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1

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**

MISCELLANIES

BY THE HONOURABLE

DAINES BARRINGTON.

:4

Et fi non profunt fingula, junfta

juvcnt

I

J- O N D O N,
I'RINTKD BY J.NICHOLS.

->^'>'^Vn.W„lTH.A.„0KAC..3HHAD.K.HnT-STRHEr
• •^^■'M.NFCHOLS. RED LION PASSAGE.
Mijcn.xxxi.

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' Mr.

I r

CONTENTS.

TRACTS on the Pojibillty of reaching the North Pole,

page 1 — 124
f

MISCELLANEOUS ESSAYS.

Whether the Turkey was known before the B'tfcovery /America, 127

On the Rein-deer^

I cz

On the Bat, or Rere-moufe^ ,5

On tbefudden Decay of feveral Trees in St. James's Park, 1 70

On the periodical Appearing and Difappearing of certain Birds at

different Times of the Year, j _

On the Torpidity of the Swallow Tribe when they difappear, £35

245
262

On the prevailing Notions with regard to the Cuckow,
On the Liunaean Sy/lem,

OTHER ARTICLES OFCONTENTS.

Particulars of an Agreement between the King of Spain and the
Royal Society, for an Exchange of Natural Cur iof tics, 276

I" Mozart, a very remarkable young Mufician,

I Mr. Charles Wefley,
Account of \ Mafler Samuel Wefley,

I little Crotch,

i the Earl of Mornlngton,
Of the Deluge m the Time of Noah,
Ui/iory of the Gwedir Family,

a a

/
279

289

291

326^-

343
Letter^

\

CONTENTS.

„ ■ • . 469

THE

*f

T 11 k

POSSIBILITY

OF A P P R O A C in N G Til

NORTH POLE

DISCUSSED.

Ov i^v, i^uj, uTTuvi'jh Tt^iHi, « v)j< -rr.^-^crccs.

Dionyfii, Orbis Defciip.

^:

i

li

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[ iii )

P R E F A C

E

T o r U E

POLAR TRACTS.

'^^HL to\lo^y\np; tra.51. alarive to the pofTlhilitv of nonr an.

JL proachcs to the Pole of our ovvn ];c..i,ph.:.;, ,, i^i,,J^

ot a co,n:.,uaic.tIon l,ctu-een the Atlantick and P.cilkk ocen..

u. any Northern dire:^ion, were inil p.hhiheJ hi lyy^ and 1776.

I now think It right to print tlie.n a fecond time, hccaule they

-nt^nn many well-attellcd. f.^s with regard to reachin, higi.

Northern Latitudes, which are not to be found elfewhere, and

Have a tendency to promote geographical dilL-overies. I am verv

ready to admit indeed, that the janpofcs of con.merce can never

hca^^yered by the great uncertainty of a confhint pafe (even

when luch communication is diibovered) in fcas which are fb fre-

quently oharuded by the ice packing in vaft helds, I t\nd likewife

that l.nce the Rr/hhaJci and E,<A'ovour returned from their la'l

voyage, many conceive a N. E. or N. W. parage to be impraaica-

f'lc', becauie our (h.ps in f.vo fuccefHve years w.re notable to pMie-

ii-ate beyond 7 , , by impediments of ice. B. iul.s, however di it

rue ice packing in particular lituations varivs oltca in diilvrent

b 2

rears;

r

T^WW^Wma

i

1

L

IV

]

years; both tlidc attempts were made lu tlic montli of Auguf),
which I Hatter niyfcU" to have proved, Is the very ieafon of the
year when the ice breaking up on the coaft, is floating in every
diictfllon, and confcqutntly often packs in niafles of an inimenfc
extent.

Thtfc vaft fields of ice, indeed, often arc difperfed ; but v\'ho
h.uh, or indeed fliould have, tlie fortitude of waiting for this
accident, whllfl he is already in a high Northern I^atitude, and
the winter is fart; approaching? If the ice, however, fliould thus
pack in April or May (»vhich I conceive it would not, as little
mufl: be left to float from the preceding fummer), yet as the
warm weather is then incrcaJing from day to day, the navigator
would wait with fome degree of patience till his fliip may be
rcleafed from this temporary obn:ru<^ion. I'hc fituation of the
dlfcovcrer under thefe circumftanccs, may be compared to a
traveller pafling over a large tra(n: of fea-fand, when the tide
is flowhig or ebbing. In the firfl Inftance he fpurs hi? horfe
bccaufe the fea may be expetSted at his heels; in the latter he
proceeds with great compofure, as every inftant he lofes in point
of time the fea is further removed.

Others again have defpaired of a N. W. paflage, from Captain
Pickerfgill not having fucceeded' in his attempt for this purpofe,.
during the year 1776*.

This voyage was intended for two purpofes (at Icafl- ns I have
hco;n informed); the firfl to prote£b fome of our whale flfhers oa.
the coaft of VV. Groenland from the Americans tlien in rebellion;
and the fecond (if the time after this fervtce permitted) to join
Captain Cook, fhould he have been fo fortunate as to have ac-

■ hi the Lion armed Bii^.

complifliei

1

I - 1

complifhed his pnfr.gc from tlic Pncilick Ocenn, when he wouUi
probably have rttunicd to Eiiolaiul by Davis's flralts.

This plan fccms to have been very well laid, but that pcr-
fcvcnng navigator was delayed at the Cape by Captain Clark's
fliip not arriving till a confulcrable time after his own reaching
that place of rendezvous, and in the further progrcfs of his
voyage by adverfc winds, which drove him to the Friendly Iflands
inftead of Otahcitce, fo that he did not make his attempt of a
paflage till 1777.

Captain Pickerfgill did not leave Scllly till the loth of June,
1766, and confequcntly whatever obftrudions he met with froni
floating or packing ice, might be reafonably expelled when he
reached the coaft of Weft Groenland. It appears, however, by
what I fliall copy from the conchifion of his journal on the -ii\
of Auguft, that he did not fnid thcfe to be coniiderable, and tliat
after the trial his hopes of a paflage were very fanguinc.

" I Oiall conclude with a few obfervations on this part of tiic
" world (fc. Greenland) and fo terribly reprefented by people,'
*' who, in Older to raife their own merit, make dangers and dif-
** Acuities of common occurrences, merely bccaufe the places are
•» unknown, and there is little or no probability of their being
" ever contradlL^ed. 1 do not mean this as a perfonal reflexion;
»« but having difcourled with many of the mr.fters of Grcenlatul
" veflels as well as their employers, and heard fuch dreadhir
"■ ftories of thofe countries, I cannot help remarking it as tending
" to miflead thofc who from a laudable principle, would b^
»' benetaaors to their country, but arc deterred from It by tbtlb
«' mlfreprefcntations. I fhall communicate obfervatlon? ->- *•-

it

i(

jce.

the atmofphere, the land of ForbllTier, and the probabl

of a N. IV. pcjjjage, in a fiort t'mi

^ Ph. Tranf. for 17^8, Part II. p. io6'

Xh

IS,

f J>

vis

«

i vi ]

Tl.Js liouvvc, hatl, UMfortunatcl/ been prevented hv r„f •

laci V apt.nn 1 ickc/g.H s Journal to the Royal Societv l..^^ '
formed nr^ I v Ictur «t ^n . i , , . ^ oocicty, hath ni-

«' /& »/M ^.rl of D,v:rt ii,nn,sr '"'"' '"

It thus r.,,,K.nrs that the laft ..ttcnpts of a N \V „,fl-

I'o.ruaJcJ that it vv,- ,;„t " - 7,"' ''''"« ""■""gl'ly

l^^_ v^... ..ot o.,v pn,clK:abIe, but highly pro-

turn f„ ,K ' " * '''""■■• "'"' "'•'" 'l"-ret;„c h,-,e ven-

n .ii x:;; ;::,r'' "■""^■•'"•^ "^"' '■^■«-'' - "- - :.

