbrs, give and grant unto the faid Governor and Company, and their SucceiTors. And farther, all and every the faid Offenders, for their faid Contempt, to fuffer fuch Punifhment as ta Us, Our Heirs and SucceflTors, IhuU feem meet or convenient, ami not to be in any wife delivered until they, and every of them, fliall become bound unto the faid Governor for the time being in the Sum of One Thoufluid Pounds at the leafl:, at no time then after to trade and traffick into any of the faid Places, Seas, Bays, Streights, Ports, Havens or Territories, aforelaid, contrary to Our exprefs Commandment in that Behalf fet down and publifhed. 3nn fartljet, of Our more efpecial Grace, Wc have conde- fcended and granted, and by thefe Prefents for Us, our Heirs and Succeflbrs, do grant unto the faid Governor and Company, and their Succeflbrs, that We, Our Heirs and Succeffors, will not grant His Majefty Liberty, Licence or Power, to any Perfon or Perfons whatfoever. Liberty of '" contrary to the Tenor of thefe our Letters Patents, to trade, traf- Trade to any fick or inhabit, unto or upon any of the Territories, Limits or other. Places, afore fpecified, contrary to the Meaning of thefe Prefents, without the Confent of the faid Governor and Company, or the moft part of them. 9tHli of Our more abundant Grace and Favour to the faid Governor and Company, We do hereby declare Our Will and Pleafure to be. That if it fliall fo happen, that any of the Perfons free, or to be free of the faid Company of Adventurers of England trading into Hudjbn's Bay^ who fliall, before the going forth of any Ship or Ships appointed for a Voyage, or otherwife, promife or agree. Any Perfons by Writing under his or their Hands, to adventure any Sum or haying fub- Sums of Moncv, to^va'ds the furnifliing any Provifion, or Mainte- fcribcdtopay '' rr\_ . l V ^ i in Money, uancc of any Voyage or Voyages, let forth or to be fet lorth, or !jc. and fnil- intended or meant to be fet forth, by the faid Governor and Com- ing t ereo . p^j^y^ ^^ jj^g more Part of them prelent at any publick Affembly, commonly called The General Courts fliall not within the Space of May after twenty Days next after Warning given to him or them, by the twenty Days faid Govemor and Company, or their known Officer or Minifter, Warning. brjng in and deliver to the Treafurer or Treafurcrs appointed for the ( 183 ) the Company, fuch Sums of Money as fhall have been exprefled and fet down in Writing, by the faid Perfon or Perfons, fubfcribed with the Name of faid Adventurer or Adventurers, that then, and at all Times after, it fhall and may be lawful to and for the faid Governor and Company, or the more Part of them prefent, where- of the faid Governor or his Deputy to be one, at any of their Ge- neral Courts or General AlTemblies, to remove and disfranchife j^^^ j,g ^e- him or them, and every fuch Perfon or Perfons at their Wills and moved and Pleafures, and he or they fo removed and disfranchifed, not to be ^'sfrancji'ld ? 1 . 1 /-, • rr> ■ • T • • r by the fai J permitted to trade into the Countries, Territories, or Limits arore- company, laid, or any Part thereof, nor to have any Advenmre or Stock go- ing or remaining with or among the faid Company, without fpe- cial Licence of the faid Governor and Company, or the more Part of them prefent at any General Court, firft had and obtained in that Behalf, any Thing before in thefe Prefents to the contrary thereof in any wife notwithftanding. SnU Our Will and Pleafure is, and hereby we do alfo ordain. That it {hall and may be lawful, to and for the faid Governor and Company, or the greater Part of them, whereof the Governor for the Time being, or his Deputy to be one, to admit into, and be They may of the faid Company, all fuch Servants or Fad:ors, of or for the '"'"iit into the fai<^ Company, and all fuch others, as to them, or the mofl Part t^eh^ se"r'van;» of them prefent, at any Court held for the faid Company, the and Faftors. Governor or his Deputy being one, fliai' be thought fit and a- greeable with the Orders and Ordinances made and to be made for t he Government of the faid Company. ^tttJ fatt&er. Our Will and Pleafure is, and by thefe Prefents, for Us, Our Heirs and SuccefTors, We do grant unto the faid Go- vernor and Company, and to their Succellbrs, that it fliall and may be lawful in all Eledlions, and By-laws to be made by the j^ ^i] jjj^.