They Ascertained
That The Fresh Water, Which Had Been Discovered In The Former Voyage, Was
That Of A River, Which
Was the outlet of a lake, and this lake they
explored; it was twenty-four miles long, and six or
Seven broad; they
likewise found a river flowing into the lake from the west, but they were
prevented from exploring it to any great distance by falls, that
intercepted the progress of their boats. These particulars are detailed in
Goldson's Observations on the Passage between the Atlantic and Pacific
Oceans; the voyages themselves were never published, do not seem to be
generally known, and have escaped the notice of Forster, the author of the
History of Voyages and Discoveries in the North. Forster is likewise silent
respecting an expedition that was equipped and sent out by some gentlemen
of Virginia in 1772, to attempt a north-west passage. The captain on his
return reported that he reached a large bay in latitude 69 deg. 11', which he
supposed hitherto unknown; that from the course of the tides, he thought it
probable there might be a passage through it, but that as this bay was
seldom free from ice, the passage could seldom if ever be practicable.
In the year 1770 the Hudson's Bay Company, more alive to the prospect of
gain than to the interests of discovery and geographical science, having
received some information from the Indians that copper might be obtained in
great quantity far to the west of Fort Prince of Wales, resolved to
dispatch Mr. Hearne, belonging to that fort, in search of it.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 686 of 1007
Words from 187522 to 187788
of 273188
