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FORGERY 
 
 DETECTED- 
 
 
 'A\ 
 
 By which is evinced how groundlefs are 
 
 ALL the Cal u m n I e s caft upon tht Editor, 
 in a Pamphlet publi(hcd under the Name of 
 Arthur Dobbsy Efq; 
 
 •^ 
 
 By Capt. Christopher Middleton, 
 
 late Commander of his Majejif s »S^//>, Furnace, 
 when fent upon the Search of a North- Weft 
 Pajfage to the Weftern American Ocean. y 
 
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 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for M. Cooper, at the Globe In Pater^ 
 nofter-Row \ and G. Brett, at the Three Crowns 
 Qn Ludgati'HilL M.dccxlv. [Price 6i/.J 
 
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 • ' • • • • 
 

 T O 
 
 ARTHUR DO BBS, 
 
 Q/' Caftle Dobbs, z;^ the County 
 of Antrim, and Kingdom of 
 Ireland, Efq:^ 
 
 HEN my Sufpicion of a Let- 
 ter and Draught from Mr. 
 George Axx being a Forgery, 
 was verified, it was incum- 
 bent on me to publifli fo iniquitous a 
 Procedure to blaft my Reputation ; 
 and as You, Sir, by printing and mak- 
 ing your Inferences from this flagrant 
 Piece of Villainy, have contributed by 
 
 A 2 your 
 
fe' 
 
 ii D E D I CAT I N. 
 
 your great Charafter of Probity, howe- 
 ver unknowingly, to the impofing on 
 the Public, I thought you the only pro- 
 per Perfon, to whom I could dedicate 
 the Detection of the Roguery^ as your 
 Reputation feems (to me at leaft) efta- 
 blifhed as it is, to be brought into 
 queftion ; notwithftanding you have 
 lately given fuch undeniable Proofs of 
 an indefatigable Ardency, fuch un- 
 common Zeal for the Difcovery of 
 Truth, and the having condign and 
 exemplary Punifhment inflided on 
 fuch as dare to contravene her facred 
 Dictates, and hide her Beauties from 
 the Eyes of the Public : You, Sir, who 
 are her profefled Admirer, cannot but 
 be fenfible of an uncommon Satisfac- 
 tion in reading the following Sheets, in 
 which you will find her emerge from 
 under a Load of infamous Calumny, 
 Artifice, and the united Efibrts of pro- 
 fligate Wretches, to bear her down: 
 Wretches ! who have fkreened them- 
 
 felves 
 
 s 
 
on 
 o- 
 ite 
 
 of 
 
 DEDICATION, iii 
 
 felves under your unblemiflied Charac* 
 ter, under your great Name. 
 
 She has often been thus opprefled, 
 but by the friendly Hand of Time, as 
 often broke through and baffled the 
 Oppofitions fhe has had to ftruggle 
 with, from artful and (for a while) fuc- 
 cefsful Villainy ; has rifen triumphantly 
 glorioufly, and as Antceus^ Son of the 
 Earth, gathered Strength from his Foils, 
 fo the lovely Goddefs ever appeared with 
 a more dazzling Radiancy, proportioned 
 to the Wiles, fhe confounded, and the 
 Power fhe had to combat, Ipreading 
 Shame and Confufion over the Face of 
 her Enemies. You, Sir, who are her 
 profefTed Votary, cannot, I fay, but 
 receive ineffable Pleafure in feeing her 
 triumph over malicious and deliberate 
 Falfhood ; You, Sir, who are the 
 Friend to opprefled calumniated Inno- 
 cence, mufl rejoice to fee Truth vifto- 
 rious, and by her Appearance do Ju- 
 ftice to the Oppreffed, by throwing the 
 Infamy defigned for his Ruin, on the 
 
 in- 
 
 '. 
 
 •V 
 
 i> 
 
iv DEDICATION. 
 
 infamous Contrivers, and carting them 
 into the Pits they had dug for others. 
 To whom, then, could 1 fo properly 
 infcribe the following Triumph of 
 7'ruth over MaHce, Avarice, Revenge, 
 manifeft Perjury, and undeniable For- 
 gery, as to a Gentleman confpicuous 
 for the Virtues oppoiite to thefe mean, 
 tJiefe dan;^croiis, peftiferous Vices, as 
 much as for his pubhc Spirit, and who 
 has been made the Tool of wicked 
 Men, to fight againft the Deity he a- 
 dores ? for the World mufl: acquit you 
 of all Defign v/hich can impugn your 
 remarkable Probity, tho' it may be 
 furprifed to find you have, once in your 
 Life, taken an inadvertent Step, and 
 been drawn in by Men of inferior Ta- 
 lents, and no Learning, to give the 
 Sanction of your Name, and the Ad- 
 v^antage of your convincing, reafoning 
 upon, for the Support of Falfliood ; 
 but Nemo om^iihus Horis fapit : And 
 your Charader of Prudence does by 
 
 this 
 
rly 
 of 
 
 I 
 
 DEDICATION. v 
 
 this Surpilll" upon you, verify the Say- 
 ing. 
 
 It is true that tlic Charader of ycxir 
 great Probity and other Virtues I take 
 upoji Ilcarfay, aj do luoR Dcdieateis, 
 
 ■ few knowing?; more tJian die Titles 
 
 of the Ritroiis tliey cliufe ; vvherefore, 
 if the foilovviiig SiK.cts feem r.ny where 
 to fpeak my Diffeiit from the Voiee of 
 common Fame, it is giving you an Op- 
 portunity to prove, that notwithfuind- 
 ing her Character of a com.mon Lyar, 
 with Regard to yours, fiic lias fpokea 
 the Truth. This, as 'tis incumbent 
 on you, you may do by giving up the 
 Forger, acknowledging that you nave 
 been impofed upon ; and thus make 
 what Reparation is in your Power, for 
 an Attempt to bkil the good Name of, 
 
 S I Ry 
 
 You?' humble Servant^ 
 Chriftopher Middleton. 
 
 For- 
 
is blind 
 quence, 
 
 Forgery Detected. 
 
 |HERE is not any PalTion (o hurtful 
 to others, and to even the Pcribn it 
 adluates, as the Third of Rcvcno;c : 
 He, who is polTelTed with this Fury, 
 to all Danger, conliders no Confe- 
 will expofe his Reputation, and hur- 
 ried on by the Warmth of Refcntment, ne- 
 gleding to fecure liimfelf while he attacks the 
 Perfon who is the Objed: of his Anger, gives 
 him an Advantage wliich may prove his own 
 Overthrow, and the Protcdion of the Man 
 he would hurt. 'Tis nothing wonderful, th.:t 
 tJiis is frequently the KfFcdt of Rage, and of 
 the Spirit of Revenge, as Men in fucii a Tem- 
 per of Mind, rejecit all the Remoiiflrances of 
 Rcafon. I fear this is the Cafe of Mr. Dobbs^ 
 whom I have unfortunately irritated, by prc- 
 fering my own Integrity to his Views of Ad- 
 vantage to himfclf ; I wiili I may be mliiaken, 
 though Appearances miake flrongly againd him, 
 as he himfclf in liis Pamphlet, intitled. Remarks 
 on my Defence^ feems to have evinced ^.lii^ 
 
 B was 
 
V 
 
 [2] 
 
 was the only Ground of his Rcfentnient to mc. 
 He therein acknowledges his Delign to diflblve 
 the Hudfon'S'Bay Company ; und that he had en- 
 deavoured to infringe their Privilege, of an 
 exclufive Trade, by fendijig thither a Cargoe, 
 clandeilinely put on Board one of Jiis Majelly's 
 Ships under my Commnnd; which I prevented 
 (as it was my Duty) being fold, in Prejudice 
 to the Company's Charter, and abfolutely con- 
 trary to my Inllrudions from the Lords of the 
 Admiralty. 
 