^. General Court of the Adventurers of the faid Company, that eve- tions and By ry Pcfon fhall have a Number of Votes according to his Stock, ^'jemberTo that is to fay, for every hundred Pounds by him fubfcribed or have a Vote brought into the prefent Stock, one Vote, and that any of thofc f\^^^^ '°''. that have fubfcribed lefs than one hundred Pounds, may join their in Adventure. refpedlivc Sums to make one hundred Pounds, and to have one Vote jointly for the fame, and not otherwife. 3nb fUttljCr^ of Our efpccial Grace, certain Knowledge, and mere Motion, We do for Us, Our Heirs and SuccefTors, grant to 2 and m ( i84 ) All Lands, i^c. aforcf.iid, to bf under the immedi- ate Go\ern- mt in of fiiiJ i. oinp.my. \VI, and with the faid Governor and Company of Adventurers of Eng- land trading into Hudfon's Bay\ that all Lands, Territories, Plan- tations, Forts, Fortifications, Fadtories, or Colonies, where the faid Companies Factories or Trade are or fhall be, within any the Ports or Places afo*^e limited, fliall be immediately and from henceforth, under the Power and Command af the faid Gover- lUMiit Cover- "°'" ^"^^ Company, their Succelfors and Affigns ; faving the Faith !!ors and o- and Allegiance due and to be performed to Us, Our Heirs and '•leV?*-'^'^" Succeflbrs as aforefxid j and that the iiud Governor and Company, fiipy are to Hiall have Liberty, full Power and Authority, to appoint and J''"^' eflablifli Governors, and all other Officers to govern them, and tliat the Governor and his Council of the feveral and refpeftive Places where the faid Company fliall have Plantations, Forts, Fadories,' Colonies, or Places of Trade within any the Countries, Lands or Territories hereby granted, may have Power to judge all Perfons belonging to the faid Governor and Company, or that fliall live under them, in all Caufes, whether Civil or Criminal, according to the Laws of this Kingdom, and to execute Juftice accordingly. 9tttlj in Cafe any Crime or Mifdemeanor fliall be committed in any of the iliid Company's Plantations, Forts, Factories, or Places of Trade within the Limits aforefaid, where Judicature can- not be executed for want of a Governor and Council there, then in fuch Cafe it fliall and may be lawful for the Chief Fadtor of that Place, and his Council, to tranlmit the Party, together with the Offence, to fuch other Plantations, Fadlory, or Fort, where there fliall be a Governor and Council, where Jufl:ice may be exe- cuted, or into the Kingdom of England y as fliall be thought mofl: convenient, there to inflift fuch Punifliment as the Nature of the Offence will deferve. ann mOieOUer, Our win and Pleafure is, and by thefe Prefents, for Us, Our Heirs and Succeflbrs, We do give and grant unto the faid Governor and Company, and their Succeflbrs, free Liber- ty and Licenfe, in cafe they conceive it neceflary to fend cither Ships of War, Men or Ammunition, into any their Plantations, nnini'tion.b'c. Forts, Faftorics, or Places of Trade aforefaid, for the Security ^HuTTrTde ^"^ Defence of the fame, and to choofe Commanders and Otricers and rerrito- over them, and to give them Power and Authority, by Commif- "«■ fions under their Common Seal, or otherwife, to continue or I make Liberty to fend Ships of War, Am i"" ( i85 ) make Peace or War with any Prince or People