C H A P - m *77?; A p r il. V o y a g e t o t h e S o t i t h - S e a . S E C T. I. the Circutnjlances which gave occafton to this Voyage. r p H E circumftances which gave occafion to this voyage J. were as follows: The fhips Refolution and Adventure, deftined to make a voyage towards the South Pole and round the globe, were at that time at anchor in 'table-bay. The Meffrs. F o r s t e r accompanied them in the capacity of natu- ralifts; and had an appointment from the Britiih crown of 400o 1. iterling, or 8000 ducats, for the whole expedition. They were brought to Alphen by Major Van Prehm, in order to he introduced to me. By this means I had the pleafure of enjoying their company for a couple of days. As the fouthern continent, which was ftill pretty generally fup- pofed to exift, had taken no fmall hold on my imagination, this was fufficient reafon for me to congratulate a thefe thefe gentlemen1 on the truft repofed in them, and the >77?. good fortune they had in vifiting as naturalifts, fo diftant and unknown a part of our globe. I found them not only eager each for his own part to fulfil what the world ex- pe£ted and required o f them, but they even went fo far in their zed . for the more accurate inveiligation of nature, as to think of procuring an affiftant, at no fmall coil to themfelves, and therefore offered me my voyage gratis, with part of fuch natural curiofities as they might .chance to collect, on condition of my affifting them with my poor abilities. Such an unexpedted return to my compliment, had almoft deprived me o f the power of anfwering them, had ¡not my heart didated to me the molt lively expreffions o f gratitude to them for the confidence they placed in me. But before I, could give a determinate anfwer to fo lucrative' and agreeable a propofal, which at the lame time did me fo much honour, but likewife fet before me a tedious, difficult, and dangerous voyage, the affair feemed to require fome confideration. Should I accept this, offer, thought I, and the event prove fortunate, L ffiould Loon forget my fatigues, nay, frequently remember with pleafure the difficulties I had undergone. On the other hand, ihould I once negled this opportunity,. I Ihould long have to upbraid myfelf with the omiffion, I recollected, that the great Linnaeus had frequently Laid, nothing had vexed him more in his whole fife, than that, when he relided in Holland, he had not accepted of the offer which had been made him of taking a voyage to the Cape of Good Hope, j As two Swedes, Dr. SoLANpER and Mr, Spoering,: with remarkable honour to themfelves and advantage to fcience, . Vo l . I. M " had
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