 This poffibly was a Crime, in Mr. Dobbs's 
 Opinion, which nothing lefs could atone than 
 my entire Ruin in Fortune and Charadter ; ac- 
 cordingly, the Latter he violently attacked, 
 as the ready Means to deifroy the Former. An 
 anonymous Letter, ihrewdly fufpe^fced to be a 
 Shaft out of Mr. Dobbs's own Quiver, was made 
 the Ground of an Enquiry into my Condudl 
 while I was employ'd by the Government to 
 difcover, if polTible, a North- Weft PafTage into 
 the IVcjicrn American Ocean, I fpeak from what 
 to me is apparent in his before-mentioned Book, 
 and am fo far from having any perfonal Pique 
 to that Gentleman, that i heartily Vv'ifli he may 
 entirely difculp himielf, and the Warmth which 
 appears in liis Writing, and the isidecent Lan- 
 iniaec with wliich he has treated me, may 
 prove to be the U.^le Eflccts of public Zeal, and 
 lyovc of Truth ; wherefore I iirall make no far- 
 t'ler Apology for wliat I Ci\.i\\ hei-eaftcr fay in 
 tlie Defence of my ov/n Cliar;icier, and the ex- 
 pofiiig the vile iVIca:J^ n^.:ivie Uic of to blafl my 
 
 Re- 
 
 Ri 
 
 bi 
 a 
 
 Q] 
 
 li( 
 
flblve 
 d en- 
 f an 
 frgoe, 
 eily's 
 en ted 
 udice 
 con- 
 )f the 
 
 [3] 
 
 Reputation. 1 fliall cxtrad from the Pam- 
 phlet piibliihed by Mr. Dobhs, the Charge 
 brought againfl me in that Work, which is of 
 a very heinous Nature 3 no Icfs than a Breach 
 of Truft, and Bribery, by which I ekided tlie 
 Hopes, and fquandered the Money, of the Pub- 
 lic, to make my own private Fortune. For 
 
 I was fent out with the Command of two of 
 his Majefty's Ship's at the Nation's Expcnce, 
 to make a Difcovery, which, having taken a 
 I Bribe of FiveThouland Pounds from tlie Hud- 
 I fon's-Bay Company, I am taxed with con- 
 ' ceahng. 
 
 It is true, that upon examining into the Va- 
 lidity of the Grounds on which this Accufation 
 was raifed, and on the pubUdiing my Defence, 
 I was acquitted, in the Opinion of my Superiors, 
 of having been thus guilty, tho' tlie Letter and 
 Draught which occafions this prefent Appeal to 
 my Countrymen, may poffibly have iince pre- 
 judiced me in the Minds of many. 
 
 The Lords of the Admiralty, who are my 
 proper Judges, deeming the Rcafons brought 
 againfl me to prove my Corruption infufficient, 
 did not convince Mr. Dobbs, who, anxious for 
 the Difcovery of Truth, made the ftrid:e{l En- 
 quiry into my Conduct during the Voyage, a- 
 mong my Officers and Men, and having found 
 Four, whofe Teliimcny he relied upon, doubt- 
 lefs not believing them capable of deli Derate 
 Falfliood, puhlillied the Book already men- 
 tioned, in whicli is printed the following Let- 
 
 B z ter. 
 
 I < 
 
I 
 
 i ■ ' 
 
 i. 
 
 
 $ ^ 
 
 ¥ 
 
 [4] 
 
 ter, and Draught, p. 144, and 145, of his Re- 
 mar hy thus introduced. 
 
 Here follows, George Axx, the Gunner* s Let^ 
 ter, 'which he fent with his Draught of the 
 Frozen Str eight near Cape Frigid, which is 
 a Duplicate of what he fe72t to one of the 
 Lords of the Admiralty. 
 
 N^ XXXIX. 
 
 " Mr.JVigatc. 
 
 r. 
 
 Liverpool f Jpril \'^, 174.3. 
 
 Si, 
 
 THIS comes in Anfwer to your Let- 
 ter, and I have fent you the befl I 
 know. And as for that Place where the 
 Captain, and you, and myfelf, and the Car- 
 penter was, it is an Ifland, that I am fure of; 
 and it was about three Leagues from this 
 Ifland to the Main, and the Ifland about fe- 
 ven Leagues long ; and as for the Height of 
 the Land I cannot tell, but it was as high as 
 any of tlie reft as ever you fee any where a- 
 bout that Place ; and there is a Sketch of it. 
 But as to that you muft excufe, becaufe I 
 cannot do it no otliervvife ; but that is it to 
 nw bcft Opinion. Pray give my Duty to the 
 Captain, and be fo good to let mc know 
 when he gets a Ship, and what Ship; and 
 in fo doing, you v/ill much oblige 
 
 *' Tour Jlumhli' Servant, 
 
 *' (korgcAxx." 
 
 4' 
 
 Mr. 
 
sRe- 
 
 [5] 
 
 of the 
 ich is 
 fthe 
 
 The Draught, 
 
 '43- 
 
 References in the Gunner*^ Words, 
 
 1. Thelfland that Tow was 
 upon with theCapt. the Car- 
 penter,and myfelf ; it is about 
 three Leagues from the Main. 
 
 2. This was a whole Body 
 of Ice, frozen from Side to 
 Side, with about tliirty fmall 
 
 Iflands in theMiddle and Sides, 
 and is about 7 Leagues long, 
 and 3 wide. 
 
 3. This is the Main : Very 
 high Land. 
 
 4. Loiu-Beach Point. 
 
 5. A Channel xunmn^'^'E* 
 
 Mr. 
 
'li 
 
 •I 
 
 m I 
 
 f 
 
 
 I- 
 
 [6] 
 
 Mr. Dohbs^ undoubtedly, impofcd upon by 
 too great a Confidence in his Informers Veracity, 
 ivith their Affiftance endeavoured to falfify my 
 Chart, by publifliing one which he thought 
 more correcft, and in which, Straits and Open- 
 ings are laid down, where in reality it is main 
 Land; real Straits are flopped up to prove 
 the Impoflibility of Tides coming in from the 
 Eaftern American Ocean^ and they are inverted 
 to bring them from the Wefiern \ and thus cor- 
 roborate the Informations given to Mr. Dobbsy 
 whom I mufl doubtlefs acquit of all finifter 
 Defign in the Publication of this Draught, and 
 attribute its Errors, to that of Men, whofe 
 Charaders are not fo well eftabliflied -, and to 
 his own Credulity occalioned by his Concern 
 for the Public Welfare, and Love of Juftice : 
 And it mufl be unqueflionably true, that the 
 ilrid: Enquiry he made among my Officers and 
 Men, and the Encouragement he gave them to 
 fpeak Truth, arofe from the fame laudable 
 Principles ^ for no one can fufped: that Gen- 
 tleman's Probity, and he himfelf iLcws us, that 
 thefe were his only Motives, in p. 75, and feq. 
 including Part of 78, which I fhall tranfcribe, 
 as every one who may read thefe Sheets may 
 not have his Book. Speaking of me, lie fays. 
 Now mofl of the Affidavits lie lius produced, 
 fecm chiefly deiigned to /"^//^^^ (?// Melf. '//w;/^^ 
 jbn and Wigate'^is Evidence againfl the Cap~ 
 tahi^ it bcinr too liro?:?' to be coritradidicd ; 
 ;ind therefore from loofe Exprcfiions they 
 mcuie uie of in his Anidavit-Mcn's licaring, 
 
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 [7] 
 
 they would alledge there was Malice and 
 Pique in their Behaviour to the Captain, All 
 that is attempted to invalidate their Evidence, 
 is from Wilfon''^ and Macbeth" % Affidavits i for 
 Dewilde's is nothing to the Purpofe. 
 " Wilfc?iy the Majhi\ who only feems to 
 pufh that Matter^ and who fwears nothing 
 upon any material Article^ fwears in very 
 indeterminate and loofe Words, that Thompfon 
 and Wigatc only wanted him to complete a 
 certain Purpofe-, tliat he might expedi to be 
 employed in Captain Middleton's Place j and 
 Jo brought him to me. Was there any Crime 
 in this, if ftridtly true ? They wanted him to 
 declare the Truth againft the Captain^ who, 
 they were jure had mifhehaved ; for if any 
 Thing more had been faid, he proved a very 
 willing Evidence for the Captain^ and would 
 certainly here have fworn it againft them. 
 Accordingly he came, and I have already 
 declared, which I fhall do upon Oath, when 
 required, that he faid, 7/^6' Water, as far as 
 he had becn^ was fait ; that there was a fair 
 Channel, four or five Leagues broad beyond the 
 Iflands running S, W. as far as he could fee y 
 between very high broken hands, quite free 
 from Ice ; and that he was fur e, from that, 
 and the Whales feeny which he faid muji have 
 cojne from the Weftward, for they never come 
 in from the Eafl Entrance of \Vager River, 
 otherwife they mujl have fee n them below, that 
 there was a Pafjoge. This, with feveral o- 
 tlier Fads, he voluntarily declared to mc, 
 