vvliatlbcvcr, tha^ are not Chriftians, in any Places where the laid Company fhaU have any Plantations, Forts or Fadtorics, or adjacent thereunto, as ihall be moft for the Advantage and Benefit of laid Governor and Company, and of their Trade ; and alio to right and rccom- penfe themlelves upon the Goods, Elhite or People of thoic Parts, by whom the fiid Governor and Company Ihull fuflain any Inju- ry, Lofs or Damage, or upon any other People whatfoevcr, that hall any Way, contrary to the Intent of thele Prelents, interrupt, wrong or injure them in their laid Trade, witliin tlie laid Places, Territories, or Limits, granted by this Charter. And that it Ihall and may be lawful to and for the fiid Governor and Company, and their SuccelTors, from time to time, and at all Times hence- forth, to eredt and build fuch CalHes, Fortifications, Forts, Gari- Ibns, Colonies or Plantations, Towns or Villages, in any Parts or Places within the Limits and Bounds granted before in thele Prefents, unto the faid Governor and Company, and their Succef- fors from time to time, and at all Times from henceforth, to e- red: and build fuch Caftles, Fortifications, Forts, Gariforis, Colo- nies, or Plantations, Towns or Villages, in any Parts or Places within the Limits and Bounds granted before in thefe Prelents, unto the fliid Governor and Company, as they in their Diferetion fhall think fit and requilite, and for the Supply of fuch as Hiall be needful and convenient, to keep and be in the fame, to lend out of this Kingdom, to the fiid Caftles, Forts, Fortifications, Garifons, Colonies, Plantations, Towns or Villages, all Kinds of Cloathing, Provifion of Viduals, Ammunition, and Implements neceffary for fuch Purpofe, paying the Duties and Cuftom for tiie fame, as alfo to tranfport and carry over fuch Number of Men being willing t' ^-'^unto, or not prohibited, as they Ihall think fit, and r lib to govern them in fuch legal and reafonable Manner as the faid Governor and Company fhall tliink beft, and to infiidt PuniHimeut for Mifdemeanors, or impole fuch Fines upon them for Breach of their Orders, as in thele Prefent; prelled. Sntl fartljer. Our will and Pleallue is, and for Us, our Heir' and Succellbrs, We do grant unto tlu laid Governor and Company, and their Succeflbrs, full Power and lawful Authority to feize upon the Perlbns of all fuch Eii^liJJ.\ B b • 'or .\i,d iiiukf I'c.icc or W.ir \\\i\\ ;ir.y Prince or Poo- l^le notCliri, It i, 111:-, iltl'-i n;^!'.t tlu'in- iVhc.i upon tluir GoooJs and Eihit',-.-, atiii upon aiiv otlicr i'eopitt uliatlbevcr, that fhall i,: tL-rnqit or wrorg thc-in ia tho laiil I'radi.' ; Arid .".lib to ereft Fort:. lid (iarilon Tovviu, ivc. And ro ferJ thither all Kinds of Pro- vifion, niul lb ni:iny Men, bcine; willing, a; tlicv lliall think r.C. are formerly ex- by thsfe Prelents, "i" ( i86 ) ■ !•;« j Lthcrti tafeiiiC .ill Englijk who mail ^without Li- cence) ttadc or inhnbit in laid Pans. The Miinner of denling •viiii tlicir own Sfrv.'ints, ).,•' diol'i- Piirts •ftcnJing. The Compi- iiy may im- [lower any A gent of theirs inthofe Parts, to examine Witneflea up- on Oath i the fiine not be- ing rcpugtant to the Laws of thii Realm. AU Admiral', and other i; 3 M.ijelly'!. Of- ^•crsandSul- jei'^s to be aiding and" aflUtinj;. or any other Subjeds, which flwll lail into Huilfcn's Ba)\ or in- habit in any of the Countries, Iflands or Territories hereby grant- ed to the laid Governor and Company, without their Lei've and Licence in that Behalf firft had and obtained, or that fliall con- temn or difobey their Orders, and fend them to England ; and that all and every Perfon or Perfons, being our Subjedts, any Ways employed by the faid Governor and Company, wiihin any the Parts, IMaces, or Limits aforefaid, Ihall be liable unto and fuffer fuch Punifliments for any Offences by them committed