early australian voyages-第13节

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　to　persons　used　to　the　navigation　of　the　Indies；　such　an　expedition　could　not　be　thought　either　dangerous　or　difficult；　because　it　is　already　sufficiently　known　that　there　are　everywhere　islands　upon　the　coast；　where　ships　upon　such　a　discovery　might　be　sure　to　meet　with　refreshments；　as　is　plain　from　Commodore　Roggewein's　voyage；　made　little　more　than　twenty　years　ago。

The　only　difficulty　that　I　can　see　would　be　the　getting　a　fair　and　honest　account　of　this　expedition　when　made；　for　private　interest　is　so　apt　to　interfere；　and　get　the　better　of　the　public　service；　that　it　is　very　hard　to　be　sure　of　anything　of　this　sort。　　That　I　may　not　be　suspected　of　any　intent　to　calumniate；　I　shall　put　the　reader　in　mind　of　two　instances；　the　first　is；　as　to　the　new　trade　from　Russia；　for　establishing　of　which　an　Act　of　Parliament　was　with　great　difficulty　obtained；　though　visibly　for　the　advantage　of　the　nation；　the　other　instance　is；　the　voyage　of　Captain　Middleton；　for　the　discovery　of　a　north…west　passage　into　the　south　seas；　which　is　ended　by　a　very　warm　dispute；　whether　that　passage　be　found　or　not；　the　person　supposed　to　have　found　it　maintaining　the　negative。

Whenever；　therefore；　such　an　expedition　is　undertaken；　it　ought　to　be　under　the　direction；　not　only　of　a　person　of　parts　and　experience；　but　of　unspotted　character；　who；　on　his　return；　should　be　obliged　to　deliver　his　journal　upon　oath；　and　the　principal　officers　under　him　should　likewise　be　directed　to　keep　their　journals　distinctly；　and　without　their　being　inspected　by　the　principal　officer；　all　which　journals　ought　to　be　published　by　authority　as　soon　as　received；　that　every　man　might　be　at　liberty　to　examine　them；　and　deliver　his　thoughts　as　to　the　discoveries　made；　or　the　impediments　suggested　to　have　hindered　or　prevented　such　discoveries；　by　which　means　the　public　would　be　sure　to　obtain　a　full　and　distinct　account　of　the　matter；　and　it　would　thence　immediately　appear　whether　it　would　be　expedient　to　prosecute　the　design　or　not。

But　if　it　should　be　thought　too　burdensome　for　a　company　in　so　flourishing　a　condition；　and　consequently　engaged　in　so　extensive　a　commerce　as　the　East　India　Company　is；　to　undertake　such　an　expedition；　merely　to　serve　the　public；　promote　the　exportation　of　our　manufactures；　and　increase　the　number　of　industrious　persons　who　are　maintained　by　foreign　trade；　if　this；　I　say；　should　be　thought　too　grievous　for　a　company　that　has　purchased　her　privileges　from　the　public　by　a　large　loan　at　low　interest；　there　can　certainly　be　no　objection　to　the　putting　this　project　into　the　hands　of　the　Royal　African　Company；　who　are　not　quite　in　so　flourishing　a　condition；　they　have　equal　opportunities　for　undertaking　it；　since　the　voyage　might　be　with　great　ease　performed　from　their　settlements　in　ten　months；　and　if　the　trade　was　found　to　answer；　it　might　encourage　the　settling　a　colony　at　Madagascar　to　and　from　which　ships　might；　with　the　greatest　conveniency；　carry　on　the　trade　to　New　Guinea。　　I　cannot　say　how　far　such　a　trade　might　be　consistent　with　their　present　charter；　but　if　it　should　be　found　advantageous　to　the　public；　and　beneficial　to　the　company；　I　think　there　can　be　no　reason　assigned　why　it　should　not　be　secured　to　them；　and　that　too　in　the　most　effectual　manner。

A　very　small　progress　in　it　would　restore　the　reputation　of　the　company；　and　in　time；　perhaps；　free　the　nation　from　the　annual　expense　she　is　now　at；　for　the　support　of　the　forts　and　garrisons　belonging　to　that　company　on　the　coasts　of　Africa；　which　would　alone　prove　of　great　and　immediate　service；　both　to　the　public　and　to　the　company。　　To　say　the　truth；　something　of　this　sort　is　absolutely　necessary　to　vindicate　the　expense　the　nation　is　at；　for　if　the　trade；　for　the　carrying　on　of　which　a　company　is　established；　proves；　by　a　change　of　circumstances；　incapable　of　supporting　that　company；　and　thereby　brings　a　load　upon　the　public；　this　ought　to　be　a　motive；　it　ought；　indeed；　to　be　the　strongest　motive；　for　that　company　to　endeavour　the　extension　of　its　commerce；　or　the　striking　out；　if　possible；　some　new　branch　of　trade；　which　may　restore　it　to　its　former　splendour；　and　in　this　as　it　hath　an　apparent　right；　so　there　is　not　the　least　reason　to　doubt　that　it　would　meet　with　all　the　countenance　and　assistance　from　the　government　that　it　could　reasonably　expect　or　desire。