 " up- 
 
 
r 
 
 f>. » 
 
 5 
 
 li 
 
 ^ 
 
 [8] 
 
 " Upon my telling him all the Inicreft I had ia 
 ** it was, to have the Truth known, and have 
 the Whole appear; which, upon my de- 
 firing it, he promifed to reduce into Writing 
 2ivAJign it, and Mr. Wigate was to affifl: him 
 in putting it into Form, which was the Oc- 
 cafion of MefT. Wigate and 'Thompfon'^ wait- 
 ing upon him again, to have it reduced into 
 Writing ; nor is it likely, if, as he fwears, 
 *' he fhould refufe to put it into Writing when 
 I defired him, but only refered to his Jour* 
 nal, that Wigate and Thompfon would go to 
 him again to affifl him in putting it down in 
 *' Writing. Upon his leaving me, the Cap- 
 tain gets him to his Lodgings, and there tu- 
 tors him and prevails upon him, either by 
 PromifeSy or out of Compajjion to him, not 
 to come near me to give Evidence, but to 
 refer to his journal and Report, Now it is 
 no way furprifing that Mr. Thompfon and 
 Wigate upon feeing him again, fhould be 
 concerned and angry at finding him jhiiffie^ 
 and fay, He would reduce nothing into Writ- 
 ings nor come near me any more -yfor he would 
 be the Ruin of no Man, he would beg his 
 Bre^dfr/l ; nor is it wonderful that I fhould 
 exprefs a Surprife at the Mafler's acting a 
 Part fo contrary to what he had voluntarily 
 " owned to me -, and I believe I might fay, 
 " Whaty has the Captain got him f It was very 
 ** lucky that he came here before the Q^i^tdin faw 
 " him, otherwife he would not have owned 
 " what he did. 
 
 " Now, 
 
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 [9] 
 
 " Now, was their bringing him to me, or 
 endeavouring to get him to own the Truth, 
 crimi?ial in them, when they were adling for 
 the Public Good, in deteding the Captain's 
 Frauds, Neglcof, and, perhaps, Corruption ^ 
 Ought they not, by all proper Methods, to 
 procure Evidence to fipport their own ^ 
 Nay, if they had given Jiim Hopes of being 
 employ d, in cafe he told the Truth, is that 
 any way criminal ? Or was their fpcaking in 
 hard Terms again ft the Captain, if he has 
 mifbehaved in (ojhamefur.x Manner, a Crime, 
 by faying. They would have him broke, dec. 
 So that his principal Evidence has failed 
 in proving any thing again (l them; and 
 MacbeatJf^ Evidence is much leis to the Pur- 
 pofe. As to Mr. Wigate's boalling that he 
 would do the Captain '5 Bujinefs, and that he 
 expeBed to be made a Purfjr, it is very natu- 
 ral for him to have faid or thought fo, when 
 he knew the Captain's Frauds and Mi fee n- 
 duB, &c. and that lie would deferve a Re- 
 ward in acceding him: Nor are hisExpref- 
 fions about his Letters from mc any way 
 material, fuppofmg them true; for upon 
 their informing me by an anonymous Let- 
 ter, that there was a Pallige, (which was 
 concealed by the Captain through Roguery, by 
 making Tides and Frozen Straits where there 
 were none, which they woiddjland to, and 
 were willing to rifque their Lives in another 
 Attempt.) I anfwered their Letter, direding 
 to a feigned Name, as they appointed me ; 
 
 C " and 
 
 )W, 
 
I f • 
 
 ll^' 
 
 I 
 
 i f 
 
 I 
 
 E t 
 
 |: t' 
 
 [lo] 
 
 and told them if they were real Perfons, and 
 made good what they wrote, upon hearing 
 from them again, I would come ftrait to 
 LomioHy and aflifl them with all my Intereft 
 in another Attempt. Now, How can thefe 
 Jiffidaints invalidate their Evidence ? On the 
 contrary, Have they not, hy proper Evidence 
 and Reafon, proved that there is no Frozen 
 Strait or Tide from it, fuch as can anfwer 
 his Purpofe, which being proved, makes out 
 every other Fadl, and proves that the Tide 
 in the Wdco^ne comes from a Weftern 
 Ocean y and all the Whales from thence ac- 
 cording to his 0WJ2 Letters. 
 "As to Deivildc's Affidavit, what docs it 
 fignify ? When the Lieutenant^ Surgeon and 
 Clerk ^ had flilly proved the Captain'^ Miihe- 
 haviour to the Satisfadlion of the Lords of 
 the Admiralty, I recommended them, and 
 told them, they would be taken Care of un- 
 til the Seafon offered for undertaking another 
 Voyage, when they would be employ 'd. 
 Thcfe Ajjidavits are like Men, drcwni?7gy 
 '' catching at Straws, and fhew a very bad 
 " Canfe; for he found their Evidence was 
 ** frc??g againft him.'* 
 
 What an uncom^mon Zeal has this worthy 
 honefl Gentleman fhewn, what indefatigable 
 Pains has he taken to difcover Fraud ? Here is 
 notliing like tampering with Witnefles, the 
 Hopes given of Preferment, that he might en- 
 gr.ge thefe Men in the Interefl of their Country, 
 wus certainly luiuiable, arxl entirely with a View 
 
 to 
 
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and 
 iring 
 lit to 
 tereft 
 Ithefe 
 Inthe 
 lence 
 
 / 
 
 to the Public Good ; I acknowledge I have not 
 been always in the lame Way of thinking, and 
 the Injury Mr. Dobbs has done me in my Cha- 
 racter with fome few, but tliank God very few, 
 caufed a Refentment which was too prevalent 
 for my Reafon, and rcprefentcd him to me in 
 a Light difadvantageous to his Reputation, for 
 which I as heartily beg his Pardon, as I fincercly 
 repent ; but, Humanum eft errare -, and I own 
 rnyfelf fo fallible, that I thought, litde confi- 
 dering his great Charader, in the unhappy 
 Temper of Mind I then was, that he had pri- 
 vate Intereft to ferve, and his particular Pique 
 to gratify, in his avowed Defign, to break the 
 Hudfon's-Bay Company j and as a Step previ- 
 ous and neceflary to that End, imagined, that 
 he attacked me in the tendered Part -, but I am 
 now convinced as much, I believe, as any 
 Man, that Mr. Dobbs is above all fordid Views, 
 and had nothing fo much at Heart as the Pub- 
 lic Interell, in his Defigns to lay open the 
 Trade of the above Company ; and I am the 
 more confirmed in this Opinion, by his infinu- 
 ating fo much in the above Book, as he never 
 could be guilty of deliberate Falfhood ; where- 
 fore his faying, He would give his Oath that 
 Mr. JVilfon informed him of Fadts, which, he 
 the faid Wilfon^ denies ; and which Fads are, in 
 reality, pure Invention, mufl be attributed to 
 either the flrong ImprelTions of a Dream, or to 
 a Failure in Memory, which has occafioned his 
 confounding Names and Things, joining the 
 
 C 2 Ma- 
 
it : 
 
 M 
 
 [12] 
 
 Maker's to the Fidions of fome of his Wit- 
 nelTes. But 
 
 To return to the Letter and Draught, which 
 T flrall prove a Forgery ; though far be it from 
 me to impute fuch an untiir Procedure to a Gen- 
 tleman of Mr. Dobbi's, Virtue. I acknowledge 
 that, at the iirfl, it occafioned my Surprize, that 
 a Man whom I had always deemed very honefl, 
 and had an univerial fj,ood Charader, fliould 
 write what he knew to be falfe -, but refledting 
 on the dirty Meafures purfued to ruin me, and 
 the Inconfiftency of the Gunner's prefenting his 
 Duty to me, while, by his Evidence, he en- 
 deavoured to fupport fuch Meafures, I concluded 
 the Letter forged ; and therefore, in p. 48 of 
 my Reply ^ treated it as a Forgery, Thefe are my 
 Words : 
 
 '^ jIs to the Gunner s Draughty I have two 
 Reap/ns to doubt its being genuine : The Firjiy 
 becaufe the Man bears a very hofieft CharaBer ; 
 a7id the Second J becaufe he contradiEls what he 
 himfelffigned (being called into the Council 
 held the Eighth oj Augiif) when it was read 
 to him by the Clerk, in Prefence of the other 
 *' fig7iing Officers,'' 
 
 Though I really believed the Letter and 
 Draught a Forgery, it was what I could not 
 prove J I was obliged, patiently, to fubmit 
 to my Antagonift's exulting in having fuch fla- 
 grant Proof to detcdl my Roguery ; and I don't 
 doubt but this Letter and Draua:ht made an Im- 
 preffion on feme People very much to my Dif- 
 
 udvantage. 
 