ia the Parts aforefaid, as the Prefident and Council for the faid Go- vernor and Company there fiiall think fit, and the Merit of the Offence fliall require, as aforelaid ; and in cafe any Pcrfon or Per- fons being convidlcd and fenvenced by the Prefident and Council of the faid Governor and Company, in the Countries, Lands, or Limits aforefiid, their Fadors or Agents there, for any Offence by them done, fhall uppeal from the lame ) and then . and in fuch Cafe, it fliall and may be lawful to and for the fliid Prefident and Council, Fadtors or Agents, to feize upon him or them,, and to carry him or them home Prifoners into England^ to the faid Governor and Company, there to receive fuch condign Punifli- ment as his Caufe fliall require, and the Law of this Nation allow of ; and for the better Difcovery of Abufes and Injuries to be done unto the faid Governor and Company, or their Succeffors, by any Sefvant, by them to be employed in the faid Voyages and Plan- tations, it fliall and may be lawful to and for the faid Governor and Company, and their refpedlive Prefidents, Chief Agent or Governor in the Parts aforefaid, to examine upon Oath all Fadlors, Mafters, Purfers, Supercargoes, Commanders of Caftles, Forts, Fortifications, Plantations or Colonies, or other Perfons, touching or concerning any Matter or Thing, in which by Law or Ufage an Oath may be adminiilred, fo as the faid Oath, and the Mat- ter therein contained, be not repugnant, but agreeable to the Laws of this Realm. ^nU, We do hereby ftreightly charge and command all and An- gular, our Admirals, Vice- Admirals, Jufl:ices, Mayors, Sheriffs, Con- flables. Bailiffs, and all and fingular other our Ofiicers, Minifters, Liege Men and Subjefts whatfoever, to be aiding, favouring, helping and aflifling to the faid Governor and Company, and to their SuC" ( i87 ) Succeffors and to their Deputies, Officers, Fadors, Servants Af- iignecs and Minifters, and every of them, in executing and en- joying the Premiffes, as well on Land as at Sea, from time to ^m^' ^^?" ^"y °^ y'"'' ^^" thereunto be required ; .ny Statute Aft Ordinance Provifo, Proclamation, or Reftraint heretofore made, iet forth, ordained, or provided, or any other Matter. Cn-ife or Thing vi^hatfoever to the contrary in any wife notwith- ftanding. IN WITNESS whereof, we have caufed thef^our Letters to be mnde Patents j Witnefs Ourfelf at Weftminfter ihc lecond Day of May, in the two and twentieth Year of Our Reign. By Writ 9f Privy Scat, Sign% PIGOTT. B b An ( i88 ) An Abftraft of Captain MichUeton\ Journal fent from the Orkneys. tin Honourable Sir, SINCE my iafl:, which I fent from Churchill, together with a Journal, by one of the Hudfon's Bay Ships, I have pro- ceeded on the Difcovery, and fliali here recapitulate only what is mentioned more largely in the Journal, which I fliall fend you by the firft Opportunity, together with a Draught of the Parts difcovered. I failed from Churchill the firft Day of July, being the firft Spurt of Wind I could get for failing out of the Harbour, and continued failing with a fair Wind till the third, when we faw an Ifland, the two Extremities bearing N. by E. and E. by N. lying in the Lati- tude of 63°. 00'. and Longitude from the Meridian of Churchill •7". 40'. Ea(t, which I take to be the fame Fox named Brook Cob- \arr. On the fifth Day I faw a Head-land on the North Side of d: , Welcome, bearing N. W. by N. diflant 7 or 8 Leagues, in the Latitude of 63°. 20'. and Longitude from Churchill 4°. 