488
*795- which I have had the honor to execute, it fhall appear that a decifion
September niay as juftly now take place, refpefting any navigable communication
Between the waters of the pacific and atlantic oceans, within the limits
of our furvey, as on the hypothefis which gave as a counterpoife to the
globe a fouthern continent, and Which the indefatigable diligenceof Captain
Cook completely fubverted, I fhould hope that the purpofe for
which His Majefty commanded the expedition to be undertaken, will
not be confidered as having failed for Want of zeal or perfeverance,
though it fhould hereafter be found incomplete for want of judgment
and ability.
There were few objects to which I had paid more attention, or had
more fincerely at heart, than that of obferving fuch a conduft, at all
times, towards the feveral tribes of Indians, with whom we fhould frequently
meet, as fhould prevent the neceffity of our reforting to any
taeafures that might endanger the lives of a people, whofe real intentions
were always likely to be Inifunderftood, from a want of knowledge in
us of their refpeffive dialects or languages. After having refided, as it
were, amongft them for more than two years, without having had the
Ieaft occafion to fire a fhot in anger, I had fondly hoped that I fhould
have been enabled to have completed our refearches in thofe before untrodden
regions, without the lofs of life to a (ingle individual belonging
to the countries we might yet find it neceffary to vifit. In this my anxious
coricern for the great caufe of humanity I was, however, difap-
pointed. The ntimbfer of Indians from Traitor’s cove which fell in the
unprovoked attack upon our boats, on the 1 2th of auguft, 1 793, tould
hot be afcertairied; but, independently of this unfortunate affair, I do
ridtknotv of more than two men who afterwards loft their lives in con-
fequence of our expeditions, from the Difcovery or Chatham. Thefe
unlucky events did not, however, fall to produce in my mind much
forrow and regret, from which I cOuId find no relief but in the confo-
lirtg reflect ion, that nothing but the moft urgent neceffity, for our own
prefervation, wbuld have compelled us to have adopted coercive mea-
furris.
From
From the firft moment of my appointment, to the y 1 A hour in. w.hi.ch. I oep'7te9m5b-er.
refigned the ftation I had fo long held, the health of every individual i_—,— _i
under my command had been my firft care ; and I had now the unfpeak-
able happinefs of beholding the fame perfons return on board the Difcovery
to the river Shannon, in perfeft health, as had failed with me
from the river Thames, excepting fuch-of the officers as had officially
been fent home, or had been promoted in the Chatham ; the feventeen
feamen left at St. Helena, to aftift in navigating the Macaffar to England*,
and the under-mentioned individuals, who were unhappily loft in ’ Arrivedall
: ■ ■ . ■ : ''C vc . . . > . • , well the «ad
the courfe of the expedition. of Novcmb.
John Brown, Carpenter's mate, drowned by accident, in the execu- ‘ 75S’
tion of his duty, off the fouth Foreland, gd of february, 1791.
Neil Coil, marine, died of the flux, comrpunicated to the Difcovery,
at the cape of Good Hope, by an infefled (hip from Batavia, 7th of
auguft, 1791.
Jofeph Murgatroyd, one of the carpenter’s crew,’ miffing at fea the
21ft ofjanuary, 1793. / .
. John Carter, feaman, poifoned by eating mufcles, in Poifon cove, 15th
june, 1793. ' : - _ ' _ - ; _ ;
Ifaac Wooden, drowned by accident, in the execution of his duty, off
Wooden’s rock, the 24th of auguft, 1794.
Richard Jones, drowned by accident, in the execution of his duty,
between the port of Valparaifo arid the ifiand of St, Helena, 21ft of
june, 1795^
By this lift it will appear that, from the 15th of december, in the
year 1790, to this tgthday of feptember, 1795, comprehending a fpace
of four years eight months and twenty-nine days, we had loft out of our
compliment of one hundred men, only one man by difeafe: and at the
time of our parting with the Chatham * at St. Helena, fhe had not, in ’ Arrivedail
1 ° , ' well 17th o f
the courfe of the whole voyage loft a fingle man, either in confequence oft. »795.
of ill health, or from any accident whatever.
The unfortunate lofs of thefe five men from the Difcovery produced
in me infinite regret, but when I adverted to the very dangerous
fervice in which we had been fo long employed, and the many perilous
fituations from which we had providentially been extricated, with all
V o 1. III. 3 R poffible