 <c 
 
 cc 
 
 <c 
 
 <c 
 
 (( 
 
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 w 
 
r 9 
 
 'it- 
 
 [ *3 ] 
 
 adViintage. Bat I was not the only one who 
 queftioned this Letter and Draught, laid to be 
 written and drawn by ylxx, my Gunner, being 
 genuine, as appears by the following Letter, 
 Draught and AfHdavit, fcnt by my Carpenter, 
 whole Abfence Mr. Dohbs bewails, in his Re- 
 marks, as a material Evidence to detedl me. 
 
 \ 
 
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 Sir, 
 
 YOUR's of the 23d Infl. Is now before 
 mc, and I have carefully perufed 
 George Axx'^ Letter witli the Plan, and am 
 afliamed any one pretending to fet forth the 
 Nature of a Country, (liould fet it forth in 
 fo ftupid a Manner, it being intirely wrong; 
 and herewith you'll receive, as under, a jufl 
 Plan of the Frozen Straits, and the Land 
 thereabouts, which I took in my Journal at 
 Cape Frigid, and which was figned and ap- 
 proved of, by John Rankin, Lieutenant; 
 Robert Wilfon, Mafter ; and George Axx and 
 myfelf As to the Flood-Tides, I found 
 from Wager River towards Cape Frigid to 
 come from the E.N.E. and into Miftake Bay 
 from the South-Eaft, which came through 
 the Frozen Straits ; and that Cape Frigid is a 
 Joynt-Land with the Low Beach in the Wel- 
 come, or Main, And at the Time we were 
 at Cape Frigid, it being a very ftrong Run, 
 above four Knots ; as we came off with the 
 Boat near Sun Sett, at almofi: high Water, 
 it drove the Ships away to the Wcllward on 
 
 '' the 
 
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 it 
 
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 [ 14] 
 
 the Flood, and was like to have hailed them 
 into the Mouth of the Frozen Straits on the 
 Ebb. When we went on Shore, which 
 was about Eleven of the Clock the next 
 Morning, the Water being fallen about 5 or 
 6 Foot. All Flood Tides, came from the Eaft- 
 ward through the Straits that flowed up IFa^ 
 ger River to Brook Cobham. The above. Sir, 
 is a true State of the AiTair, and the Country 
 is juflly and fairly flated in the anncxt Plan. 
 I am juft going to fail, or would have fent 
 you a Copy of my Journal, wherein the Ori- 
 ginal Plan is taken, but hope chis with my 
 Affidavit enclofed, will be fatisfadory to you, 
 and clear up the vile Afperfions as have been 
 caft on you by your Adverfaries. I am. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 I 
 
 11 
 
 r> //i 1 '^our moji obedient Servant, 
 
 July 30, i'744- John Hodgfon. 
 
 CC 
 
 P. S. I am obliged to go down to Kingroad 
 To-night; but, perhaps, may not fail this 
 Week', therefore beg you' d pleafe to let me 
 hear from you at the Return of the Pofl, 
 direiiedfor me at Mr. Kennedy'^, at 
 /^^ Riling-Sun, ontheKtyJ' 
 
 (C 
 
 CC 
 
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 THE 
 
['5] 
 
 \ 
 
 them 
 )n the 
 ^hich 
 next 
 5 or 
 Ea/l- 
 
 ,Sir, 
 luntry 
 (Plan. 
 
 fent 
 
 h my 
 you, 
 been 
 
 Toad 
 
 ' this 
 't me 
 Poli, 
 i at 
 
 THE PLAN. 
 
 References. 
 
 I, Is Cape Hope, 
 
 a. Is the Main of the 
 North-fide of the Frozen 
 Straits. 
 
 4, Is the South-fide of the 
 Straits ; the narroweft Part 
 about 4 or 5 Leagues wide, 
 the broadeft 6 or 7 Leagues, 
 
 about 1 6 or 1 8 Leagues long, 
 
 6. Is Mi/iake Bay. 
 
 7. Is Ivager River. 
 
 5. Is the outward Part of 
 the Frozen Straits running 
 away South Eaft, by true 
 Compafs. 
 
 8. Point of Cape Frigid. 
 
 The above is a true Plan, to which the an- 
 nexed Affidavit refers. 
 
 John Hodgfon, 
 
 I 
 
 E 
 
 nr 
 
■7! 
 
 [ i6] 
 
 :!V 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 f*^/ 
 
 "The Jljidaiit of Mr, John Hodgfon. 
 
 King's Befich, 
 
 ^YOHN Hodgfon^ now refiding in the City of 
 J Briftoly but lately Ma^er Carpenter belong- 
 ing to his Majefcy's Ship, called the Fiirnacey 
 whereof Chrijiopher Mlddkton^ Efq; was then 
 Captai?!, maketh Oath, That he, this Depo- 
 nent, failed in the faid Ship Furnace^ from Great 
 Britain to South America^ in order to find a 
 Pajfage to the South Se^, and faith, the faid 
 Ship Fiirnacey in her faid Voyage, arrived at 
 Cape Frigid, in the North-Weji PaJJdge on the 
 Main ; and on fiich Arrival, a Plan was taken 
 by this Deponent, on Board the faid Ship Fur- 
 nace, at tlie Time the laid Ship lay at Cape Fri- 
 gid, of tlie Frozen Straits and the Lands, m the 
 Prefence of, and fiinied and allowed to be a juft 
 PAz;2, by ^'i?^'^ Rankin, Lieutenant -, Robert Wil- 
 fon^ Maftcr ; George Axx, Gwmer ; and this De- 
 ponent y all belonging to the faid Ship, And 
 faith, That the Plan taken as aforelaid, was a 
 /r//e PA7/? ; and that the hereunto annexed 
 Plan is a /r//^' G/^)^ thereof ^ he, this Deponent, 
 having the original Plan in his fournal, now in 
 his Pcffrfjion, and faith. That the F/oc'^^ Tides 
 this Deponent found from Meager River towards 
 Cape Frigid, came from the Ecijl North-Eajl 
 into Mifuike-Bav from the Soiith-EaJ}, which 
 came through the Frozen Straits -, and that 
 Cape Frigid is a Joynt-Land with the Low 
 
 Beach 
 
 s\ 
 
nch. 
 
 rity of 
 elong- 
 
 irnacey 
 
 s then 
 Depo- 
 
 Great 
 
 find a 
 e faid 
 ved at 
 on the 
 
 taken 
 
 3 Ihir- 
 
 \c Fvi- 
 
 \\\ the 
 
 a jiijt 
 •t Hil- 
 ls De- 
 
 And 
 
 v/as a 
 
 nexed 
 
 onent, 
 
 low in 
 
 I tiles 
 wards 
 h-Eajt 
 A^hich 
 [ that 
 
 Low 
 Bedc/j 
 
 s\ 
 
 ['7] 
 
 Beach on the Welcome or Main ; and faith, That 
 on coming off the Land of Cape Frigid in a 
 Boat, near Sun Set, it was almofl: high Watery 
 which drove the Ship away to the Wejlward on 
 the Floods and was hke to have hailed the faid 
 Ship into the Mouth of the Frozen Straits on the 
 Ebb i and that afterwards this Deponent went 
 on ShorCy which was about Eleven of the Clock 
 the next Mornings the Water being fallen about 
 jive Qxjix Foot ; and that all the Flood Tides came 
 from the Eajlward through the Straits^ that 
 flowed up Wager River to Brook Cobham. 
 
 John Hodgfon, 
 
 Sworn at the City of 
 Brillol this thirtieth Day 
 ^ July, one thoufandfe- 
 ven hundred and for ty^ 
 four, 
 
 Edward Gyles, a Commijioner. 
 
 N, B, The Perfon who drew up this Affida- 
 vit, has made a Miflake in writing South 
 for North America, This Miflake is 
 vifible in the Sequel, by the Words 
 North-Weji Pajfage j another Miftake is, 
 next Morning, for the fame Morning as 
 appears in the Report this Deponent fign- 
 ed on Board. 
 