00'. Eaft. I tried the Tides feveral times, and found rlofe in with the Land the Tide to run two Miles an Hour, from the N. by E. which I tak to be the Flood, and by the Slacks from feveral Trials I found a W. by N. Moon made High-water, having a full Moon that Day. Oi the eighth Day we itiw the North Side of the Welcome, with a great deal of Ice in Shore. I tried the Tide, and found it let E. N. E. two Fathom. On the ninth, continaing my Courfc, and failing througli nuich Ice, I was at length obliged to grapple to a large Piece. The Tender did the fame to keep off from the Shore, the Wind blowing us right on upon it. I tried the Tide frequently, and could not difcov^r either Flood or Ebb by my cur- rent Logg. Here we were firfl jammed up with Ice, being totally furrounded J^ j' III 13 ; ( iSp ) furrounded with it for fcveral Miles, and the Wind letting it right upon us, it was uU Ice for lo l.ciigues to windward of us, and were in great Danger of being forced alhore ; but it happily falling calm, after we had lain in this Condition two or three Days, the Pieces of Ice feparated, or made fmall Optniiigs, we being then within two Miles of the Shore, and with no little DitHculty haul'd the Ships from one Piece to another, till wc got amongft what we call failing Ice, that is, where there are fuch Intervals of Water, as a Ship by feveral Turnings and Windings, among thefe floating llocks, may get forwards towards the intended Courfe. In this Manner we continued till we faw a fliir Cape or Head-land to the Northward oi li h.ilebone Point, in the Latitude of 65°. 10'. North, and 8". 54'. Eaft from Churchill; this I named after my worthy Friend Cape Dobbs. I had very good Soundings between the two Shores of the If-e/come, having 46, 4^, and 49 Fathoms Watci. The lame time that I law Cape Dobbs I defcry'd an Opening bear- •ng N. W. from us, whicli, according to my Inftrudiions, I ftood in for amongft the failing Ice. It was juft Flood when we entcr'd it, the Tide running very ftrong, which, by Oblervations aftei- wards, I found to run 5 or 6 Miles an Hour. I run over Ibme Rocks on the North Side of it very luckily being juft High wa- ter, and anchored in about 34 Fathom Water , but as foon as the Tide of Ebb was made, it ran lb ftrong, and fuch (^mtities and Bodies of Ice came down upon us, that we were obliged to fteer the Ship all the Time, and to keep all Hands upon their Guard with Ice-poles to fliove off the Ice, notwithftanding which, it brought our Anchor home, and taking hold agani, one of the Arms of it was bro!:e oft". The next Day I fent my Lieutenant in the Boat to leek out fome fecurcr Place for the Ships, it be- ing impolTible to keep long afloat where wc were. Some VJkimny Savages came off to us, but had notliing to trade. I ufed them ci- villy, maJie fhem fo.ne Prclcnts, and difmilTcd them. As loon as I got the Ships lecured, I employed all my Ofliccrs and Boats, hav- ing myfelf no fmall Share in tlie Labour, in trying tlic Tide.^, and difcovering the Nature and Couife of this Opening, and after re- peated Trials for three Weeks fucccffively, I found the Flood con- ftantly to come from tlie Eaftv/ard, and that it was a large River we were got into, but lb full of Ice, there was no ftirring the Ships with any Probability of Safety while the Ice war driving up and I down m r')' ( 190 ) (lowii with the ftrong Tides. Here I lay, nor a httle impatient to get out, went feveral times in my Boat towards the Mouth of the River, and upon a Hill that overlooked Part or the IVelcome, faw that Place full of Ice ; fo that I found there was no Time loft by our being in Security. However I fent my Lieutenant and Mafter in the eight oar'd Boat to Lok out for a Harbour near the Mouth of the River, but they found none, and it was a fmall Miracle that they got on board again, for they were fo jamm'd up with Ice, which, driving with the ftrong Tides, would inevitably have ftovc the Boat to Pieces, and all mull have perilhed, had it not been for an Opening in a large Piece of Ice, into which they got the Boat, and with it drove out of the River ; but when the Tide flacked, the Ice opened as ufual, and then they rowed over to the North Shore, fo got