winch we i : • '"\ '',:,r"^ ^■^•"-'^ .^-"-"te^- "^ the-pl.,„.c

'1- the atten, ; a v „ ai,.;';,' "r"'"' "^' '"■""" '™'-^>
ftallthc, he asmuc at I "" ^""""""-^«l> «e

continent.,, iff ht t^ e ""'' ''^'" '° ^■™-°-- -

I have mentioned in tJie t'oW

mental

North Pol

7 rcwaras give.i for approaching uirl

owing Traces, that the ParHa-

c are not hkely to produce tli

caiile tlie Greenland whaJ
therefore to go beyond th

i\v

nn one dcgr.c of the
e eri-eds intended, be-

'IS arc all enfured ; if tl

common fiJl«,ing- hititud

it'v wen

"-'s, it would l)e

luck

[

VII

]

fuch a departure from tlie voyage enfurcd, that they would not
be al)le to recover, If accidents happened in fuch a deviation
_ I am informed, iiowever, that there are fomc vcflels employed
m umo oi peace by government, to prevent fmuggliiig on tlie
Northern coafl of Scotland. Thefe fl.ips might be inft.-uaed
when a promifing wind blows from the Soutlnvard to
proceed as far North as the ice will permit. The crew of
inch a lh,p would be encouraged by expeaations of the Parlii-
mentary reward; and though one attempt nug!,t f.il, an.other
might lucceed. Tlie expence to the pnblick would be triflino-
wlulil the fmugglers would not know how foon the fl,ip n,\Z
return to its ftation. * ^

Our Commodore upon tlie N.wFoutun.uuI ll.ition n.igl.t alio
lend ^y-efle lat a fmall expence, to explore all rbc Northern
part of Hudfons Bay, with which wc arc lo irnpcrfcaiv ac-
quainted at prcfent. -^

Such attempts during peace might t,,kc pl.ce al.uofl «c,v
fummer; and r (hould fuppnib that this ainmilc and o,n,Un.
«at,o„ would never hef.tate (wl,ilft there is the loaft da« nine „K
hopes) to (end proper veflfels ocealionalty to nvAc further tHal.
Wh of a N. W. paflage by li-ffin's Bay, and a N. E. hevonJ
iNova Zembla. •

The coaft of Corea the Northan p.ut of Japan, and the I.o-
c,«>e„x inands (hould alfo be explored ; the che:,pe(l, and per-
baps M method of doing this would be to employ a veiled L,
the India Conipany's fervice, wlm-h n,ij;ht be viauall Jj at Canton

Thus much w,th regard to dilcoveries, or better knouled.,;
of the more .mtrcquented parts of the Northern hemifphere °

The dehderata in ,hat of the South feem t« be tl-.e follou'ins ■

To make the compKat circumnavigation of New Holland lb
^. at leaft to be better acpiainted with i;,n,e p arts of the coaft of

diu

'^■IV

i

^ .ff

I

si

I

vt

I if

<h.s immcaf. llkncl, a vcfl'-l for ,his p.irpofo might be vie-
uMkd at the Cpe of Good Hope, or Canton ; nor .t the vo;:

a diitmt one, when compared witli th-fe af ^.t.^.• r> i Ir

tJ^^lnea nlfo fl>o>,Id be better explored '^ " '^°"'- ""^^

We fcarcely know more of the iOands of Triftan da Cu„r„

1>- .he.r I ongitude and Latitude; but their inte or parts ftol
be o.xan,u,ed. Not vaftly dirtant is W-./.i iw, wh , t^^
on board Captain Cook fuppofed to be a vaft contin'e ^ .n y
be ohjeaed ,nde«l that if it is f„, it will turn out to l« a c "I
nentof,ceandfno„; lamnothere, however, recommerC

n;:::f;::a;;;;"'''"'^ °^ -■""-- ^"^

wo!,n'"'n""-'"™ "'"' ■•' ™-"S'-' """='• f™m the Cape or Brafil
wou ealdy g.ve opportunity of eftduating both thefe purpofe
Perhaps wh,hl d,lcoveries by fca are thus dwelt upon cko ,
ragen,ent rhould be given to travellers by land, for p oc Z
bette,- n,tor„,atio„ with regard to the centra' parts of Afif A >i "f
-ul A™er,ca. In ,hort. let ns endeavour to k' ow as mu h as we
m.V of our globe; nor ftould this be eonfidered as a v 1, a^d

^ .1 >

i

if

INSTAN'CES OF N'aVIGATORS

WHO HAVE REAC HED

HIGH NORTHERN LATITUDES,

Read at a Meeting of the Royal Society, May 1 9, i ;74. '

A S I was the unworthy propoler of the voyage towards the
■^^ North Pole, whicli the Council of the Royal Society re-
commended to the Board of Admiralty, I think it my duty to lay
before the Society fuch intelligence as I have happened to procure
with regard to navigators having reached high Northern lati-
tudes * ; becaufe fome of thefe accounts feem topromife, that we
may proceed further towards the Pole than the very able
Officers who were fent on this deftination laft year were per-
mitted to penetrate, notwithftanding their repeated efforts to pafs
beyond eighty degrees and an half.

I fliall begin, however, by making an obfervation or two with
regard to the Greenland fifliery, which will in a great meafure
account for our not being able to procure many inftances of
nearer approaches to the Pole than the Northern parts of Spitz-
bergen.

Fifty years ago fucli apprehenfions were entertained of navi-
gating even in the loofe, or what is called faiUn^ ice, that the

• It is well known that there arc manv fuch accounts in print, but to
thefe I need not refer the Society.

B crews

i'l

crews commonly continued on fiiore '', from whence they only
purfued the whales in boats.

The demand, however, for oil increafing, whilfl: the number
of fifli rather decrcafed, they were obliged to proceed to fea in
quefl: of them, and now by experience and adroitnefs feldom fuf-
fer from the obflru6lions of ice*.

The mafters of fhips, who are employed in this trade, have
no other objeil but the catching whales, which, as long as
as they can procure m more Southern latitudes, they certainly
will not go in fearch of at a greater diflance from the port to
wlilch they are to return : they therefore feldom proceed much
beyond N. lat. 80, unlefs driven by a ftrong Southerly wind or
other accident.

Whenever this happens alfo, it is only by very diligent in-
quiries that any information can be procured ; for the mafters,
not being commonly men of fcience, or troubling their heads
about the improvement of geograpiiical knowledge, never men-
lion thefe circumftances on their return, becaufe they conceive
that no one is more interefted about thefe matters than they are
thcmfelves. Many of the Greenland mafters are likewife direded'
to return after the early fifliery is over, provided they have tole-
rable fuccefs ; fo that they have no opportunity of making dif-
coveries to the Northward.

To thefe renfons it may be added, that no fhips were perhaps
ever fcnt before laft fummer with exprefs inflrudlons to reach
the Pole, if poffible, as mofl: other attempts have been to difcover

^ There were houfes flill Handing on Spitftergen, where the Dutch
ufed to boil their train oil. Martin's Voyage, p. 24. See alio Callander,
Vol. III. p. 723.

' Thefe particulars I received from Captain Robinfon, whom I Ihall
have hereafter occafion to mention.

a N. E.

1

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[ 3 ]

a N. E. or N. W. paflage, whlcl. were foon defeated by fallii.n- in
with land, or other aceident. ■/ 6

Having thus endeavoured to fliew that tlic inftances of fhios
reaching high Northern latitudes muft neceflarily be rare I flnll
now proceed to lay before the Society llich as I have been able 'to
hear of Imce the voyage towards the N. Pole was undertaken dur-
nig lalt lummer.

When this was determined upon, and mentioned in the News
lapers, it becan.e matter of converfation amongft tlie crews of
the guardih.ps ; and Andrew Leekie, an intelligent f.aman on
board the Albion (then Rationed at Plymouth), informed fomeof
the officers that he had been as fir North as 84 ■

When he was aiked further on this head, he fiid that he was
on board the Reading, Captain Thomas Robinfon, in 1766 ,nd
that, whilft he was fhaving the captain, Mr. Robiufbn told him
that he had pmbably never been fo far to the Nortliward before
as they had now reached the above-mentioned degree of lati-'

Having happened to hear this account of Leclcic's, on my re-
turn to London tliis winter, I found out Captain Robinfon, „ho
remembered h,s having had this converlkion with Leekie, but
a,d Aat he was miftaken in fuppoling that they had reached
04;- i\. lat. as they were only in 8 21.

Captain Robinfon then explained himfclf, that he had at this
time computed his latitude by tlie run hack to Hakluyt's Heid-
I;UKlin24hours; from which, and other circun.fla^ccs men-
tioned in my prefence before two fea officers, they told me
afterwards that they had little or no doubt of the accuracy of his
reckoning. Mr. Robinfon likewife remembers that the fea was
then open, fo 'that he hath no doubt of being able to reach s\
but how much further he will not pretend to'ihv.

B

Tl

lis

w

*. M

[ 4 ]

This fame captain, in tlie fhip St. George, was, on the 15th
of June 1773, in N. lat. 8i' 16', by a very accurate oblervaticni
witli an approved liadlcy's quadrant, in wljich he alio made the
proper allowance for the refraction in high Northern hititudes, at
which time feeing fome whales fpouting to the Northward, he
purfued them for five Ivours, fo that he muft have reached 8r{,
when the fea was open to the Weft ward and E.N.E. as far as lie
could diftinguifti from the maft-head. His longitude was then
8 degrees E. from the meridian of London.

