yet that coast is in itself so extremely dangerous, owing to its
numerous rocks and breakers, and to the violence of the western winds,
which blow upon it continually, that it is by no means advisable
to fall in with that coast, at least till the roads, channels, and
anchorages in each part of it have been accurately surveyed, and both
the perils and shelters with which it abounds are more distinctly
known.

Having thus given the best directions in my power, for the success of
our cruizers that may be hereafter bound to the South Seas, it might
be expected that I should now resume the narrative of our voyage. Yet
as, both in the preceding and subsequent parts of this work, I have
thought it my duty not only to recite all such facts, and to inculcate
such maxims, as had even the least appearance of proving beneficial to
future navigators, and also to recommend such measures to the public
as seemed adapted to promote the same laudable purpose, I cannot
desist from the present subject without beseeching those persons to
whom the conduct of our naval affairs is confided, to endeavour
to remove the many perplexities and embarrassments with which the
navigation to the South Sea is at present encumbered. An effort of
this kind could not fail of proving highly honourable to themselves,
and extremely beneficial to their country; for it is sufficiently
evident, that whatever improvements navigation shall receive, either
by the invention of methods by which its practice may be rendered less
hazardous, or by the more accurate delineation of the coasts, roads,
and harbours already known, or by the discovery of new countries and
nations, or of new species and sources of commerce, the advantages
thence arising must ultimately redound to the emolument of Great
Britain. Since, as our fleets are at present superior to those of the
whole world united, it must be a matchless degree of supineness or
meanness of spirit, if we permit any of the advantages deriveable from
new discoveries, or from a more extended navigation, to be ravished
from us.

Since it appears, from what has been already said, that all our future
expeditions to the South Seas must run a considerable risk of proving
abortive, while we remain under the necessity of touching at Brazil
in our passage thither, the discovery of some place more to the
southward, where ships might refresh, and supply themselves with the
necessary sea stock for their passage round Cape Horn, wo