in with the Flood. I feveral times fent the Indians on Shore to fee if they knew any thing of the Land, but they were quite ignorant of it. In this vexatious Condition I continued for three Weeks, refolving to get out the firft Opportunity the River was any thing clear of Ice, and make what Difcoveries I could by jneetiiig the Tide of Flood. This River, which by my frequent Trials of the Lands, Soundings, Tides, Gfr. I was able to take a Draught of, I named the River Wager after the right honourable i)ir Charles Wager ^ &c. On the 3d of ylugiiji, the River for the firft Time was a little clear of Ice, and accordingly failed out of it in Purfuit of our Dif- ccvery, and on the 5th by Noon got into the Latitude of 66". 14', We had then got into a new Streight, much pefler'd with Ice, and on the NOrth Side of which we fav a Cape or Head-land bearing North. V/e had deep Water and very ftrong Tides with- in four or iivc Leagues of it. I nam'd this Head-land Cape Hope^ as it gave us all great Joy and Hopes of its being the extreme ' Nortii Part of America, feeing little or no Land to the Northward of it. We turn'd or work'd round it the fame Night, and got iive or lix l.eagucs to the N. by W, before we could perceive any otherwife than a fair and wide Opening j but about Noon the 6th Day, having got into the Latitude of 66°. 40'. found we were embay'd, and by two in the Afternoon could not go above three Leagues farther, and having tried the Tides all the P'orenoon, every two Hours till 2 o'Clock in the Afternoon, found neither Ebb nor Flood, yet deep Water. From this it was concluded, that ( 'Pr ) that wc ha'i ovcrfljot tlu; Strcights on the N. E. Shore from whence the- Flood cai. . j, and as there was no proceeding above three or tour Leagues farther, it was agreed upon by all to return backh- and fcarch narrowly for a Streight or Opening where we found the ftrong Tides. On the yth, after we were confirm'd the Flood came in on the N. E. Side from the E. by S. I went on Shore in the Boat, and found it flow'd i 5 Foot three Days after the Full, and a W. by S. Moon made High Water. I travelled 12 or 15 Miles from Hill to Hill in-land, till I came to a very high iMoun- tain, from whence I faw a Streight or Opening the Flood came in at, and the Mountain I ftood upon being pretty near the Middle of this Streight, I could plainly fee both Ends of it, tlie whole being 18 or 20 Leagues long, and 6 or 7 broad, and very high Land on both Sides of it ; but it was all froze faft from Side to Side, and no Appearance of its clearing this Year, and near the 67th Degree of Latitude, and no anchoring the Ships, being very deep Water clofe to the Shore, and much large Ice driving with the Ebb and Flood, and but little Room if thick Weather lliould happen, which we continually expedl in thefe Parts, it was agreed upon in Council to make the beft of our Way out of this dan- gerous narrow Streight, and make Oblervations between the 64th and62d Degree of Latitudt.. The frozen Streight I take to run towards that Land which Bylot nam'd Cape Comfort, and the Bay where Fox has nam'd a Place Lord WeJion\ Portland. It is in the Latitude of 66°. 40'. and Longitude 12°. 19'. Eaft from ChurcbiU. Purfuant to the Refolution we bore away, and tried the Tides on the other Side of the IVekome, founding and obferving dole in Shore, but met with very little Encouragement. On the 1 ith of Augujl I once more faw the liland of Brook Cobham^ and con- tinued trying the Tide, flill finding the Flood came from the Eaflward, and by coalting along the Welcome^ was certain of its being the Main-land, tho' there are feveral fmall Iflandsand deep Bays, and faw feveral black Whales of the Whale-bone Kind. 1 work'd oil' and on by Brook Cohhavi^ fent the two Northern Jit' dians on Shore upon the Ifland, who, at their Return, gave me to underftand