Captain Robinfon is a very intelligent feama^i, and hath navi-
gated the Greenland feas thcfe twenty years, e^ccept during the
interval that he was employed by the Hudfon's Bay Com-
pany ^

1 could a<ld fome other, perhaps interefting, particulars, which
I have received from Captain Robinfon, with regard to Spitz-
bergen and the Polar Se; >; I will only mention, however, that
he thinks he could fpend a winter not uncomfortably in the moft
Northern parts we are acquainted with % as there are three or
four fmall fettlements of Ruffians in this country, for the fake
of the Ikins of quadrupeds, which are then more valuable than if
the animal is taken in fummer.

\»

:ll

I

1

i

•• He lived during this winter in Queen-ftreet, near Greenland-dock,"
Rotherhithe : he hath faUed, probably, by this time on the Greenland
filhery. With regard to his having been in N. lat. 8 1° 30', in J"ne 1773,
he can prove it by his journal, if that evidence fhould be required.

' See the Narrative of eight failors who wintered in Greenland A. D.
1630, and who aii returned in health to England the enfuing fummer.
Churchill's Voyage, vol. IV. p. 811.

They did not fee the fun from the 14th of Odtober till the 3d of Febru-
ary. By the laft day of January however they had day-light of 8 hours.
They wintered in N. Lat. 77 — 4'. Ibid.

The

[ 5 ]

The next inflatice I fliall mention of a navigator wlu) hath pro-
ceeded tar Northward is that o.-' Captain Clieyne, who gave an-
swers to certain queries drawn up by Mr. Dalryniple, F. R. S. in
relation to tlie Polar feas, and which were communicated laft year
to the Society.

Captain Cheyne ftates in this paper, that he hath heen as far
39 N. lat. 82, hut does not fpecify whether by ohfervatlon or his
reckoning, though from many other anfwers to the interrogato-
ries propofed, It fliould feem that he fpeaks of the latitude by
<tbJ'ervation. Unfortunately Captain Cheyne is at prefent on the
Coaft of Africa, fo that further Information on this head cannot
be now procured from him.

Whilft the fliips deftlned for the N. Pole were preparing, a
moft ingenious and able fea officer, Lieutenant Jolin Cartwright,
told me, that twelve years ago he had been Informed of a very
remarkable voyage made by Captain Mac-Callam as far nearly as
84 N. lat.

This account Mr. Cartwright had received from a brother offi-
cer, Mr. James Watt, now a mafter and commander In the royal
navy, who was on board captain Mac-Callam's fhlp.

I thought It my duty to acquaint the Admiralty witii tliis in-
telligence, who would have fent for Mr. Watt, but he was then
employed on the coaft of Amejica.

On his return from thence within the Inft month, Mr. Cart-
wright Introduced a converfatlon with regard to Captain Mac-
Callam's voyage, when Mr. Watt repeated all the circumftances
which he had mentioned to lilm twelve years ago ; after which
Mr. Cartwright, thinking that I fliould be glad to hear the par-
ticulars from Mr. Watt himfelf, was fo good as to bring him to
my chambers, when I received from him the following infor-
mation.

In

>

I i

i

■

'i'

' "I!

[ 6 ]

111 the year 1751 Mr. Watt, then not quite feventeen years of
age, went on board the Campbeltown of Campbeltown, Captain
Mac-Callam, which fhip was at that time employed in the
Greenland fifliery.

It feems that during the time the whales are luppofed to copu-
late, the crews of the Greenland veflels commonly amufe tliem-
felves on fhore.

Captain Mac-Callam however (who was a very able and fcien-
tific feaman) thought that a voyage to the N.Pole would be more
interefting, and that, the feafon being a fine one, he had a chance
of penetrating far to the Northward, as well as returning before
the later fifliery took place. He accordingly proceeded without
the Icafl obllruclion to 83 1, when the fea was not only open to
the Northward, but they had not feen a fpcck of ice for the laft
three degrees, and the weather at the fame time was temperate ;
lu /hort, Mr. Watt hath never experienced a more pleafant navi-
gnticn.

It need be fcarcely obferved, that the latitude of 83^ v.^as de-
termined by cbfcrvation, as the great cbjecl of the voyage was
to reach the Pole ; the Captain therefore, the mate, and young
Mr. Watt, determined tlie latitude from time to time, both by
Davis and Hadley's quadrants : to tliis I may add, that their de-
parture and return were from and to Hakluyt's Headland.

When they were advancing into thefe high Northern latitudes,
the mate complained that the compafs was not fteady, on which
Captain Mac-Callam defifled from his attempt, though with re-
luct;ince ; knowing that if any accident happened, he fhould be
blamed by his owners, who would be reminded certainly by the
mate of the protefts he had made againfl the fliip's proceeding
further Northward.

Several

•u..

^^J.yg-JT)'^

rv*-:.- k.ai»-riTT.i3=*T» !•■':"»• *ww««-*-

t 7 ]

Several of the crew liowever were for profecuting tlicir dif-
coveries, and Mr. Watt particularly remembers the chagrin
which was exprefled by a very intelligent Teaman, whofe name
was John Kelly; Captain Muc-Callam alfo, after his return from
that voyage, hath frequently faid, in the prefence of Mr. Watt
and others, that, if the mate had not been faint-hearted, the
fhip poflil)Iy might have reached the pole.

Both Captain Mac-Callam and the mate are now dead, and it
IS rather doubtful whether the fhip's journal can be procured.

It remains therefore to be confidcred what may be objeded to
the credibility of this very intercfting account.

I have Itated that Mr. Watt was not at the time this voyage
took place quite fcveenteen years of age; but I have alfo ftated
that he obkrved himfelf (as well as the maftcr and mate) from
time to tnne. Is it therefore more extraordinary he fhould re-
member with accuracy that, two and twenty years ago, he had
been ,n x\. lat. 83 1, than that, at the fame diftance of time he
might recollea that he had been at a friend's houfe, which was
fituated 83 miles and an half from London ? Or rather indeed
IS not his memory, with regard to this high latitude, much
more to be depended upon, as the circumftance is fo much more
intereftmg, Specially as Mr. Watt was even then of a fcien-
tific turn?

To this I may add, that it being his firft voyage, and fo re- •
markable a one, Mr. Watt now declares that he remembers more ■
particulars relative to it, than perhaps in any otiier fince that
time : other fea officers have likewife told me, that the clicum-
ftances ot their firft voyages are moil frcfh in their memory, the
reafon for which is too obvious to be dwelt upon.

If Mr. Watt's rccolledion however is diftruftcd, this obje6lion
extends equally to Captain MacCallam's frequent declarations,

that,

.iif

\\

[ « ]

that, it the appivhcniions of the mate had not prevented, he
nilglit poUibly have reached the N. Pole ; and how could he have
conceived this, unlefs he had imagined hanielt to liave been in a
very liigh Northern hitit\idc f

But it may he poflibly Hiid, that this voyage took phice abcA'c
twenty years lince, and that therefore at llich a diftance of time
no one's memory can be rcUed upon.

It is true indeed that Mac Callam made this attempt in 1751;
but Mr. Watt continued liis fervices the following year in a
Greenland Ihip, and therefore, traverfing nearly the fame feas,
muft have renewed tlie recoUeftion of what he had experienced in
the preceding voyage, though he did not then proceed further
than N. lat. 80.

This however brings it only to 1752; but I have already ftated,
that within thefe twelve years he mentioned all the particulars
above related to his brother officer. Lieutenant Cartwright.

Mr. Watt alfo frequently converfed with Captain Mac-Callam
about this voyage after 'joth of them had quitted the Greenland
fhips ; Mr. Watt rifing regularly to be a Mafter and Commander
in His Majefty's fervice, and Captain Mac-Callam becoming Pur-
fer of the -Tweed man of war.

It fo happened, that in the year of the expedition againft Bel-
lifle, Mr. Watt, Captain Mac-Callam, and Mr. Walker (com-
monly called Commodore Walker, from his having commanded
the Royal Family privateers in the late war), met together at
Portfmouth, when they talked over the circumftances of this
Greenland voyage, which Mr. Walker was interefted in, by hav-
ing been the principal owner of the Campbeltown.

Mr. Watt and Captain Mac-Callam met alfo eleven years ago
In London, when they as ufual converfed about the having
reached fo high a Northern latitude.

6 I no^

[ 9 1

I now come to my laft proof, which 1 received from the late
Dr. Campbell, the able continuator and revifer of Harris's Col-
Itftion of Voyages.

