A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Volume 17: Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History; of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and; Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the; Present TimeKerr, Robert
History
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Volume 17: Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History; of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and; Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the; Present Time
Kerr, Robert
Voyages and travels
The vessels being now ready for sea, will sail with the first south-
westerly monsoon, which generally sets in about the beginning of April.
With this wind they will steer to the northward, along the coast of China,
beginning a more accurate survey from the mouth of the river Kyana, or the
Nankin River, in latitude 30 deg., which, I believe, is the utmost limit of
this coast hitherto visited by European ships. As the extent of that deep
gulf called Whang Hay, or the Yellow Sea, is at present unknown, it must be
left to the discretion of the commander, to proceed up it as far as he may
judge prudent; but he must be cautious not to entangle himself too far in
it, lest he should want time for the prosecution of the remaining part of
his enterprise. The same discretion must be used when he arrives in the
Straits of Tessoi, with respect to the islands of Jeso, which, if the wind
and weather be favourable, he will not lose the opportunity of exploring.
Having proceeded to the latitude of 51 deg. 40', where he will make the
southernmost point of the island of Sagaleen, beyond which the sea of
Okotzk is sufficiently known, he will steer to the southward, probably in
the beginning of June, and endeavour to fall in with the southernmost of
the Kurile Islands. Ooroop, or Nadeschda, according to the accounts of the
Russians, will furnish the ships with a good harbour, where they may wood
and water, and take in such other refreshments as the place may afford.
Toward the end of June, they will shape their course for the Shummagins,
and from thence to Cook's River, purchasing, as they proceed, as many skins
as they are able, without losing too much time, since they ought to steer
again to the southward, and trace the coast with great accuracy from the
latitude of 56 deg. to 50 deg., the space from which we were driven out of sight of
land by contrary winds. It should here be remarked, that I consider the
purchase of skins, in this expedition, merely a secondary object, for
defraying the expence; and it cannot be doubted, from our experience in the
present voyage, that two hundred and fifty skins, worth one hundred dollars
each, may be procured without any loss of time; especially as it is
probable they will be met with along the coast to the southward of Cook's
River.
Having spent three months on the coast of America, they will set out on
their return to China early in the month of October, avoiding, in their
route, as much as possible, the tracks of former navigators. I have now
only to add, that if the fur trade should become a fixed object of Indian
commerce, frequent opportunities will occur of completing whatever may be
left unfinished, in the voyage of which I have here ventured to delineate
the outlines.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account