D e c em b e r . 6 r 1 J
■ ■ out expence, but even with the profpect or very conuderable
'779- through means o f the Eaft-India Company, not only with-
advantages. Though the fituation o f affairs at home,
or perhaps greater difficulties in the execution o f my fcheme
than I had forefeen, have hitherto prevented its being carried
into effeCt, yet, as I find the plan in m.y journal, and
ftill retain my partiality for it, I hope it w ill not be intirely
foreign to the nature o f this work, i f I beg leave to infert
it here.
I propofed then, that the Company’s China ihips ihould
carry an additional complement o f men each, makin g in all
one hundred. Two veffels, one o f two hundred and the
other o f oneffiundred and fifty tons, might, I was told, with
proper notice, be readily purchafed at Canton; and, as victualling
is not hearer there than in Europe, I calculate, that
they might be completely fitted out for fea, with a year’s
pay and provifion, fo r fix thoufand pounds, including the
purchafe. T he expence o f the neceffary articles fo r barter
is fcarcely worth mentioning. I would, by all means, recommend,
that eachffiip Ihould have five ton o f unwrought
.iron, a forge, and an expert fmith, with a journeyman and
apprentice, who might he ready to forge fuch tools, as it
ihould appear the Indians were moft defirous of. For
though fix o f the.fineft Ikins purchafed by us, were got for
a dozen large green glafs beads, yet it is well known, that
the fancy o f thefe people for articles o f ornament, is exceedin
g ly capricious; and that iron is the only fure commodity
for their market. T o this might be added, a few grofs o f
large pointed cafe-knives, fome bales o f coarfe woollen
cloth (linen they would not accept o f from us), and a barrel
o j two o f copper and glafs trinkets..
I have
I have here propofed two flops, not only for the greater D 1779-
fecurity o f the expedition, but beeaufe I think fingle ihips > r~-
ought never to be fenf out on difcoveries. For where riiks
are to be run, and doubtful and hazardous experiments
tried, it cannot be expefted that fingle ihips ihould venture
fo far, as where there is fome fecurity provided againil an
untoward accident.
The veffels being now ready for fea-, w ill fail w ith the firll
South Wefterly monfoon, which generally fets in about the
beginning o f April. With this wind they will fteer to the
Northward, along the coaft o f China, beginning a more accurate
furvey from the mouth o f the river Kyana, or. the
Nankin .River, in latitude 30% which I believe is the utmoft
limit o f this coaft hitherto vifited by European Ihips. As
the extent o f that deep g u lf called Whang Hay, or the
Yellow Sea, is at prefent unknown, it muft be left to the '
difcretion o f the Commander, to proceed up it as far as he
may judg e prudent; but he muft be cautious not toentangle
h im fe lf too far in it, left he ihould want time for the profe-
eution o f the remaining part o f his enterprize. The
fame difcretion muft be ufed, when he arrives in the Straits
o f Teffoi, with refpeft to the iflands o f Jefo, which, i f the *
wind and weather be favourable, he will not lofe the oppor-'
tunity o f exploring.
Ha vin g proceeded to the latitude o f 51° 40', where he will
make the Southernmoft point o f the ifland of' Sagaleen,
beyond which the fea o f Okotik is fufficiently known, he
w ill fteer to the Southward, probably in the beginning o f
June, and endeavour to fall in with the Southernmoft o f
the Kurile iflands. Ouroop or Nadefchda, according to the
accounts o f the Ruffians, will furniffi the ihips with a good
2 harbour,