In that very valuable compilation, Commodore Roggewein's
circumnavigation makes a moft material addition, fonie of the
moft intcrefting particulars of which were communicated by Dr.
Dallie, who was a native of Holland *^, and lived in Racquet-
court, Fleet-flrect, about the year 1745, where he pradlifed
phyfick.

Dr. Campbell went to thank Dalllc for the having furniflied
him with Roggewein's voyage, when Dallie faid that he had been
further both to the Southward and to the Northward than per-
haps any other pcrfon who ever exifted.

He then explained himfelf as to the having been in high
Southern latitudes, by failing in Roggewein's fleets; and as to
his having been far to the Northward, he gave the following-
account :

Between fifty and fixty years ago it was ufual to fend a Dutch
fhip of war to fuperintend the Greenland fifhcry, though it is not
known whether this continues to be a regulation at prel'ent.

Dr. Dallie (then young) wns on board the Dutch veflel cm-
ployed on this fervice '■ ; and during the interval between the two
fiiheries, the Captain determined, like Mr. Mac-Callam, to try
whether he could not reach the Pole, and accordingly penetrated
(to the beft of Dr. Campbell's recolleftion) as far as N. lat. 88,
when the weather was warm, the fea perfedly free from ice, and

^ He was a grandfon of Dallie, who was author of a book, much
efteemed by the Divines, intitled " De Ufu Putnaii."

B Roggewein reached S. lat. 62" 30'. See Harris.

^ Dr. Campbell does not rccollccJt in what capacity he fervcd ; but, as
he afterwards pradifcd ph}fick, he might probably have been the
furjgeon.

C rolling

ifT

.3?

[

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]

' J

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rolling like the bay of Bifcay. Dallie now preflctl tlie Captain,
to proceed ; but lie anfwered that he liad already gone too tar
by having ncgledcd his ftation, for which he (hould be blamed
in Holland, on whieli account alfo he would fulfcr no journal to
be made, but returned as fpccdily as he could to Spiti^bergcn.

There are undoubtedly two objedlions which may be made to
this account of Dr. Dallio's, which arc, that it depends not only
upon his own memory, but that of Dr. Campbell, as no journal
can be produced, for the reafon which I have befon: ftated.

The converfation, however, between Dr. Campbell and Dallie
arofe from tl^e accidental mention of Roggewein's voyage to the
Southward ; and can it be fuppofed that Dallie invented this
circumftantial narrative on the fpot, without having adlually
been in a high Northern latitude ?

If this be admitted to have been Improbable, was he not likely
to have remembered with accuracy what he was fo much inte-
refted about, as to have prcfl'ed the Dutch Captain to have pro-
ceeded to the Pole ?

But it may be fald alfo, that we have not this account from
Dallie himfelf, but at fecond-hand from Dr. Campbell, at the
diftance of thirty years from tlic converfation.

To this It may be anfwered, that Dr. Campbell's memory was
moft remarkably tenacious, as is well known to all thofe who
had the pleafure of his acquaintance ; and, as he hath written
fo ably for the promotion of geographical difcoveries in all parts
of the globe, fuch an account could not but make a ftrong im-
prcflion upon him, cfpecially as he received it juft after the firfl
edition of his conipilation of voyages.

No one eafily forgets what Is highly intcrefting to him ; and,

though I do not pretend to have fo good a memory as Dr.

Campbell, I have fcarcely a doubt, but that if I fhould live

4 thirty

4 js'

[

1 1

]

thirty years longer, nlid retain my faculties, I (hall recolledl with
prcclilon tvi-ry latit\ule wliicli 1 have already ftated in this paper.

What credit, however, is to he given to all thefe narratives is
entirely fuhmitted to the Society, as I have Aated them mort Fully
with every circumftance which may invaliilate, as well as lupport
them ; and if I have endeavoured to corrohorate them hy tiie ob-
fcrvations which I have made, it is only becaufe I believe them.

It fliould feem upon the whole of the inquiries on this
point, that it is very uncertain when Ihips may proceed far to
the Northward of Spitzbergen, and that it depends not only
upon tlic feafon, but other accidents, when the Polar fcas may be
io free from ice as to permit attempts to make difcoveries '.

Pofiibly, therefore, if a king's officer was feni from year to year,
on board one of the Greenland (hips, the lucky opportunity
miglit be felzcd, and the Navy Board might pay for the ufe of the
veflel, if It was taken from the whale filhery, in order to proceed
as far as may be towards the North Pole.

4

' Captain Robinfc;!! hath informed mc, that at the latter end of lad
April ;iWIiitl>y lliip was in N. hit. 8o, without having been materially
obUrudcd by tlie ice. Capt. Marfhall was alio ofTi lakluyt's Headland
lo early as tlu: 2_5th of April, without oblcrving much ice.

DAINES BJRRINGTON, F.R.S.

C 2

II

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111

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ADDITIONAL

P R O O F S,

&c.

Read at a Meeting of the Royal Society, Dec. 22, 1 774.

A S I happen to have colle£led many additional fa^s fince my

t u ^'^'': ^o»t^i"ingManccs of Navigators who had reached
high Northern Latitudes, was read before the Society in May
laft, I (hall take the liberty to ftate them according to chronological
order ; together with fome general reafons why it may be pre-
filmed, that the Polar feas are, at leaft fometimes, navigable

Ithuik It my duty to do this, not only becaufe I was the un-
worthy propofer of the Polar voyage in 1773, which was re-
commended by the Council of the Royal Society to the Board of
Admiralty; but becaufe it would not redound much to the ere-
dit of the Society, if they planned a voyage to reach the N.
Pole, if poffible, when a perpetual barrier of ice prevented any
difcovenes m the Spitzbergen feas to the Northward of 80/
which IS not a degree beyond the moft common flhtion of tli"
Greenland fifhers.

_ I muft here, however, repeat, that no one is more entirelv fi-
tisiied than myfelf of the great abihties, perfevcrance, an J i,;.
trepidity, with which the officers who were fent on this deai.n
tion, attempted to profecute their difcoveries ; but I conceive
from tlie arguments and faaawJiich will follow, that tluy wa '

ftoppcd .

f

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' .fj

^ am

'■-^^

')ui

V

I -4 ] ■ ,

{lopped by a moit unfortunate barrier of led i[of grcSt fejiterit
indeed), but wblch was only temporary, and not perpetual.

If fuch a wall of ice hath been conftantly fixed in this lati-
tude, and muft continue to be fo, thefe Is an end to all dif-
coveries to be made to the Northward of Spitzbergen ; but if it
is oi\ly occafional, the attempt may be refumed in Ibmc more
fortunate year ^.

The point therefore being of fo mirch importance to geogra-
phy, I hope the Society will pardon me, if I more fully enter into
the fubjc(n" than I did in my former paper.

The Englilh have long taken the lead in geographical difcove-
ries. One of (uu- fliips of war is lately returned, after having
penetrated into the Antardic circle; and hit not rather a reflec-
tion upon a fcientihc nation, that more is not known with regard
to the circumpolar regions of our own hemifphere, than can be
collected from maps made in the time of Charles I. efpccially
when the run from the mouth of the Thames to the N. Pole is
not a longer one than from Falmouth to the Cape de Verde
iflands ?

Though I have the honour to be a Fellow of a Society infd-
tuted for the promotion of Natural Knowledge, the prejudices of
an Englilhman are fo ftrong with me, that I cannot but wiih the
dilcoverles to be made in the Polar feas may be atcliieved by my
countrymen ; but if we are determined to abandon the enter-
prize, fcicnce is to be honoured from whatever quarter it may
come, and it hath therefore given me great I'atisfadlion to hear,

^ Upon the firfl return of the King's Shij)s from the Polar Voyge, this
notion of a perpetual barrier of ice at N I-ai:. 80' hnd prevailed lb
much, that feme very dillinguiflicd Philofopheis of this country had
flicwn thouglits of proceeding to the Pole over the ice, in fuch a wind
boat as the Dutch have Ibmetimes made ufc of,

that

■*

-iii^

-1.1

* .* [ ^5 ]

that Monf. de Bougainville Is foon to be feiit on difcoveries to the
Northward '.

In the outfet of my former paper, I {Iiid I Uiould not trouble
the Society with any Inflances or navigators having reached liigh
Northern latitudes, which had appeared in print. During the
courfeofthisfummcr, however, I have happened to find three
fuch accounts which were never before alluded to, and wliich are
extraded from books that are not commonly looked Into, or at
leaft often confulted upon points of geography.

When the Royal Society was firft Inflituted, It was ufual to
fend queries to any traveller who happened to refide In England
after having been in parts of the world which are not commonly
frequented™.

