fcience and geography : the. errors of the former, if
any, might have been corroded by the latter navigator
; and the merit of -his difcaveries have been more
completely eftablifhed by later obfervations tending
to confirm their authenticity. This advantage, it is
prefumed, may be found in the prefent w o rk a n d as
the Englifti commander could not> poffibly have known
the inftrudions given to La Pdroufo by the French
Government, he is t, perfectly clear of the charge of
imitation. I f however the idea fliould ftill prevail,
that La Phroufos voyage has, fuperfeded the neoeffity
of thisprefent publication, perhaps a brief ftatement
of the drfcoveries or furveys made by both navigators
in the fame feas may remove fueh ill-founded prejudices,
and afcertain the degree of merit due to each
voyage feparately.
The JFrench editor remarks, that “ the examination
o f the eaftern coaft of Tartary, and the difcovery, - as
•it may be called, of one of the moft extenfive * iflands
on the globe, feparated from the continent by a ftrait,
■which was traverfed in all directions, give La Pdon&’s
voyage importance and in d iv id u a lity b u t here, it
may be obferved without any undue prefumption, that
the eaftern coaft of Tartary has been examined alfo
by
Tchoka; ox Sagaleen.
fey the Englifti commander, and that tile furyey. of
the extenfive ifland of Tehoka- or Sagaleen is not.fu*
perior in point o f: general intereft to that whieh has-
been' made;by him of Chlea, Jeffp^ or Infu, to the
South of i t ; an ifiand indeed of lefs extent,, but more
an obje&ofi' cnriofity toe European's.. , She! eanfo of
geography, in^refped to- thefehitlierto undefined.-
parfe4 ^ o ^ to: hg^e; been equally-benefited by the-
two navigators; for their feparate •fafvey& will mutually,
cocred the-errors relative to thefe. tWo;iflands,
whiph halse been laid do#h with, fueh .fifths Attention?
By the- paffagb1. of; La P6?oufe through th.e .ftraits;
which bear his name, the . infulaptyof Tchpka m s
determined; as that of, Chica or Info?, was alfo,.. by
th* fading of theffProvidence t through' the .ftraits Of
Sangaar. -.. The weftern, coaft of Ifljfu. wasjfurveyed by
the Pirpvideftce, which La » P 6mnfe, omitted by ..going,
through hip town ftrajts^ And in ,their progxefs, to>
5%°' N, latitude, the boafcqf the EagJifti ; veffel .went
fifteen miles further thaip thofe of . La Peroufe;. non
did? its erew relax,! ftom.-vtheir. furveysgods, the« were ip.
two. fathom.,water, aadpthe fhoals,. together with the-
nearbels of the TurrouiK-lit^-;flrppis?( prevented any.
ftnither, advance. As to their refpedive surveys of the
Kurile