PAR EsF ACE vy

The firft voyage has fettled the dubious point of a pra€ticable North-
Welt paffage; and I truft, that ft has fet that long agitated queftion at
réft, and extinguifhed the difputes refpeéting it for ever. An enlarged
difeuffion of that fubjeét will be found to occupy the concluding pages
of this volume.

In this voyage, I was not only without the neceffary books and inftru-.

ments, but alfo felt myfelf deficient in the fciences of aftronomy and
navigation: I did not hefitate, therefore, to undertake a winter's voyage
to this country, in order to procure the one and acquire the other.
Thele objeéts being accomplilhed, I returned, to determine the practi-
cability of a commercial communication through the continent of
North America, between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, which is
proved by my fecond journal. Nor do I hefitate to declare my decided
opinion, that very great and eflential advantages may be derived by ex-

tending our trade from one fea to the other.

Some account of the fur trade of Canada from that country, of the
native inhabitants, and of the extenfive diftri&s conneéted with it,
forms a preliminary difcourfe, which will, I truft, prove interefling to
a nation whofe general policy is blended with, and whofe profperity is
fapported by, the purfuits of commerce. It will alfo qualify the reader
to purfue the fucceeding voyages with fuperior intelligence and fatisfac-

tion.

Thefe voyages will not, I fear, afford the variety that may be ex-
pected from them; and that which they offered to the eye, is not of a

nature