In the year i66f, Mr. Oldenburg, then fecretary of the Socie-
ty, was ordered to rcgifter a paper, entitled, " Several Inquiries
'* concerning Greenland, anfwered by Mr. Grev, who had
" vifited thofe parts."

The 19th of thefe queries is the following :

" How near any one hath been known to approach the Pole '"

Anlwer. *' I once met, upon the Coaft of Greenland, a Hol-
" lander, that fwore he had been but half a degree from the
" Pole, fhewing me his journal, which was alfo attefted by his
" mate ; where they had feen no ice or land, but all water "."

'I have finco been informed, that this intended voyao-e wns dront
by the French nnnifler for the marine department beinc cl^n,oed ^
- Richard Hakluyt rode 200 miles to hear the narrative of Mr Tl o

HaLu;;; 5>:]n:^;: :r "^- ^^"- '-- ^^^-^ - Ne.<^^;id.

" Mr. Boyle motions a fm.ilar nccount, wliich ho received from n,,
old Greenland mailer on the 5rh of April, 167^. See Bovlc's \vo ].-
vol. n. p. 397 t^ 3,9. toho. The whole of tlA narrative h v n d !
cumftantial, and dcicrvcs to be ftated at length. The titl'^ i. V-
ments and Obfcrvations made in December and January 1662, ' '^''" '

Afioi^

, I'M

^

♦ if

' \:

!)i

[ i6 ] •-. •^■

After wlilch Mr. Oldenburgh adds, as from himfelf, " T!iis Is
*' incredible °."

It may not be improper, therefore, after mentioning this firfl:
inftance of a navigator's having approached fo near to the Pole,
to difcufs upon what reafons Mr. Oldenburgh might found this
his very peremptory incredulity.

Was it becaufe the fiifl is impoffible upon the very ftatingit ?

This puts me in mind o f the dilbelief which is generally
fhewn to a paffiige in Pliay, even iifter the a£lual fa£l hath fhewn
not only the poflibility, but eafy pradicability, of what is alluded
to. Pliny informs us p, that Eudoxus flying the vengeance of
king Lathyrus failed from Arabia, and reached the Straits of
Gibraltar : yet no on«. fcarcely will believe this account of Eu-
doxus's navigation, notwithftanding this courfe is fo often fol-
lowed.

Was it becaufe no Englifhman had then been fo far to the
Northward ?

It is very eafy, however, to account why fuch attempts (hould
rather be made by the Dutch than the Englifh in the infi\ncy of
the Greenland filhery.

° Sec Dr. Birch's Hiftory of the Royal Society, vol. I. p. 202. Thefe
queries are nineteen in number, to which the anfwcrs are very circum-
ftantial. i had an opportunity of reading them over to three very intel-
ligent mailers of Greenland (hips, who confirmed every particular. One
circumrtance I think it right to take notice of, though it does not imme-
diately relate to the point in difcuffion, which is, that there are coals in
Spirzbergen, by which feven of Mr. Grey's crew were enabled to bear
the leverity of the winter, having been left behind by an accident. One
of the Greenland mailers, to whom I read Mr. Grey's anfwers, confirmed
this particular ; faying, that he had burnt himfelf Spitzbergen coals, and
that they were very good.

p L. II. ch. 67.

The

v.i

[. '7 ]

The Southern parts of this country were dilcovered bv S.,
Hugh W.lloughby, A.D. 1553', after which, no Englinuhlp,
were feat on t]>at coaft for nearly fifty years. In the beginnlna
of the laft century, however, a competition arofe between th^^
Enghfh and Dutch, with regard to the wliale fishery, and the
Enghlh drove the Dutch from moft of the harbours, under the
right of firftdifcoverers% hi which they were fupported by royal
mftru£l,ons ; io that the Dutch were obliged to feek for new
ftations, whereas the Englill^ were con.monly in poflbffion of the
Greenland ports, which they confidered as their own ^

Did Mr Oldenburgh disbelieve the Dutchman's relation, be-
caufe ice is frequently met with to the Southward of N lu 80 ?

I^e IS commonly feen upon the great bank of Newfoundland,
and the harbour of Louilburgh is often covered with it, which i
only in N lat. 46 ; yet Davis and Baffin have penetrated, under
nearly the fame meridians, beyond 70. . ,

I will now fuppofe the tables changed between the two hemi-
fpheres of our globe, and that a Southern difcoverer, meeting with
ice upon the oanks of Newfoundland, returns to nis own hemi-
fphere ftdly imprefled with the impoflibility of proceeding much
to the Northward ot N. lat. 46 ; would not his countrymen be

'• It is alfoamgncd in the Supplement to Wood and Mirtcn.' Vn,-
i'- '79, 8vo. 1694. as a reafonwlivrhe Enp-lHh n^v', ^r^'T''

than 78 on the lu coaft of SpitzbeVg ', bfc^ tV Wl'^ ^''''^'''
nionly fupcrior on that fide of the ilhnd '' '^'''' ^"'"-

tonncr paper. ^^ " '^ ^ '^^^'^^ ^^atcd in my

<ii'reivcd

'i

\

'"

[ i8 ]

cfecclved by the inferences which were drawn from what had been
obferved in the feas of the Northern hemifphere ?

Bouvet, in 1738, failed to ^^ S. lat. and in a meridian
5 degrees to the W. of the Cape of Good Hope, in which fituation
he fell in with floating ice ; after which he did not proceed any
further. Our two (hips of war, lately fent upon difcoveries to
the Southward, however, have been fome minutes within the
Antarctic circle, upon a no very diftant meridian from that in
which Bouvet failed.

Muft the fatSl be difljelieved becaufe all the ice In the Polar,
feas comes from the Northward ? But this is not fo," asMr. .
Grey informs us *, that the S. E. wind brings the greateft quantity
of ice to the coafts of Spitzbergen ; which indeed is^ highly proba-
ble, as this wind blows from thofe parts of the Icy Sea into which
the great rivers of Siberia and Tartary empty themfelves ". My
own poor conception, with regard to the floating ice in the
Spitzbergen feas, is, that thefe mafles come almoft entirely from
the fame quarter, as it is fo difficult to freeze any large quan-
tity of fait water. Thefe pieces of ice, therefore, being once
launched into the Icy Sea, are dlfperfed by winds, tides, and cur-
rents, in every dlredlion, fome of them being perhaps carried to
very liigh Northern latitudes, from which they are again wafted
to the Southward.

But allowing, for an inflant, that all the ice may come from
tlic Northward, muft not then an open fea be left in the higher.

' Dr. Birch's Hifl. R. Soc.

" The ice is fiud to be never troublefome in the harbour of Newport
(llliode Illcind, N. America); becaufe no frcfli water rivers empty thcm-
(cKcs by this {)oit; whereas the harbour of N. York (though much to
th'? Southward) is often obllruttcd by the ice, which floats down from
Huiifon's River.

Northern

[ ^9 ]

Northern latitudes, from which thelb maflbs of ice are fuppoilxl
to have floated ?

^ Was it becaufe the more one advances towards the Pole, vegeta-
tion invariably is diminifhed ?— But this is not the tact.

Nova Zembla, fituated only in N. lat. 76, produces not even
any forts of grafs " ; fo that the only quadrupeds which frequent
It are foxes and bears, both of which are carnivorous. In the
Northern parts of Spitzbergen, on the other hand, they have
reyn-deer, which are often excefiively fit ; and Mr. Grey men-
tions three or four plants, which flower there during the fum-
mer "'.

Was it becaufe no one had ever coilteived it poffible to pro-
ceed fo fur as the Pole y ?

Thorne, however, a merchant of Briftol, had made fuch a
propofal in the reign of Henry VIII. and I fliall now alfo fhew.
that not only Mr. Oldenburgh's contemporaries continued to be-
lieve fuch a voyage to be feafible, but many great names in fcience
who lived after him.

Wood failed on the dlfcovery of a N. E. paffige to Japan in
1676; and, in thepublication of his voyage, he hath ftated the
grounds upon which he conceived fuch a vovage to be pradica-
ble ; the ftrongeft of all which, perhaps, is the relation of Cap-
taui Goulden, with regard to a Dutch fhip having reached N. lat.
89. Though this account hath often been referred to, I do not
recoiled to hav^ feen it ftated with all the circumlhnces which

'" Purch;is, vol. I. p. 479.

' ^^^i-- Biich's Hill. R. Soc. vol. L p. 202. et feq,

y A M.p of the Northern Hemifphere, publiihed at Berlin Sunder the
ur th Pol ^^^? ^?^^^^'"y -^; Sciences and Belles Lettres), pi ces Ihip
at the Pole, as having arrived th.re uceording to the DutJh accounts.

