hese countries,
and our ignorance of these coasts; and therefore, a voyage round
the world promises a species of information, of all others, the most
desirable and interesting; since great part of it is performed in seas
with which we are, as yet, but very imperfectly acquainted, and in the
neighbourhood of a country renowned for the abundance of its wealth;
though it is, at the same time, stigmatized for its poverty in the
necessaries and conveniences of a civilized life.

These considerations have occasioned the compiling the ensuing work;
which, in gratifying the inquisitive disposition of mankind, and
contributing to the safety and success of future navigators, and to
the extension of our commerce, may doubtless vie with any narration of
this kind hitherto made public; since, as to the first of these heads,
it may well be supposed that the general curiosity hath been strongly
excited, by the circumstances of this undertaking already known to the
world; for, whether we consider the force of the squadron sent on
this service, or the diversified distresses that each single ship was
separately involved in, or the uncommon instances of varying fortune
which attended the whole enterprize; each of these articles must,
I conceive, from its well-known rude outlines, appear worthy of a
completer and more finished delineation: And, if this be allowed with
respect to the narrative part of the work, there can be no doubt about
the more useful and instructive parts, which are almost every where
interwoven with it; for I can venture to affirm, without fear of being
contradicted, on a comparison, that no voyage, hitherto published,
furnishes such a number of views of land, soundings, draughts of
ports, charts, and other materials, for the improvement of geography
and navigation, as are contained in the ensuing volume; which are the
more valuable too, as the greatest part of them relate to such islands
or coasts as have been hitherto not at all, or erroneously described;
and where the want of sufficient and authentic information might
occasion future enterprizes to prove abortive, perhaps with the
destruction of the ships and men employed therein.

Besides the number and choice of these marine drawings and
descriptions, there is another very essential circumstance belonging
to them, which much enhances their worth; and that is the great
accuracy with which they were executed. I shall express my opinion of
them, in this particular,