24
VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH SEAS.
are, I preſume, pretty generally known. My long-boat, which was not more than twenty-eight feet in the keel, coaſted it in the depth of winter and in a tempeſtuous climate, from 38° North to 50° North; and part of the ſame courſe back to rejoin me. The greateſt part of the cargoes of ſhips voyaging to the North Weſt Coaſt of America, have been collected in boats. The long-boat of the ſhips I commanded in my firſt voyage thither, coaſted from 60° North, many leagues to the Southward, as well as in various bays and inlets which the ſhip could not enter; whereby a more particular knowledge of that country has been obtained, as will appear on the publication of Capt. Vancouver's voyage. The known ſpirit of enterpriſe and ſpeculation, poſſeſſed by the Britiſh merchants, and which is not equalled, by thoſe of any other nation, will again ſhew itſelf, when a peace takes place; and the inland countries in the Southern parts of America, including the Eaſt and Weſt coaſts of Patagonia, Straits of Magellan, and Terra Del Fuego, will, I doubt not, be traverſed and explored, from the information of Mr. Falkner, who reſided near forty years in that country, and publiſhed an account of his travels in 1774. He remarks, that the Eaſtern coaſts abound with oſtriches, whoſe feathers are known to be ſo valuable, beſides otters, hares, rabbits, and other animals, yielding fur. He likewiſe mentions the articles of trade neceſſary for the Indians, and deſcribes the Weſtern ſide as abounding alſo with oſtriches, as well as hares of an extraordinary ſize,