D 2

feein

[ 20 ]

ieem to cfl'alilifli its veratlty beyond contradidion : I fliall tlicr*?-

fore copy tlie very words of Wood ".

" Captain Goulden, who bad made above thirty voyages to

" Greenland, did relate to his majeftyj that, being at Greenlanit
fome twenty years before, he was in company with two Hol-
landers to the eaftward of Edge's ifland* ; and that the whaleS
not appearing o?i the Ihore, the two Holhmders were deter-
mined to go further Nortiiward, and in a fortnight's time re-
turned, and gave it out that they had fliiled into the lat. S^y
and that they did not meet with any ice, but a free and open
fea ; and that there run a very hollow grown ^ fea, like that of.
the Bay of Bifcay^ Mr. Goulden being not fatisfied with the

" bare relation, they produced him four journals out of the two

" Ihips, which tcftificd the fame, aiid that they all agreed within

** four minut. s ^ .

((

M

((

ti

ti

((

M

W

''■ Moxon's account of a Dutch fhip having been two degrees beyond
the Pole, was nllb much relied upon by Wood, which hath never bcen^
printed at large, b\ir in a now very fcarce tradt of Moxon's, and in the
fecond volume of Harris's Voyages, p. 396. In confirmation of this-
very circumftantial and interelHng narrative, I have only to add, that
Moxon was hydrographcr to Charles IL and hath publiflied feveral
fcicntific trcatiics. Sec the Catalogue of the Botlleian Library..

•' IvJge's ifhmd was difcovcred, A. D. 1616, by Captain Thomas
Fdge, w ho had made ten voyages to thofc fcas. . Sec the Suiiplcmcnt to
iIk we. Voyages, I ondon, 1694, 8vo. Wyche's Wand, fo called from
a Gentleman of that name, was diicovercd in the following year.. Ibid.

^ Wood's Voyage, j), 145. droivn Sea, is the expreffion in the origi-
npl. " Which is not pradticablc in thcfe tempcftuous high groxvn feas."
Dr. Hfalley, in his Journal, p. 45. Wood's Voyage was publifhed by
Smiih and Walford, Printers to the Royal Society in 1694, together
nith Sir John Narborough's, Marten's, "nd other Navigators. The book
IS dedicated to Pcpys, Secretary to the Admiralty ; and he is compli-
iiicntcd there in for havinir furniihrd the rnaierials.

n

Havin"

[ " I

Having thus ftated Wood's own words, it (hould feem tint
they who deny the authenticity of the relation muft conten'd
U,St the crews of both thefe Dutch (hips entered into a deliberate
fcheme of impofing upon their brother whale filhers, and ha<l
drawn up four fiftitious journals accordingly, becaufe fo many
a.0 ftated to have been produced out of the two (hips to Captain
Coulden whilft each of them varied a few minutes in the lati-
nide ; whereas, if they had determined to deceive Captain Goul-
den and h,s crew, the journals ■ would probably have tallied ex-
naiy. I muft beg leave alfo to make a,i additional obfervation on,
the account as ftated by Wood, which is, that the Dutch (hips
only went to the Northward, in fearch of whales, but did not
give rt out that they intended to make for the Pole, whi-h if
they had done, it might poffibly have been an inducement to-
carry on the deception by forgeries and mifreprefentations. To

jokers "^ "'" "'' ^"'"^ "' ™' "™»only

1 have already remarked, that Wood makes this account one
of the prmapal reafons for his undertaking the N, E. paffi„c to
japan Wood therefore (Mr. Oldenburgh's contem,»r;rv)^v "
no a d,ibehever before his voyage of the poflibility of r;aclu„g
fo h^h a Northern lat.tude, nor of any of the circumftance^
ftated m this narrative- • •

But Captain Wood is not a (ingle Inftance of (uch credulitv n,
lie very year before he lliiled on his voyage, we find in the PI '
olophica IVanfaaions for ,675 ' the following pafl;,ge : ^fJ^,
^we I known to all that fall Northward, that tioft of t
Northern coa.b are frozen up many league., though in the
open (ca ,t ,s not fo, No nor und.r ,hc Pole i:filf, ,,£b by a !

' N^ iiS.

" clJent

?* ■

[

22

]

'.«!

■^l-tl

'^' cickiit." Ill which pafliigc, the having reached the Pole is al-
luded to -M a known fatfl, and ftatcd as luch to the Royal Society. '

Wood indeed, after not being able to proceed furtlier than N,
lat. 76, difcredits in the lump all the former inftanccs of having
reached higli Northern latitudes, in the following words :

" So licre the opinion of William Barentz was confuted, and
" all the Dutch relations % which certainly are all forged and
" abufive pamphlets, as alfo the relations of our country-
" men .

In juflice, however, to the memoirs of both Ei>glifli and Dutch
navigators, I cannot but take notice of thefc very peremptory and
ill-founded refledlions, made by Wood ; and which ieem to be
dictated merely by his dilappointment, In not being able to effetfl
his difcovery.

Wood attempted to {iiil in a N. E. dIre<flion between Spitzber-
gen and Nova Zembla, but was obftrudled by ice, fo that he
could not proceed further than the W. coaft of Nova Zembla in
N. lat. y6. Thinking it, therefore, prudent to return, he at once
treats as tabulous, not only the Ideas of that moft pcrfevering
fcaman William Barcntz, but likewife all other accounts of
ihips having reached high Northern latitudes. Now that the ice
which obftrucled Wood in N. lat. 76. was not a perpetual, but
only occafional barrier, appears by the Ruilians having not only
dilcovered, but lived feveral years in the ifland of Maloy Brun,

•■ The Dutch made three voyages for the difcovery of the N. E. paf-
fage in three Jucceflive years, the third being in 1596, which lall was
by the encouragement of a private fubferiniiun only. See Gerard de
Veer, p. 13. Atvifterdam, 1609. folio.

'^ Weod's Voyage, p. 181.

which

^.ir«'-!'

[ ^3 ]

which lies between Spitzbergen and Nova Zembla, and extends
from N. lat. if 25' to 78' 45' '. The Dutch alio failed round
the Nocthern coaft of Nova Zembla, and wintered on the Eaftern.
fide in 1596*.

As for Wood's treating all difcoveries towards the Pole, from
the Northern parts of Spitzbergen, as fiibulous, he had not the
leaft foundation, from what he had obferved on hiso^^■n voyage,
for this unmerited afperfion upon their veracity ; becaufe, if
Wood's barrier between Spitzbergen and Nova Zembla, in N. lat.
76, had been perpetual, what hath this to do with the courfe of a
(hip failing from the Northern parts of Spitzbergen upon a meri*
dian towards the Pole. ?

r cannot, however, difmifs Wood's voyage without making
fome further remarks on his concluding that the obftrudions
which he met with in N. lat. 76 were perpetual.

Almoft every voyage to feas, in which floating ice is commonly
to be found, proves the great difference between the quantities^
as well as fize, of thefe impediments, to navigation, though in
the fiune latitude and time of the year.

' See the Engliili Tranflation of profcflbr Le Roy's account of this
ifland, p. 8 j. London, 1774, 8vo, printed for C. Heydingcr. As alfo
the Sicur de Vaugondy's LJj'oi d'line Carte Polaire Arctiqiic, publiflied in
1774, who reprefents this illand as extending from N. lat. 77° 20' to
78° 30', its longitude being 60 degrees E. from Fero.

s See the maj) of the circumpolar regions which accompanies Wood's
voyage. The Northern point of Nova Zembla, in this map, is in 77
nearly. There were faftions in Holland, with regard to the methol of dil>
covering the N. E. paflligc. Barentz, inlligatcd by Planeins the Geo-
grapher, was for making the trial to the N. of Nova Zembla ; the other
two Ihips which failed on that expedition of difcovcry were to attempt
paffing the Weygatz. Rccueil des Voyages auNord, torn. IV. Linfcho-
len's Preface.

Davis,

n

I u ]

Davis, ill h\i two firfl: voyngcs to dilcovcr the N. W. pafliige,
could not penetrate beyond 66 ; but in his third voyage, in 1587,
ho reached 72' i 3' **.

In tlir vear 1 ^76, Sir Martin Frohiflicr pafled the Straits (ilnci'
tailed tVotn their firft difcovcrer) witiunit any obllru^iVions from
ice : in his two following voyages, however, he found them in
the fame month, to life his own exprefllon, " in a manner fluit
" up with a long mure of ice'."

In ti;cyear 161 4, Baffin proceeded to Si, and thouglit he fuw
land as far as 82 '' to the N. E. of Spltzbergen, which Is ac-
cordingly marked in one of Purchas's maps. During this voyage
he met, near Cherry itland, fituated only in 74 N. lat. two banks
of ice; the one, 40 leagues in length, the other 120; which
lafl would extend to 25 degrees of longitude in N. lat. 76, where
Wood fixes his barrier.