 P 
 
 On 
 
[ i8] 
 
 On the Receipt of the above 1 wrote the fol- 
 lowing Letter to the Lords of the Admiraj^y. 
 
 My Lords^ 
 
 I Take the Liberty to lay before your Lord- 
 fhips, for your Perufal, the Copy of a Let- 
 ter, Plan and Affidavit which I received from 
 the late Carpenter of the Furnace. Your Lord- 
 fliips will find they agree with Mr. JVilfon's 
 •Anfwer, when examined at your Board to the 
 nth Query, printed in p. 177 of my Vindica- 
 tion ; that they corroborate Obediah SatcheW^ 
 Affidavit, which is in p. 90 of the Appendix to 
 my Reply -, that they confirm the Anfwer made 
 to the 5 th Query by Donalfotiy Iverfon^ Monro y 
 and G///, in p. 45 of the faid Appendix ; and 
 ilatly contradict the Gunner and Clerk^ and Mr. 
 Moory who make Cape Frigid an Illand, and 
 alfo the Account they give of the Tides. 
 
 As I am fatisfied your Lorddiip's Juftice will 
 make you find a Pieafure in every Thing which 
 may afford you I/ight to do it to the Injured, 
 an Apology for my troubling your Lordfhips 
 would betray a Want of Judgment in 
 
 My Lords, 
 
 Tour Lordships 
 
 Moji humble, mojl obedient 
 
 a?id mojl devoted K)er'va?)t^ 
 
 Chriflopher Middleton. 
 
 Suf- 
 
 w 
 
efol- 
 
 aity- 
 
 Lord- 
 iLet- 
 from 
 Lord- 
 
 o the 
 
 ndica- 
 tcheWs 
 idtx to 
 • made 
 MonrOy 
 :; and 
 id Mr. 
 d, and 
 
 ce will 
 which 
 ijured, 
 rdfhips 
 
 
 Sufpiclon, as I have faid, is no- Proof; but 
 Providence which will never defert the Inno- 
 cent and OppreiTed, has furniflied me wiih one 
 that is irrefragable. On the 2d Day of Novemifcr 
 lafl I accidentally met Mr. George Axx^ my late 
 Gunner, and the fuppofed Author of the afore- 
 faid Letter and Draught, and raxed him with 
 having contradicted the Truth of what he had 
 figned when called into the Council upon the 
 Voyage. He feemed furprifed ; and upon my 
 explaining myfelf, abfolutely denied his having 
 written, made, or fent fuch Letter and Draught, 
 or either of them to any Peilbn breathing j on 
 the 2d ditto, he came to my Lodgings, but I 
 not being at home, he returned the next Day, 
 and by a written Paper fabfcribed by himfclf, 
 he again denied the f lid Letter and Draught 
 being his, but averred it was a Forgery : Which 
 Tranfadtions are flrongly proved by the follow- 
 ing Negation of the faid Axx^ and Mr. Dewi/cle's 
 Affidavit before a Mailer in Chancery. His 
 pretended Letter being written out of the Re- 
 marks of my Defence^ and he the fiid ylxx 
 having been fliewn the forementioned Draught, 
 figned this 
 
 ATTESTATION. 
 
 iletofl. 
 Suf- 
 
 r^EORGE AXX, late Gunner, on board 
 
 ^^ the Furnace Sloop, Captain Middkton^ 
 
 " Commander, is ready and willing to make 
 
 Oath, that he never font this Letter^ or any 
 
 <c 
 
 ti 
 
 " of the like kind to Mr. }FiQ:ai 
 
 D 
 
 or to any ot 
 the 
 
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 [ 20 ] 
 
 " the Lords of the Admiralty ; neither did ho 
 fend 2i Draught of the Frozen Straits, as is 
 mentioned in Page 144 and 145, in Mr. 
 Dohbs's Remarks upon Captain Middleton's 
 Defence ; fo that I apprehend, if their Lord- 
 fliips had fuch a Letter from Mr. PFigate, it 
 muft be of his own Forging. 
 
 Ncv. 3. 1744. 
 
 " George Axx.'* 
 Witfiefs, 
 
 John Dewilde. 
 
 I acquainted the Lords of the Admiralty by a 
 Letter to tlieir Secretary with this Detedlion 5 
 but being advifed that I ought to have taken the 
 Affidavit of the {aidj^xx-, and he being gone out 
 of Town, I applied to their Lordfliips of the 
 Admiralty, for an Order to bring him up to 
 Town, which they were fo good to grant. 
 Hearing nothing from him, after fome Days, I 
 wrote to his Captain, or the Commaading 
 Officer, on board the Aldboroitgh, of whicli 
 Ship he is Gunner. After having waited fome 
 Time, in hopes of feeing or hearing from him, 
 1 fent a MeiTenger to his Houfe at Grcejiroich^ 
 who was told he was gone on board his Ship. 
 I waited near a Week longer, when the Secre- 
 tary of the Admiralty told me, That their 
 Lordihips had received an Anfwer from his 
 Commanding Officer That the faid Axx was 
 not to be found, but that their Lordffiips, if I 
 could find him, would command hiiu up to 
 
 at- 
 
d he 
 
 as is 
 
 Mr, 
 
 ton's 
 
 ord- 
 
 fe, it 
 
 I 
 
 
 [ 21 ] 
 
 attend me. I then went down to Greenwich^ 
 to get Information from his Wife, who faid. 
 That the Day before flie had received a Let- 
 ter, which fhe ga/e me to read, and in which 
 he acknowledged their Lordfliip's Orders for 
 his coming to Tov/n to wait upon Captain Mid- 
 dleton^ and that he would be up in a fhort 
 Time. I waited in expecflation of feeing him 
 for about Six Days, but hearing nothing of 
 him, I again addrelfed myfelf to the Boa^d of 
 Admiralty, to obtain a peremptory Com- 
 mand for his, the faid Axx^^ coming to 
 Town ; with which their Lordfliips indulged 
 me : But finding that had no Effed:, fome Days 
 after I deiired Mr. Dewilde to make Affidavit of 
 what had paiTed between the faid Axx and my- 
 felf, to which he was a Witnefs ; and he ac- 
 cordingly fwore what follows, before a Mafter 
 in Chancery. 
 
 «c 
 
 John Dewilde of the Par'iJJ: of St. Martin's 
 " Ludgate, London, Watch-Maker^ 
 
 M 
 
 AKETH Oath, That on the 2d 
 
 of November^ ^744> Ocorge Axx^ 
 late Gunner of his Majelly's Ship Furnace^ 
 when fent under tlie Command of Captain 
 Chrijloih r Middlcton^ to endeavour at mak- 
 ing ii Difcovery of a North- Weft Pafiage 
 to the Wejlcrn American Ocean, came to Iiis 
 this Deponent's Dwelling-Moufe, to enquire 
 after the lliid Captain, v/lio ii a Lodger, or 
 Inmate with this Deponent, but the faid 
 
 '' Cap- 
 
[ 22 ] 
 
 Captain not beiiig at Home, he went away 
 *' and returned the next Day, the 3d Infl. the 
 Captain being then at Home, he, the faid 
 George Axx^ did declare in the Prcfence and 
 hearing of this Deponent, That he never 
 wrote the Letter, or made the Draught 
 printed (in Mr. Dobbs's Pamphlet, entitled. 
 His Remarks) with his Name, as Writer of 
 the faid Letter ; farther. That he never 
 wrote to any Lord of the Admiralty, or to 
 Mr. Wigate (one of the WitnefTes againft the 
 faid Captain^ to prove his Mifcondud: during 
 the late Voyage on the Difcovery of the a- 
 forefaid FafTage) or to any other Perfon 
 whomever, with Relation to the faid Voyage, 
 to the Prejudice of the faid Captain, of 
 which he was ready and willing to make 
 Oath, and would give the fame under his 
 Hand, and came on Purpofe with that In- 
 " tent, 
 
 " And the Deponent farther maketh Oath, 
 that the faid Captain advifed the faid Axx\o 
 be careful what he faid or figned, as it 
 might ruin him, if it was not the Truth 5 
 that he might poffibly have been drawn in 
 by Wigate to write the faid Letter, and fend 
 it with the Draught 5 and if it was fo, 
 he had better acknowledge it ; that his the 
 Captain'^ Name might have been counter- 
 feited, and a Letter fcnt to require fuch a 
 Draught of the faid Axx^ as figned by him. 
 *' To which the faid^A;;c', who acknowledged 
 theReceipt of a Lc tter ivovnWigate and Thomf- 
 
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 [ 23 ] 
 
 foti^ (another Witnefs agalnfl the Captain) 
 ** anfwered in thefc Words, or to the fame 
 Purport ; Sir, I tell you I never did write to 
 any one. The Captain then faid, Did you 
 * never write your Name on any Scrap of Pa- 
 per, and leave it carelcily where Wigate 
 could get, and make Ufe of, it ? or Words 
 " to that EfFed: ; to which the faid Axx an- 
 " fwered. That he never had. The faid Cap^ 
 tain admoniflied the faid Axx feveral Times 
 to be cautious in wliat he ligned or fwore. 
 " After which, the faid Axx chearfully figned 
 a Paper ^ in which he denies that he ever wrote 
 orfent the faid Letter or Draught, to which 
 his iigning, he this Deponent, was a fub- 
 fcribing Witnefs. 
 
