Why Maurelle fhoukl fo pofitively aflert a palpable
falfehood, it is not eafy to conceive. Indeed the incon-
fiftency of this aflertion may be eafilyfeen, if we conlider
it but forone moment; for if he actually had “ fearched
every bay and rec'efs on the coajl, and- failed round every
head-land, lying-to in the n ig h tf even with the fair wind
he fpeaks of, all this, I fay, could not poffibly have been
done during twice the fpace of time he was on this part
of the coaft. But the difcovery of Queen Charlotte’s
Iflands during the prefent Voyage,- inconteftibly proves
that Don Francifco Maurelle was never near the place
which he boafts of having looked for in vain.” The
lituationof thefe Wands, viz. from 54 deg. 20 min. to
51 deg. 56 min. North latitude, and from 130 to 133
deg. 30 min. Weft longitude, evidently lhews that they
are the Archipelago of St. Lazarus, and confequently
near the Straight of De Fonte, though farther refearches
muft be made before any degree of credibility can be
given to his pompous account of the place.
However, if the Spaniards on this oceafon could find
no iflands where they actually exift, at other times they
have difcovered land which we now find to be imaginary.
The iflands Los Majos, La Mafo, and St. Maria la Gorta,
laid/down by Mr. Roberts, from 18 deg. 30 min, to 28
i deg.
deg. North latitude, and from 135 deg. to 149 deg..
Weft longitude, and copied by him from a Spanifh M.S.
chart, were in vain looked for by us, and, to ufe Mau-
relle’s words, “ it may he pronounced that no fuch Ifands
are to he f o u n d - fo that their intention has uniformly
been ta miflead rather than be of fervice to future Navigators.
To expatiate on the abfurdity, not to call it by a
worfe name, of fuch conduct, would be painful; let us
then turn from fo difagreeable a fubject, and fay a few
words refpecting the Difcoveries of our immortal countryman,
the. late Captain Cook..
This celebrated Navigator fell in with the American
Coaft in 44 deg. North latitude, but had no opportunity
of coming to anchor till' he arrived at Nootka, which he
named King George’s Sound. It is fituated in 49 deg.
36 min. North latitude;, and 126 deg. 42 min. Weft
longitude..
On leaving this harbour, he was prevented by bad weather
from keeping in with the. coaft,* and did not again
fee
. * At noon on die 2.8th April, 1778, the latitude by obfervation was
jfi/deg. i min. North.; longitude 229 deg. 26 min. Eaft. I now fleered
North