It need therefore fcarcely be obferved, that fuch a floating wall
of ice, 1 20 leagues long, by being jammed in between land, or
other banks of ice, might atibrd an appearance Indeed of forming
a perpetual barrier, when perhaps, within the next 24 hours, the
wall of ice might entirely vanifh.

Ofthefudden aflemblage of fuch an accumulation of ice, Ifhall
now mention two, rather recent, lnfl:ance>.

I have been very accurately inlr)rmed, that the late Colonel
Murray happened to go, in the month of May, from one of our
Southerly colonies to Louifburgh, when the harbour was entirely
open ; but ou rifmg in the morning, it was completely filled

'' See Hakluyt and Purchas, vol. I. p. 84.

■' Purchas, ibid.

" See ahb the Supplement to Wood and Marten's Voyages, in the
Svo publication of 1694, in which point Purchas is Aated to be in N.
JLiit> 62.

with

il

li

i

! :f{

[ 25 J
with ice, fo tliat a waggon might )avv. pnfled on , it la any di.

I have alfo received the followi„g accom.t fro.n aa officer \n
he royal Navy, who was not nnny years a^r„ on the Newfound^
iancl Itation.

In the middle „f June, the whole rtralts of Bdlill, u,,.c eov.red
m the fame manner with the ha,h„ur of I.ewill.ursh, and for
ri.rec weeks together . carriage n.ight have ,,aflcd fron, „„.
fhore to the other: but during a fingle night the ice had al„,„ft
entnely d.lappeared. Such is the fudden accu.nula.lon of ia-
m latitudes 24 and 30 degrees to the Southward of Wood's
fituation. ^

Linfchoten aflirts, that, being in the ftrr.its of VVeveate the
laft day of July, he was told by the Samoieds on that »!ft tl
n. ten or twelve days afterwards the ice in the ftraits would be
a gone, though they wore then quite blocked up with it
When he repaired thefe ftraits afterwards on the .3th of Au^uft'

naflt"d rrT' ;° ''f ""'^'^ °' ''• '" 'i'''*'^ ^» "-re huge'
malles diflolve after they once begin to thaw "

On the other hand, Callander adn.its, tha't by accumulation
of floating ice places are now inaccefiible which were not for-
rnerly fo and^ inftances the eailern coaft of Greenland, as alfo
Frobifhers ftraits". Kergulen, in his account of Iceland, likewife
mentions that the fca between Iceland and Greenland was en-
tirely doled during the whole Summer of 1 766.

i^Za\T^f^r'''Y''' '759, thcPorowmac!:,in a part whore It
IS two iTiilcs broad, and n.-irK- in M l..^ ,..• ..... J ^^ ^^^\^^^ '^

was two :nil^s bro^i a J i^^f i^^ ^^^^0^' ., .

entirely over in one night, whc.^ the pr 'l'^" - ^ d b^en "T
mild and tcmpa-ate -Burnab) 's Travels Ihrotieh N n i'. , '^'^

Camden, m his Annals of Elizalxth nflerr. fh.,/n • ' ^ ' •59-
where the llraits, called after him ^mclrro^Jd L '"'? ""''''^'^ ^-
Camden, Anno <Sr. We hue . or finn T i n '^^ l*^^»gues-Sec
the Northward. ^ ' ^ ''"''' ^''" '•^^'^ ^° P'O^'^-'^-J ^o far to

" Cailanilcr's Prcf. p. a 3.

" Ibid. ^

E

I fliali

li

■i I:

a

[ 26 J

1 Ihall now endeavour to flicw, that Dr. IluUey was no moi-e
incredulous with regard to the poflibllity of" reaching high Nor-
thern latitudes, than Captain Wood was hetbre the ill luccefs of
his "oyage on dllcovery.

Mr. Miller, in his Gardener's Didionary, hath the following
pafliige, under the article, Thermometer :

" Mr. Patrick has fixed his thermometer to a fcale of ninety
" degrees, which are numbered from the top downwards, and
" alio a moveable index to it. The defign of this is to fliew, how
*' the heat and cold is changed from the time it was laft looked
*' upon, according to the different degrees of heat and cold in nil
•' latitudes. As by the trial of two thermometers, which have
•* been regulated abroad', the one by Dr. Halley, in his late
*' Southern voyage ; and the other by Captain Johnfon, /// bh
*' voyage to Greenland \ the firft hath a heat under the equinotSlIal
** line, and the other a degree of cold in 88 degrees of N. latitude.'*

1 have taken fome pains to find out a more full account of this
voyage of Captain Johnfon's ; but have only met with the fol-
lowing confirmation of it perliaps, in the lil vol. of Monf. de
Buffon's Natural liiftory".

*♦ I have been allured, b\) perfofis of credit, that an Englilh ca])-
•• tain, whole name was Monlbn, Inftcad of feeking a pafliige to
*' China between tlie Northern countries, had dire^^ed his courfw
*' to the Pole, and had approaclicd it within two degrees, where
*' there was an open fea, without any ice."

As the Captain Alonjin mentioned in this pafliige. reached e\-
at^ly the fame degree of latitude witli Captain "Johnfon,, I (hould
r ither think, that tliis is the iiune voyage ; efpeclally, as it is
well known, that the French writers feldom trouble themfelvci
about the orthography of foreign names.

Vol. I. p. 2 1 j, quarto.

Jf

.n

.'i

■ [ ^-7 ]

It this, however, Ihoiild not be rlic call-, it inufl bo adniitrcJ.
to be an additional inftancc of a fhip's having reached N.lat. 88.
as well as Monf. de Buffon's giving credit to fucli relation ^

Having therefore not been able to pick up any other clrcu;ii-
ftances in relation to Captain Johnion's voyage, I Ihail now
fl:ate what feenis to be fairly deducible from the parage which
I liavc copied from Miller's Gardener's Dictionary.

Dr. Halley made h\s voyage to the Southward in i ;oo ; on
the return from which, he probably employed Patrick, as the
moft eminent maker of weather glafles \ to graduate a tliermo-
meter according to the heat he had experienced under the equa-
tor. It was very natural therefore, when fuch a poi.it of heat A\-as
to be marked upon the inftrument, to make the fcalc cither for
high Southern or Northern latitudes.

It fliould feem, then, that Dr. Halley had procured Captain
Johnfon (who was mafler of a Greenland Ihip) to carry a tiier-
mometer on his voyage to Spitzbergen, and that he fortunately
was able to reach lo iiigh a degree of latitude as 88.

If the thermometer had been calculated only for imaginary de-
grees of heat and cold, it would have been marked for the Equa-
tor and the Pole; whereas it was only regulated for 88 degrees
of N. latitude, which Captain Johnfon therefore had as clearly
readied, as Dr. Halley had the Equator.

P Jo this lift of credulous pcrfons (as perhaps thev nvAv be confulcrod
by ionic) I fliall beg leave to add the names of Ktaelaurin and Dr.
Cimpbcll. The former of thefe was fo perfuaded of the leas bein"- open
<nu_te to the Pole, that lie harh not onh" advifed this method ot'^nrofe-
:utuig dilcovenes, but, as I have been told, was ilefuons of jvoino- the
voyage himlclt. "^

■I I have been informetl, that his fliop was in the Old Hailev, and that
he died about fifty years a-o. Patiiek was a -leai ringer, an,l fonie of
the molV celebrated peals were invented bv him more than fift) \ears
ao-o.—Hc ftyled himlelf, in his advertiroments, Terrieellian Operator.—

if

Sir John Hawkins's ilillory of Millie, vol. I\'. p. i :;4

At

[ ^8 ]

At all events, Patrick's thermometer muft have been made
under Dr. Ilalley's itiljiedion ; and would he have permitted it
to be marked for 88 degrees of N. latitude, according to Captain
Jolinfon's voyage, if he had dilbelieved his narrative ?

My third and laft inftance, from any printed authority, but in
a book which is not commonly to be met with, is that of Cap-
tain Alexander Cluny, as by a map, engraved under his diredlion,.
the very fpot is marked to the Weflward of Spitzbergen, and
in fomewhat more than 82 degrees of N. latitude, where he faw
neither land nor ice '.

Before I proceed, however, to ftate feverr.1 other inftances of
reaching high Northern latitudes, which have never appeared in
print, and which I have collcdled fince my laft paper on this head,^
I muft beg the Indulgence of the Society, whilft I lay before
them fome additional reafons why the Polar feas may be con-
ceived to be navigable ',

Speculative geographers liave fuppofed, that there ftiould be
nearly the fame quantity of land and fea in both hemifpheres, in
order to preferve the equilibrium of the globe..