it was not far from their Country, and defired I would let them go home, being tir'd of the Sea. I kept them with i\l- furances that I would adt according to my Promife ; and finding no '■S ( 192 ) no Probability of a PalTiigc, in two or three Days after I gave thetn a fmall Boat well Httcil with Sails mil Oars, the Ufc of which they had been taught, ami loadctt it with Fire-arms, Powder, Shot, Hatchets, and every Tiling defirable to them. They took their Leave of me, and I fent another Boat for Water, which ac- companied them on Shore. Tlic Southern Indian, who was Lin- guill for the Northern ones, returned with the Boat, being us'd to the EngliJJ} Culloms at the Fadtory, and delirous of feeing Eng- land^ being a willing, handy Man, 1 brought him with me, and the lame Evening, which was the 1 5th of /higujl, I bore away for England, thinking to have tried the Tides at Carey's Swan's Ntji, but could not fetch it. On the 20th faw ManJ'cN Ifle. On the 2 lit Cape Diggs was in Sight. On the 26th made Cape Reji- lution, and arrived at this Place the 1 5th of September. Moft of my Men are fo very much afflidlcd with the Scurvy, and otherwife fick and difiemper'd, that I muft be obliged to leave Part of them behind me, and only wait to imprefs IFands to carry the Ship fafe to London. For the Particulars, I muft refer you to my Jour- nal and Draught, this Sheet of Paper not being fufficient for the particular Accidents. I heartily wifli you a better State of HeaUIi; than I have had during the Voyage, and defire you will conclude me Cairjlon Harbour, Tour tnojl obedient Ifles of Orkney^ Humble Servant, Sept. ijtb, \j^2. Chrijlopher Middleton. I P. S. The greateft Height of the Tides from the Latitude of 65°. 00'. N. to the fartheft we went, did not exceed 16 Foot. Uonble Arthor Dobbs, Efq-, Standard If ill ( '93 ) Standard of TRADE carried on by the Hml/o»'s Bcij Company at ^f/Zw/;- Fort, Moofi River, and the Eajl Mahi, as it ftood in the Year 1733, Beaver Skins being the Standard. Note rhat the Standard at York Fort and Churchill is much higher, the French being not fo near thofe Places, and therefore cant interfere with the Company s Trade fo much as they do at Albany WMoofe River, where they underfell the Company, and t>y that Means carry off the moji valuable Furs. N". of 1 Goods carried to Their Value when barter'd with Irticles. | trade with. the Indians, I Beads le Milk ; Pound for I Beaver 2 Ditto coloured ^ Ditto for I 3 Kettles Brafs I Ditto for I 4 Lead Black I Ditto for I 5 Gun-Powder 1-:- Ditto for I 6 Shot 5 Ditto for 1 7 Sugar 2 Ditto for 1 8 Tobacco Brazil I Ditto for I 9 Ditto Leaf It Ditto for I 1 Ditto Roll li Ditto for I 1 1 Thread I Ditto for 2 1 2 Vermillion It Ounce for I 1 3 Brandy I Gallon for 4 14 Broad Cloatli I Yard for 2 1 5 Blankets I for 6 1 6 Bays I Yard for I C c 17 Duffels ( 194 ) N''. of Goods carried to Their Value when barter'd with Articles. trade with. the Indians. ^7 DufFels 1 Yard for 1 T Beaver j8 Flannel I Yard for 1 1 x 19 Gartering 2 Ysrds for 20 Awl Blades 12 for 21 Buttons 12 Doz for 22 Breeche. 1 Pair for 3 23 Combs 'Z for £4 Egg Boxes 4 for 25 Feathers red 2 for 26 Fi(h- Hooks 20 f- 27 Fire Steels 4 fbr 28 Files I for 29 Flints 20 for 30 Guns I for 10 II 12 31 Piftols I for 4 32 Gun-Worms I for .", 33 Gloves Tarn I for 34 Gogles 2 for 35 Handkerchiefs I for , 1 36 Hats laced I for 37 Hatchets 2 for 38 Hawk Bells 8 for 39 Ice Chizils 2 for 40 Knives 8 for 41 Lookiiig-Giu'iss 2 for 42 Mocotagaus 2 for 43 Needles ( 195 ) i!!!^ N'. Oil- I Goods carried to I Artides. j trade with. | Their Value when barter'd witli the Indians. 