 " JohnDewildc. 
 
 cc 
 
 cc 
 
 cc 
 
 cc 
 
 It. 
 
 cc 
 
 u 
 
 cc 
 
 " Sworn this 26th Day 
 0/' November, 1744, at 
 the public Office before 
 
 *' R. Holford." 
 
 This Behaviour of the Gunner's, Mr. AxXy 
 is very furpriling ; however, I fhall not com- 
 ment upon it, but go on and fhew the mali- 
 cious Defign of this Forge?'y of a-piece with the 
 reft of the Evidence given in again ft me ; for I 
 have proved in my Reply to the Remarks^ that 
 Reports were altered, Figures in the Logg- 
 Book changed — * fictitious Evidence impofed 
 
 * Mr. Ellis of the Viaualling-Office, and Mr. Wilfotiy abfo- 
 lately deny what they have been made to fay in Mr^ Dobbs's, 
 Remarks. 
 
 on 
 
'i 
 
 r 
 
 1^ 
 
 [ 24 ] 
 
 on the Public ; the Lieutenant*s Journal, which 
 contradidls his own Teftimony, furreptitioully 
 taken away from the Navy-Office -, and to cor- 
 roborate what one of the WitnefTes has ad- 
 vanced to prove my fuppofed Roguery, a Didti- 
 onary of the Indian Language is printed in that 
 beautiful Romance with which Mr. Dobbs has 
 obliged the Public ; though unhappily the only 
 Man 'mE?/g/aj7civ'ho underftands thatLanguage, 
 has given under his Hand that every Word of 
 the aforefaid Diftionary is pure Invention. 
 
 But the World will certainly acquit a Gen- 
 tleman of Mr. Dobbs' s Character j and his efta- 
 blifhed Reputation thrown into the oppoiite 
 Scale of fuch bafe Procedures, muft infahibly 
 preponderate ; though I acknowledge there is 
 one Circumftance that ftaggers me, viz, the 
 Incapacity of his WitnefTes to contrive this 
 Draught, calculated to invalidate all that I ad- 
 vanced, and to prove the Influx could not be 
 from the Eaftern Sea, but rnuft come from the 
 WeJIem Americaji Ocean ; the Confequence of 
 which can be no other than my having cgregi- 
 oufly impofed on the Public, and villainoufly 
 concealed the Paflage which I was fent out to 
 difcover. To prove this, I fliall quote Mr. 
 Dobbs's own Words ; p. 2 1 of his Remarks, he 
 fliys, *' That he reckons it a Misfortune that 
 my Men were difperfed before I fent him 
 my Journal," which, to iif: his own Words, 
 he delay'd, I believe, with a View that they 
 fhould not appear again fl him ; for I was o- 
 bliged to enquire after the proper Per- 
 
 " fons 
 
 <c 
 
 cc 
 
 c< 
 
 <c 
 
 << 
 
f 25 ] 
 
 cc 
 
 (C 
 
 cc 
 
 €C 
 
 <C 
 
 CC 
 
 cc 
 
 " fons who knew mofl : The L'cnt'iuinfy burgeon 
 " andCAv/-, were in London^ but the Ma/icr " 
 ** was in Holland, the Carpenter gone, nobody 
 ** knew wliere, who wns u »<vUcr!il Evidence 
 " about the Frozen Strait, ulxy;, the Gunner^ 
 *' w^as at Liverpool, who was wrote to'^", and 
 ** fent his Anlwer and Draught to a Lord of 
 the Admiralty, which is fliil agaipfl his Fro^ 
 zen Strait, and his Tide and Whaics coming 
 through it. It was but three Lc.igucs widr, 
 and full of Illands, furroundin'': the lilaad 
 they ftood upon." 
 
 In p. 34, he fays, " my A-ufwer about my 
 Froze?! Strait and Tide is all fdic, ai^.d cal- 
 culated to impofe upon the Public an cironc- 
 " ousTide andCurrent, for without Ibmc oilier 
 *' Tide to be found out from the Ealhi^.rJ, I 
 muft of courfe allow the iiii;h Tii.vj;i were oc- 
 cafioned by the Influx of-dl^^L/ler/i Ocean, and 
 of courfe prove, that I have icandaloully im- 
 pofed upon the Public in concealing the Dlf- 
 covery. 
 
 In the following Page he iliys, " By com- 
 paring the CVrr^'s Anfvver v/icli the Account 
 and Draught fcnt up by Axx the Gunner, to 
 one of the Lords of the Admiraltv, a^ainft 
 <' the Account he has fctdown in his (i.e. my) 
 " Log and Journal, Im fpaciousyrae;^^;/ Strait^ 
 
 * Though this looks like a Combinadoii agaiuH: me, as if rny 
 Ruin was defigned, and the Methods to complete it confulted 
 with mature Delii)eration, yet it ib poillble the Induftiy here ufed 
 was with no other View than to difcovcr the Trutli, and Mr. 
 Dabhi liimrdf may have been impoied ajon. 
 
 (C 
 
 cc 
 
 cc 
 
 cc 
 
 cc 
 
 cc 
 
 cc 
 
 cc 
 
 E 
 
 <c 
 
 an 
 
 a-* 
 
<( 
 
 <c 
 
 (C 
 
 an hundred Fathoms deep, is a mere Fidion, 
 and is dwindled into an Arm of the Sea three 
 Leagues wide, full of Iflands, which fur- 
 rounded the Ifland they flood upon, and fe- 
 parated it from the Low Beach, as appears 
 from the Gunner's Draught of it, which ex- 
 adly agrees with the Cltrk's Account, * ^c, 
 Mr. Dobbs himfelf has here (hewn of what 
 Ufe this Draught was, to the Caufe he endea- 
 voured to fupport; for making the Frozen 
 Straits imaginary, the Influx of the Eajiern 
 Tides are ftiut out, and by fiditious Opejiings'f^ 
 the Tides are brought in from the Wejtern Ame^ 
 rican Ocean, And were thefe inconteftable 
 Fadls, 1 muft really be the vile Rafcal I have 
 been reprefented to that Gentleman. 
 
 As on the one Hand this Contrivance is be- 
 yond the Depth of the moft artful of his Wit- 
 nefTes, who has but jufl Cunning enough to be a 
 Rogue ; and, as on the other, the Deiign is too 
 villainous and too fatal in its Confequences, had 
 it fucceeded, for a Gentleman of Mr. Dobbs's 
 Great Probity, to be concerned in it, I know 
 not, I mufl confefs, what Judgment to make, 
 and yet I am as ready to believe as any one who 
 is thoroughly acquainted with him, that he was 
 himfelf impofed upon -, for none but the mofl 
 frojligate Wretch could (adluated by the meanefl 
 and vcio^ peryiicious Pajjion) carry on the blackejl 
 
 * I think the Deteftion of this Letter and Draught being 3 
 forgery accounts for this Agreement. 
 
 f Vide Mr. Dohbs's Chart, in which an Opening is made (called 
 Rankin's) to let in the Tidti from the JVeJin,varei» 
 
 and 
 
 v^ 
 
[on, 
 
 iree 
 Ifur- 
 tlfe- 
 )ears 
 
 ex- 
 
 'r. 
 
