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ease be transferred to any other; but a claim of fuch a nature is of too little importance to be taken any farther notice of.

Lord Anfon's voyage first fhewed the great importance that it would be of to this nation in time of war, to have a friendly port and place of refreshment, confiderably more to the fouth, and much nearer Cape Horn than the Brazils. Befides the jealousy and general unfriendly behaviour of the Portugueze in that quarter, the voyage from thence to the South-feas is of fo great a length, that the vigour and health of the men, as well as their water and other provifions, must be greatly exhaufted before they arrive at the scene of action; befide their fhips being foul and out of condition. Another reafon, not less material than any of these, was the certainty that the Spaniards would be well informed by the Portugueze of their ftrength, condition, and deftination, long before they could put any of their designs in execution.

The author of Anfon's voyage enters pretty fully into this fubject; and as that work was wrote under his lordship's immediate infpection, the obfervations upon it. may be confidered as his own. This writer, befides fhewing the utility of fuch a fettlement, particularly points out these islands, and that of Pepys, as places, from which their vicinity to Cape Horn and the Steights of Magellan, and their distance from any other land, feemed particularly calculated for the purpose, and fhould therefore be accurately furveyed and examined.

We accordingly find, that, foon after the enfuing peace, when Lord

Anfon was at the head of the Admiralty, this scheme was adopted, and preparations were in hand for the fending out fome frigates to make discoveries in those feas, and particularly to examine, with precifion, the ftate and condition of thefe iflands. This project was not fo well conducted, but that the court of Spain gained intelligence of it, before it could be carried into execution; and fuch reprefentations were made against it, both here and at Madrid, that it was for that time laid afide, and continued dormant, till it was again revived, foon after the conclufion of the laft war, by the late Earl of Egmont, who then prefided in the Admiralty.

The defign of an establishment on or near the coast of Patagonia, is not, however, a new scheme: it had been eagerly entered into many years ago by Charles the Second, who, notwithstanding the conti nual diftreffes in which his profufion, and the ill terms on which he generally stood with his subjects, involved him, went to a very confiderable expence in fending out Sir John Narborough for that purpofe. This gentleman had directions to furvey the Streights of Magellan, and the neighbouring coafts of Patagonia; and, if poffible, to procure an intercourse with the brave and unconquered Indians of Chilli, and to establish a commerce and lafting correfpondence with them. It had been then, and fince, a general opinion, that fome of the richest gold mines in the world were well known, but carefuily concealed by the In-dians in that quarter, that the knowledge of them might not urge the rapacity and avarice of the [4] 2

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PRINTED (by Affignment of the Executors of the late Mr. James DodЛley)

FOR W. OTRIDGE AND SON; R. FAULDER; CUTHELL
AND MARTIN; OGILVY AND SON; R. LEA;

J. NUNN; J. WALKER; LACKINGTON,

ALLEN AND CO; E. JEFFERY;

AND VERNOR AND HOOD.

By J. Crowder and E. Hemfted, Warwick-Square.

1803.

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