43 Needles < 12- 44 Net-Lines 2 for I 45 Powder-Horns 2 for I 46 Plain Rings 6 for- I 47 Stone Ditto 3 for I 48 Runlets 1^ for I or I 49 Scrapers 2 for I 5^ Sword Blades 2 for I 51 Spoons 4 for I 52 Shirts I ; white &)r check'd y'^^ ^ 53 Shoes I Pair for 1 54 Stockings I Pair for i 5S Safhes worjled 2 for I 56 Thimbles 6 for I 57 Tobacco BoKes 2 for I 58 Tongs 2 Pair for i 59 Trunks I for 2 60 Twine I Skane for i Beaver m C c Beaver ( 196 ) Beaver being the chief Commodity received in Trade in thefc Parts, it is ma- <• •• S Black Bears - 17 6 Woodfhocks - - 8 2 Elks 7 Deer , - • * 2 2 Bed Feathers I I per Pounc Caflorum Whalefins 4 A Com- ( 199 ) A Computation of the Quantity of Skins fold at the Hndjons Bay Company\ Sale in December 1740. ^lanthy L m. in a Lot. ' Skim. 546c Coat Beaver (in Time) 21 260 fold at 5 i, 3 J. per Pound 12320 Parchment ditto (in Time 44 280 - - - 6 s. 2 d. ditto. 3690 Cubbs - - - 9 410 b s. 2 d. ditto. 3640 Damd and Stage Parcht Beaver 13 280 about 5 s.. 2 d. ditto. 1760 Damag'd Cub Beaver 4 440 - - \ s. () d. ditto. 16300 Martins - - - 55 300 - - - J s. 10 d, each Skin, 2360 Damag'd and Stage Martin 8 320 - - 4 J. ditto. 560 Otters - - - 3 - - t s. 2 d. ditto. 50 Ditto in Coats - - 3 5. 2 ^. ditto. 730 Cats 7 - - 23 J. ditto. 300 Foxes 6 - - - 8 s. 4. d. ditto. 210 Ditto - - - - - - - S s. S d. ditto. 630 Wolverins 6 - - - S s. ditto. 220 Stage ditto - - - - 3 ^. 8 24i5 00 per Lot, and felling at4 j. 8 ^.10350 lb. J 780 damag'd and Stage ditto in 3 Lots 260 Skins, Weight 1 3 50, at 4 s. w . Hi hi I 270 00 280 I in, is > 4070 Cub Beaver in 11 Lots 370 Skins each 7 , « Weight loOz-Z^rSkin, is 2543 ts.] '^ 9520 Parchment Beaver in 34 Lots, 280 Skins, each Weight 14^ per Skin 14280 lb. . . . 4165 09 4760 damag'd and Stage Parchment in Lots, 280 Skins each. Weight 17 per Skin, is 7140 ^ s. y d. 1640 damag'd and Stage Cub in 4 Lots, 410 Skins each. Weight 10 Oz. per Skin, is 1024 4 J. 10 ^. Skins. Lots. each. r 5670 Martins in 2 1 270 ^7 1 72 i. } 1918 17 248 9 J I coo ditto '2370 1 3640 ditto *-T56o ditto I 6 6 250 260 260 2360 damag'd & Stage ditto 3 590 Otters 850 Cats 260 ditto dam. & Stage 320 Foxes 600 Wolverins 170 ditto damag'd 320 Black Bears 1580 Wolves 2 ( ioi ) s. d. /. J. 9 z - 123 '5 4 2 - 22 6 3 - I 10 3 4 - t6 4 iri 2 270 ditto damaged and Stags 40 Woodihock Skins 10 Mink Sl-ins 5 Raccoon Skins 120 Squirrel Skins 130 Elk 440 Deer i 3 1 70 Bed Feathers. 220 ditto in a Tick. 140 Caftorum. 470 Whale-fins, 23 Cafks Whale Oil and Blubber. « lb. Wefaguipaka. The Company referve three Fifths of the whole j Quantity of Beaver for their March Sale, which,C 14670 after the Rate they fold at, this Sale amounts to > The Quantities of Skins and Furs imported by the Er^^cb into the Port of RocHk from Camda for the Ye?- 1745. 15000 Old Coat Beaver. 112080 Parchment Beaver, -10623 Large Bears. 5 8 89 Small Bears. iicooo Raccoons. 30329 Martins. 12428 Otters and Fifliers, 1700 Minks. 1220 Fine Cats. 1267 Wolves. 92 Wolverins. 10280 Grey Foxes and Cats. 451 Red Foxes. 3i'355 D^ An I ( 2.02 ) An Account (hewing the Value of the Goods exported to Hudfons Bay in :he underwritten Years. From Chrijlmas Year. J 698 to Chrijimas 1699 1700 1701 1702 1703 1704 1706 J 707 1708 1709 1710 1711 1712 i7'4 1716 ^7^7 I. s. d. 943 'S 7 1658 9 8 972 16 3 2021 10 9j'u 6 2 2025 3 6 1 1 60 4 760 2 745 H 893 14 2349 7 1402 18 1259 17 3191 2 I 3 9 8 3 9 1718 1847 18 7 /. J. J, 1731 II 9 1897 9 9 1788 4 4 2449 15 u 2305 2 7 1497 18 7 2410 17 I 1599 15 II 1756 2 2571 13 4 1941 19 7 2315 3 9 2876 I 2 3350 12 3 3110 9 9 3930 19 9 2232 17 n 17^6 1549 16 10 1737 4124 18 2 1738 3879 17 II Year. 1719 1720 1721 1722 1723 1724 1725 1726 1727 1728 1729 1730 1731 1732 1733 1734 1735 A VOCA- ( 203 ) VOCABULARY O F English and Eskima WORDS. AN Arm, T^elluck. An Arrow, '.aukjuck. To be angry, Nock-que- took. Affrighted, Vkzinck, An aged Woman, Nin-ne-ouck. B Brother, Nu-ca-auk. Br:ads, Se-pung-nut. A Bear, Nung-nouk. The Belly, Now-ha-kanv. A Bird, Kuper nu-awk. The Breaft, Suck-ke-uck. The Backfide, No-h-aw. Breeches, Cock-le