 ^hat 
 Idea- 
 
 [ 27 ] 
 
 and moft da?7gercns Defigns : A Gentleman < f 
 his Virtue could not willfully and dciibernteiv 
 endeavour to blaft a hitherto unbiemidied Cha* 
 radler \ he would not aim at the ruining of an 
 innocent Man and his Family, for no other 
 Reafon but for his having ilridtly complied with 
 the Inflrudlions of his Superiors, and performed 
 the Duty incumbent on him -y he mufl be in- 
 capable, the World will think, to have a Hand 
 in fo incan^ fo dirty ^ and fcandalous a Crime 
 as Forgery -, a Forgery too ! fo big with Mif- 
 chief, and which could have no other Ten- 
 dency (at lead apparent) than to the Gratifica- 
 tion of two Vices, Revenge and Avaricey ab- 
 horrent from the Principles of Men of Honour : 
 A Forgery 1 more flital in its Confequences than 
 fuch as are the Effedts of Neceflity j they can- 
 not i?ivolve a whole Family, and bring on ine- 
 vitable Ruin of both Fortune and CharaBer ; a 
 Man may be robbed of his Eftate by forged 
 Deeds, but they ftrike not at his Reputation ; 
 but the prefent Forgery was calculated to dcjiroy 
 my good Name, as well as to take away my 
 Bread y to beggar me in my Circumftances, load 
 me with Infamy y and entail that, and Wanf^ 
 on my poor Infants, by depriving me of all fu- 
 ture Means for their Provijion, 
 
 As a Crime of this flagitious Nature caa 
 hardly be imputed to a Gentleman of Mr. 
 Dobbs's Figure, Character and Fortune, I may 
 reafonably conclude, that the World deemed 
 my treating the above Letter as a Forgery, pro- 
 ceeded rather from my being gravelled, and 
 
 E 2 un- 
 
 ^ 
 
[28] 
 
 unable to refute fueh home Evideiiee, than to 
 my real Belief of its not being genuine : That 
 the Gunner might, while under my Command, 
 be intimidated ; and for that Reufon, figned 
 wliat 1 thought condueive to my Defence, up- 
 on an Enquiry into my Condud ; but that 
 now all Apprchenfions, whieh might obftrudt 
 •the Truth, being removed, he had the Courage 
 and Honelty to fpeak it. It is reafonable for 
 the Public to ma];e fuchConclurioiis when they 
 reried on the ImprchabiUty of a Gci:deman in 
 liigJi Repute for fecial Virtues^ great Learning 
 and Prudence^ bci?ig milty of a Crime jo Jia^ 
 grant in its Nature, Jo dejirii5l:ve in its Confe- 
 qacnccs. 
 
 As the World cntcrt;;inr, this great Opinion of 
 M:'. DobbSy they could not, on one Hand be- 
 lieve him a Particeps Cri/ninis, an jiccomplice ; 
 or, on the otlicr, inuigine his Prudence was to 
 hcfurprifcd ; and yet fo true is the old Saying 
 
 Phe wife/i Man is fail able j tliat here his 
 
 indifiitigable Lidujtry to difcovcr the Truth, 
 made him overlook the Cha racier given him 
 (by his own Friends, Mr. Laurie k and Gill) of 
 two oilmV/itneJJes, IsAv.Wigate arid Phompfon, 
 who had fuch an Influence over him, that Mr. 
 Lendrick's Confirmation of tlie Frozen Strait 
 i^ciirj; as I have lain it down, was of no 
 VVciglit. In his Letter dated from thz Or bieys, 
 Sept. i6, J742, printf-..'. in 1:1k; Ix^cws-Papers, lie 
 lays, *' Wit went o'Shorc to Uike a Survey from 
 " tlie Toj^ of a high Mountain, wlicn we could 
 ♦^ fee the Sea all ralf froze in one folid Body for 
 
 • ii 
 
 
 ' 
 
[ 29] 
 
 lan to 
 
 That 
 
 nand, 
 
 figncd 
 
 -, up- 
 
 ; that 
 
 ftrudt 
 
 Durage 
 
 le for 
 
 11 they 
 
 nan in 
 
 arnlng 
 
 lb p. 
 
 Confe- 
 
 nlon of 
 nd be- 
 mplice ; 
 was to 
 Saying 
 ere his 
 Truthy 
 n him 
 }iU) of 
 ompfo?jy 
 lat "Mr. 
 Strait 
 of no 
 )rhieysy 
 )crs, he 
 :y from 
 e couid 
 )dy for 
 
 «c 
 
 a Matter of twenty L 
 
 (c 
 
 C( 
 
 (c 
 
 (< 
 
 (( 
 
 cagncs away to the S.E. 
 and finding at the fame time that the Flood 
 Tide came from tlience, we were fullv con- 
 firmed, that it had a Communication with 
 the EdJl'Seay and that there was no fuch 
 Thing as a PafTage into the Wcjhni Ocean ^ 
 as we expc(5tcd." 
 The Zeal which acfluatcd Mr. Dobhs in the 
 Search oi Truth, hindered his .efledino; on the 
 Incapacit of his WitnelTes to infpc6t into my 
 Condudl ; fo prevalent was his Love of y^//a% 
 that it flopped his Ean to the Remonrtrances 
 of his Friends, he gave implicit F^//V/j to what- 
 ever feemed tending to the Dete6lion of Fraud -y 
 and thus Excefs of Virtue laid him open to the 
 Wiles, and made him tho Implement, of wicked 
 and defigning Men. 
 
 The Danger of Ruin is always in proportioa 
 to the AlTailant ; and therefore it is well nigh 
 impoflible for the mofl upright Perfon, when 
 his good Name is attacked by a Man of efla- 
 blifhed Reputation to get off without fome Ble- 
 mifh in his Character j the Improbability, nay, 
 the Abfurdity of the Charge brought againfl 
 him, the Reafons he may offer in his Defence, 
 the natural Inferences drawn, the clofefl and 
 mofl rational Arguments, his Appeal to his 
 former, and irreproachablet Condutit, the ufiful- 
 lied Charadlcr he has ever hornCy nay the Wit- 
 neffes he produces, though of undoubted good 
 Reputation, will not fet him right in every one's 
 Opinion, and poflibly, the voluntary Evidence 
 of fuch as appear in his Vindication, will be 
 
 made 
 
fl 
 
 [ 30 ] 
 
 made a Handle to perfecute him with greater 
 Calumny, by taxing him with Subornation of 
 Perjury : This is what I have learned from fatal 
 Experience, in the Difpute between Mr. Dobbs 
 and myfelf. 
 
 I Lad Mr. Dobbs'?, great CharaBer, the Evi- 
 dence of this 2xK.i\A Draught, the Strength of his 
 Reafonings upon it, with his captivating In-- 
 fere?iccs to combat, which may be termed a 
 Herculean Labour ; Truth and Innocence were on 
 my Side; the Struggle was long and dubious^ 
 but Time coming in to my JJJJiJiance, has turn'd 
 the Scale of ViBory in my Favour ; and I leave 
 Mr. Dobbs to the Tafk impofed upon him by 
 his WitnefTes of cleanfing this Augean Stable^ 
 which will not be difficult to perform, if he 
 turns into it the River of Truth, as Hercules 
 did that of Alpheus. 
 
 On the whole, Mr. Dobbs throughout this 
 Affair, wartned with the Zeal of Public Goody 
 has been fo very much unguarded in his Expref- 
 Jjons, that he has fhewn a Junonian Rage in his 
 Writings, which has hurried him beyond the 
 Bounds of Decency ; But on whom mufl I 
 charge this Forgery f Not one of my Officers 
 who have iided withMr.Dc^^j could be ad:uated 
 by a Spi?'it of Revenge for any ill Ufage, while 
 under my Command-, they having often, and 
 in differe?it Cotnpanies, extolled me for my Hu- 
 manity to themjelves and others. They could 
 not thus endeavour to ruin my Character and 
 Fortune from 'Any ProfpeB of Gain, or Advantage^ 
 if not what they hoped from Mr, Dobbs's In- 
 
 tereft, 
 
;rcater 
 ion of 
 1 fatal 
 Dobbs 
 
 Evi- 
 of his 
 ng In- 
 med 2l 
 ere on 
 ubiouSy 
 turned 
 I leave 
 im by 
 Stable^ 
 if he 
 lercules 
 
 )ut this 
 ic Goody 
 
 Expref- 
 e in his 
 3nd the 
 mufti 
 Officers 
 iduated 
 , while 
 en, and 
 ny Hu" 
 y could 
 ^er and 
 vantage^ 
 bbs's In* 
 tereft, 
 