If　such　a　design　should　ever　be　attempted；　perhaps　the　island　of　New　Britain　might　be　the　properest　place　for　them　to　settle。　　As　to　the　situation；　extent；　and　present　condition　of　that　island；　all　that　can　be　said　of　it　must　be　taken　from　the　account　given　by　its　discoverer　Captain　Dampier；　which；　in　few　words；　amounts　to　this：　〃The　island　which　I　call　Nova　Britannia　has　about　4　degrees　of　latitude；　the　body　of　it　lying　in　4　degrees；　the　northernmost　part　in　2　degrees　30　minutes；　and　the　southernmost　in　6　degrees　30　minutes。　　It　has　about　5　degrees　18　minutes　longitude　from　east　to　west；　it　is　generally　high　mountainous　land；　mixed　with　large　valleys；　which；　as　well　as　the　mountains；　appeared　very　fertile；　and　in　most　places　that　we　saw　the　trees　are　very　large；　tall；　and　thick。　　It　is　also　very　well　inhabited　with　strong；　well…limbed　negroes；　whom　we　found　very　daring　and　bold　at　several　places：　　as　to　the　product　of　it；　it　is　very　probable　this　island　may　afford　as　many　rich　commodities　as　any　in　the　world；　and　the　natives　may　be　easily　brought　to　commerce；　though　I　could　not　pretend　to　it　in　my　circumstances。〃　　If　any　objections　should　be　raised　from　Dampier's　misfortune　in　that　voyage；　it　is　easy　to　show　that　it　ought　to　have　no　manner　of　weight　whatever；　since；　though　he　was　an　excellent　pilot；　he　is　allowed　to　have　been　but　a　bad　commander；　besides；　the　Roebuck；　in　which　he　sailed；　was　a　worn…out　frigate　that　would　hardly　swim；　and　it　is　no　great　wonder　that　in　so　crazy　a　vessel　the　people　were　a　little　impatient　at　being　abroad　on　discoveries；　yet；　after　all；　he　performed　what　he　was　sent　for；　and；　by　the　discovery　of　this　island　of　New　Britain；　secured　us　an　indisputable　right　to　a　country；　that　is；　or　might　be　made；　very　valuable。

It　is　so　situated；　that　a　great　trade　might　be　carried　on　from　thence　through　the　whole　Terra　Australis　on　one　side；　and　the　most　valuable　islands　of　the　East　Indies　on　the　other。　　In　short；　all；　or　at　least　most；　of　the　advantages　proposed　by　the　Dutch　West　India　Company's　joining　with　their　East　India　Company；　of　which　a　large　account　has　already　been　given；　might　be　procured　for　this　nation；　by　the　establishing　a　colony　in　this　island　of　New　Britain；　and　securing　the　trade　of　that　colony　to　the　African　Company　by　law；　the　very　passing　of　which　law　would　give　the　company　more　than　sufficient　credit；　to　fit　out　a　squadron　at　once　capable　of　securing　the　possession　of　that　island；　and　of　giving　the　public　such　satisfaction　as　to　its　importance；　as　might　be　requisite　to　obtain　further　power　and　assistance　from　the　State；　if　that　should　be　found　necessary。　　It　would　be　very　easy　to　point　out　some　advantages　peculiarly　convenient　for　that　company；　but　it　will　be　time　enough　to　think　of　these　whenever　the　African　Company　shall　discover　an　inclination　to　prosecute　this　design。　　At　present　I　have　done　what　I　proposed；　and　have　shown　that　such　a　collection　of　voyages　as　this　ought　not　to　be　considered　as　a　work　of　mere　amusement；　but　as　a　work　calculated　for　the　benefit　of　mankind　in　general；　and　of　this　nation　in　particular；　which　it　is　the　duty　of　every　man　to　promote　in　his　station；　and　whatever　fate　these　reflections　may　meet　with；　I　shall　always　have　the　satisfaction　of　remembering　that　I　have　not　neglected　it　in　mine；　but　have　taken　the　utmost　pains　to　turn　a　course　of　laborious　reading　to　the　advantage　of　my　country。

But；　supposing　that　neither　of　these　companies　should　think　it　expedient；　or；　in　other　words；　should　not　think　it　consistent　with　their　interest　to　attempt　this　discovery；　there　is　yet　a　third　company；　within　the　spirit　of　whose　charter；　I　humbly　conceive；　the　prosecution　of　such　a　scheme　immediately　lies。　　The　reader　will　easily　discern　that　I　mean　the　company　for　carrying　on　a　trade　to　the　South　Seas；　who；　notwithstanding　the　extensiveness　of　their　charter；　confirmed　and　supported　by　authority　of　parliament；　have　not；　so　far　as　my　information　reaches；　ever　attempted　to　send　so　much　as　a　single　ship　for　the　sake　of　discoveries　into　the　South　Seas；　which；　however；　was　the　great　point　proposed　when　this　company　was　first　established。　　In　order　to　prove　this；　I　need　only　lay　before　the　reader　the　limits　assigned　that　company　by　their　charter；　the　substance　of　which　is　contained　in　the　following　words：…

〃The　corporation；　and　their　successors；　shall；　for　ever；　be　vested　in　the　sole　trade　into　and　from　all　the　kingdoms　and　lands　on　the　east　side　of　America；　from　the　River　Oroonoco；　to　the　southernmost　part　of　Terra　del　Fuego；　and　on　the　west　side　thereof　from　the　said　southernmost　part　of　Terra　del　Fuego；　through　the　South　Sea；　to　the　northernmost　part　of　America；　and　into　and　through　all　the　countries；　islands；　and　places　within　the　said　limits；　which　are　reputed　to　belong　to　Spain；　or　which　shall　hereafter　be　found　out　and　discovered　within　the　limits　aforesaid；　not