Here they saw a number of islands,
and of white whales, and ascertained that the tide rose ten or twelve feet,
and came from the north.
Mr. Dobbs next applied to government, who at his request sent out two
vessels under Captain Middleton. But Middleton, who had been in the service
of the company for many voyages, returned after having sailed up the
Welcome to Wager's River, and looked into, or perhaps sailed round, a bay,
which he named Repulse Bay. Mr. Dobbs accused him of having misrepresented
or concealed his discoveries; and there seems good ground for such an
accusation, which indeed was confirmed by the evidence of his officers, and
not explicitly denied by himself. Government was undoubtedly of opinion
that the voyage of Middleton had not determined the non-existence or
impracticability of a passage; for the next year an act of parliament was
passed, granting a reward of 20,000_l_. to the person or persons who
should discover a northwest passage through Hudson's Straits to the western
and southern ocean of America.
Stimulated by the hope of obtaining this large sum, a company was formed,
who raised 10,000_l_., in shares of 100l., with which they fitted out two
ships; the Dobbs, commanded by Captain More; and the California, by Captain
Smith. They sailed from London on the 20th of May, 1746. When they reached
the American coast near Marble Island, they made some observations on the
tides, which they found flowed from the north-east, and consequently
followed the direction of the coast; they likewise ascertained that the
tide rose to the height of ten feet.
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