 
 [ 31 ] 
 
 tereft, by being fubfervient to his Dictates. 
 Farther, neither Wigate nor Thompfon had the 
 Capacity to invent this Forgery, But then his 
 incomparable Charadter forbids my entertaining 
 a Thought fo contrary to it. I own I cannot 
 reconcile that Gentleman's printing and publilh- 
 ing this Forgery y vv^ith his univerfal Reputation ; 
 and though it may feem reafonable to conclude 
 from his own Words, and Endeavours to engage 
 the Government to fend other Ships on the Dif^ 
 covery, that he propofed to himfelf vafl Advan- 
 tages, and thought that the propereft Method 
 to induce the Miniftry to make a fecond Tryal, 
 was, if poffible, to prove I had treacheroufly 
 concealed the Difcovery -, the Anger he has 
 expreffed in his Remarks^ and his avowed De- 
 Jign to break the Hudfon s-bay Company^ might 
 with fome refenting Men excufe me, if I attri- 
 buted his Perfecution of one who never willingly 
 offended him, to a ^hirft of morey and a Spirit 
 of Revenge for my having difappointed him in 
 a Defign of diving into the Company's Profits 
 by the Sale of fuch Goods as were clandeftinely 
 put on Board his Majefty's Ship. For could 
 Mr. Dobbs have carried his Point, we may fup- 
 pofe by what Is paffed, he would have fent a 
 confiderable Cargoe -, and as he imagines the 
 Company make 2,000/. per Cent, he might 
 jlatter himfelf with Gaifis immenfe, while the 
 Public fupported the Charge, and ran the Ha- 
 zard of the Voyage. This Way of thinking, I 
 fay, a warm Man might excufe ; but far be it 
 from me, to entertain a Thought, which 
 
 could 
 
4- 
 
 i i 
 
 C 32 ] 
 
 could not affcdV that Gentleman, but on the 
 contrary, mufl infallibly call my Judgment in 
 Queflion ; and I will neither lieiieve, though 
 he publillied the Forgery, that he liad a Hand in 
 the Contrivance, or was interefled in its being 
 thought genuine. He eould never, though Ap- 
 pearances rnakc fo very ftrongly againft him, 
 contrive, or encourage, fuch an infamous Piece 
 of Villainy ; wherefore, as I cannot, with Pru- 
 dence charge him with fo foul a Guilt, and on 
 the other Hand know, his WitnefTes too (hal- 
 low to be capable of it themfelves, I will form 
 no Judgment, hoping that Mr. Dobbs will fur- 
 nifli me a Clew to bring me out of this 
 Labvrinth. 
 
 As I hope never more to be under the Ne- 
 ceffity of troubling the Public, I beg leave to 
 fiibioin Part of Governor IJhafn's Second Let- 
 ter to clear myfelf from the Imputation of Cru- 
 elty to the Indian Linguifls, with which I am 
 taxed in Mr. Dobbs's Remarks -, the Governor's 
 former Letter takes notice of the Return of 
 one of thofe Indians, and the annexed, of the 
 otlier's^ fo that both, by authentic Evidence, are 
 arrived fafe. 
 
 <c 
 
 cc 
 
 cc 
 
 Sir, 
 
 I Was in Hopes to have heard from you, 
 and am glad to hear you are in Health as 
 *' I am at prefent ; I have flaid this Year, and 
 pleafe God I do well, I hope to fee you next 
 
 '' Year. 
 
>n the 
 lent in 
 :hongh 
 [and in 
 , being 
 ^h Ap- 
 ft him, 
 IS Piece 
 th Pru- 
 and on 
 >o (hal- 
 ill form 
 vill fur- 
 of this 
 
 the Ne- 
 leave to 
 nd Let- 
 of Cru- 
 ,ch I am 
 )vernor's 
 eturn of 
 d, of the 
 ence, are 
 
 rom you, 
 Health as 
 'ear, and 
 you next 
 
 Year, 
 
 <c 
 
 iC 
 
 I( 
 
 (C 
 
 cc 
 
 cc 
 <c 
 cc 
 cc 
 cc 
 
 [ 33 ] 
 
 Year, being refolved to return Home -, I un- 
 derftand. Sir, -fome Perfons will not give 
 credit the two Indians are alive that you put 
 afhore; yes, Sir, I can alTure fuch, that 
 they are both alive, and I have {con them, 
 and Southward Indians have talked to them, 
 when I underftood they were well ufed, and 
 that they faw nothing of any great River, not 
 going in Land far, keeping more to the South- 
 ward along Shore, 'till they arrived at that 
 Part where their Families lav, &c. &c. 
 
 " Ja?ncsJJl:am:\ 
 
 '^ Prince of Wales's Forf\ 
 " Churchill River , dated 
 " Aug, IS' 1744." 
 
 « Tb Capt, Chriftopher Middleton.^' 
 
 Mr. Smithy Mafter of the Company's Sloop, 
 lafi: Summer, at Churchill River ^ where he has 
 been fome Years in that Employ, is now in Eng^ 
 hmd, and in Town. He has fcen and fpokea 
 with both the Lull a^! Ling-uifls, fo that- here is 
 irrefragable Proof, that the Charge of Cruelty 
 brought againfl me, was, could be, with no other 
 Defign, than to blacken my Character, and make 
 me odious in the Eyes of every humane Man 
 — Mr. Smif/j may be found at Capt. SptnrcH 
 on Stepney Caufeway near Ratclif', 
 
 '. )i 
 
 il 
 
 cc 
 
 F 
 
 POST. 
 

 ■'■ 
 
 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 
 WHILE the above was in the Prefs, 
 and too late to alter, Mr. ^xx, the 
 Gunner came to Town, on Purpofe 
 to make Affidavit that he was not the Author 
 of either the Letter or Draught, to which his 
 Name was printed in Mr. Dobbs's Remarks^ and 
 is here before mentioned; which Affidavit he 
 made before a Mafter in Chancery, as follows. 
 
 :! f! 
 
 \ > 
 
 Affidavit of George Axx, late Gunner of the 
 
 Furnace. 
 
 WHEREAS in a Pamphlet entitled, i^t- 
 marh upon Capt. Middleton'j Defence 
 ^c, publiflied under the Name of Arthur 
 DobbSyECq ; there is a Letter and Draught printed 
 with my Name, as the Author of both, in Page 
 l44andi45of the faid Pamphlet,which I appre- 
 hend is with a malicious Delign to injure the 
 aforefaid Captain, and is a Refledtion on my 
 own Reputation, 
 
 I George Axx, late Gunner of his Majefty's 
 Ship the Furnace, when fent upon a Difcovery 
 
 of 
 
 '< 
 
T. 
 
 e Prefs, 
 4xXy the 
 
 Purpofe 
 ; Author 
 ^hich his 
 rh, and 
 davit he 
 
 follows. 
 
 er of the 
 
 tied, Re- 
 ' Dejhice 
 I Arthur 
 It printed 
 , in Page 
 I appre- 
 ijure the 
 [1 on my 
 
 V[ajefty*s 
 
 )ircovery 
 
 of 
 
 < 
 
 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 of a North-Weft Faffage, under the Command 
 of Capt. Chrijhpher Middleton^ make Oath, that 
 I never did v/rite the faid Letter, or make any 
 fuch Draught as is publiflied under my Name, 
 or fent any Letter or Draught with Relation to 
 Capt. Middleton, or the aforefaid Voyage, to 
 either Mr. Wygate^ a Lord of the h dmiralty, 
 or to any other Perfon whomever ; fince my 
 Return from the faidVoyage, as is falfly averted 
 in the faid Pamphlet, and that both the faid 
 Letter and Draught are abfolutely forged. 
 
 Sworn at the Public Office 
 ifl. Dec. 1744, before 
 
 T. Burrouehs. 
 
 George Aww 
 
 F I N I S. 
 
 The Reader is defired to obferve, that the Letter 
 faid to he. written to the Lords of the Admiralty, 
 was, by Millake, printed from a Copy of a Letter 
 which was not fent, inftead of a Copy of that which 
 was fent, and directed to the Honourable Thomas 
 Corbett^ Efq ♦, Secretary to the Admiralty, to be laid 
 before their Lordlhip's •, it is Word for Word the fame; 
 only the Letter fent ended at the Words Afford them 
 Light to do Juftice: Alfo, in p. 3. 1. 10. to read, in 
 ftead of having taken •, havings as it is fuggeftedy been 
 offered •, and in p, 29. 1. 10. to read Incapacity.