' See the American Traveller, London, 1769, quarto; as alfo^ the
Sicnr dc Vaugondy's Effhi d'une Carte Pohire Arilique, publifhed in 1774;
in which, however, he lays down this fjiot from Cluny's map in little
more than 81, whereas it is fully in 82. The longitude of this fpot is 30.
degrees J;^. from Fero.

^ I have received a letter from the Rev. Mr. Tooke, Chaplain to
the Faftory at St. Petcrlburg, dated December 3c, 1774, which he
concludes in the following manner : " I ha\e a fadt or two to communi-
" cate, which fecm to indicate, if not to a certainty, yet at leaft to a
" dej^rcc of probability, that the fea is open to the Pole the year through-
" out; but my paper will not hold them." From the accuracy with
which fcvcral oilier intcrcftinp particulars arc ftatcd in this letter, 1
have great rcafon to regret, that I have not an opportunity of laying
rhe facts aUv.ded to before the Public, with all their circumftances,.
?is I fuj-pofe that Mr. Tooke's inforiuatioii came from Aixhangel
fcamtn.

It

m^

■m

[ 29 ]

It is poflible, indeed, that this may be accounted for by the
Antardic feas being more (hallow than thofe near the North
Pole; as we do not know this, however, by the adual foundings,
but are informed by Captain Furneaux, that there is no land
even as far as the Antardtic circle, upon the meridian in which
he failed, as alfo that no land was obferved during the courfe
of his circumnavigation in 55 S. lat. at a medium, it feems
neceflary, as the quantity of land fo greatly preponderates in the
Northern hemifphere, that from N. lat. 80 L. to the Pole itfelf
muft be chiefly, if not entirely, fea ^

^ Let us now confider, whether fuch a fea is probably at all
times in a ftate of congelation.

I do not know, whether it hath been fettled by thermometrical
obfervations, that there is any material difference between the
heat under the Equator, and that which is experienced within
the Tropics; moft travellers complain indefinitely of its excels in
fuch latitudes. ', .

As this point, therefore, feems not to have been fettled by the
thermometer, let us have recourfe to what is foiuid ta be the
freezing point upon mountains, fituated almoft under the Equa-
tor, and compare it with the fame height on the Pic of Tenerift;
which being in N. lat. 28, is five degrees to the Northward of
the tropical limits.

The French Academicians fuppofe, that the freezing point, at
which ail vegetation ceafes, and ice takes place, commence-^' on
Cotopaxi, at 141 1 toifes above the level of the ka ; or, by our
meafure, at the height of about a mile and tliree qinuteis".

My.

'h is now known that Captain Cook alfo found very little lanel
tlunng his perfevenng attempts to the fouthward.

" Cotopaxi IS the highcft mountain of the Andes, at lead in the neioh-
bourhood ot Quito., The plain ot Carabuc, fion; v^h■ch it nl'^: is

[

]

Mr. Ellens, on the other hand, hath given us a very particular
account of what he obierved in gohig ♦•o the top of Teneriff"' ;
and fo far from fcehig fnow or ice (except in a cave) his coat
was covered, during the night, with dew, at the very fumniit,
which, according to Dr. Hehcrden's cnmputation, Is 15,396 feet
high, or wants hut 148 yards of three miles".

Now as it is thus fettled, that the Pic of TenctifF is nearly
three miles high, which exceeds by more than a mile the height
of the trcczing point on Cotopaxi, lituated under the Equator, it
Ihould Icem that there is no material difference between the heat
under the Equator and within the Tropics ; for if it is urged,
that TenerifFis more furrounded with fea than Cotopaxi, it muft
on the other hand he recoUe^fted, that this mountain is fituated
5 degrees to the Northward of tlie Tropic, at the fame time
that the fummit exceeds the freezing point on Cotopaxi by more
than a mile; both which circumftances Ihould render it colder
than the freezing point on Cotopaxi. '■■■'■''

The inference to be drawn from this comparifon feems to be,
that, as the heat varies {o little between the Equator and the
tropical limits, it may differ as little between the Ardic circle
and tiie Pole.

■fiX-

Nothing hatii been fuppoftd to lliew more flrongly the wifdom
of a beneficent Creator, than that every part of this globe ihould
(taking the year throughout) have an equal proportion of the
Sun's light.

1023 roifcs above the level of the fea, and the height of the mountain
above this plain is 1268 toill-s, making together 2291 toifes. If SSo
toifes therefore are deduded from 2291, 1411 toiles become tlic height
of the freezing point upon this mountain. Sec Ulioa's Account of S.
America.

" J'hi). Tranf. Abr. vol. V. p. 147. Sprat's Mirt. R. Soc.

* Sec Hawkcfworth's Voyages, vol. II. p. 1 2. Goats alfo reach the
ver\' fummir, which muft be in fearch of food, us they do not bear cold
wtU. I

It

[ 3^ ]

It Is admitted, that the cquatoriHl parts have ratlier too much
heat for the comforts of the inhabitants, and thofe within the
Polar circles too little; but, as we know that tiie tropical Units
are peopled, it fliould feem that the two Polar circles are equally
deftined for the fame purpofc; or 'if not for the benefit of man,
at leaft for the furtenance of certain animals.

The largeft of thefe, in the whole fgale of Creation, is the
whale; which, though a fifh, cannot live long underwater, with-
out occafionallv raiilng its head into another elenient, for the pur-
pofe of refpiratlony; moft other filh alfo occafionally approach the
furface of the water.

If the ice therefore extends from N. lat. 80 i- to the Pole, all
the Intermediate fpace Is denied to the Spitzbergen. whales, as well
perhaps as to other fifli ; and is that glorious luminary, the Sun,
to iliine in vain for half the year upon ten degrees of latitude
round: each of the Poles, without contributing either to animal
life or vegetation ? for neither can take place upon this dreary
expanfc of ice..

If this traa of fea alfo is thus rendered lmproi>er for the fup-
port of whales, thefe enormous fifh, wlilch require fo much room,
will be confined to two or three degrees of latitude In the neigh-
bourhood of Spitzbergen; for all the Greenland mafters agree,
that the beft fifhing ftatlons are from y^ to 80, and that dicy
do not often catch them to the Southward. .

I will now alk, if the fea is congealed from N. lat. 80;. quite
to the Pole, when did It thus begin to freeze, as it is well known,
that a large quantity of fea water is not cafily forced to affumJ

y « Sometimes rhe ice Isjixcd, when there are but few n-hales feen, for
< underneath the ice they cannot breathe." Martens's Vovagc to Si it/-
bergen. ' ^ '■ '

The whales likcujlc arc fuppofod to come from the North: but how
xan this be, it tht-rc is an incrulkx! lea over them?

1

t\

le.

[ 3^ ]

i

■1 .!

the fonn of Ice ' ? Can it be contended, that ten degrees of tlie
globe round each pole v/ere covered witli frozen fea at the
orighial creation ' ? And if this is not infifted upon, can it be
fuppofed, that, when the furface of the Polar ocean firft ceafed to
be liquid, it could have afterwards refifted the efFeds of winds,
currents, and tides ? • . :

I beg leave alio to rely much upon the neceflity of the ice's
}icUrnig to the conftant reciprocation of the latter; becaulc no
fca w;ib ever known to be frozen but the Black Sea, and fome
fmall parts of the Baltic'', neither of which have any tides,
at the fame time that the waters of both contain much
Ids fait than thofe of other feas, from the great influx of
nvany freih water rivers. For this laft reafon, it may likewifc

■'■ " There are three kinds of ice in the Northern feas. The firft is
'* like mched fnow which is become partly hardened, is more eafily
••' broken into pieces, Ids . anfparenr, is feldom more than fix inches
" thick, and when dillbhcd, is found to be intermixed with fait. This
" firft lort of ice is the only one which is ever formed from fea water,

" If a certain quantity of water, which contains as much fait as fea
*' water, is expofed to the greateft degree of cold, it never becomes firm
*' and pure ice, but rcfembles tallow, or fuet, whilft it preferves the
" taftc of lalt, fo that the fwcet traniparent ice can never be formed in
" the fe;i. If the ice of the fea itfelf, therefore, confined in a fmall
** veflcl without any motion, cannot thus become true ice, much lefs can
•* it tlo fo in a deep and agitated ocean." The author henc^ infers,
that all the floating ice in the Polar feas comes from the Tartarian
rivers and Greenland, as I have before contended. See a Diflertation
t)f Michel Lomonofof, tranflatcd from the Swedilh Tranfaftions of 1752.
Co/Ictlicn Acadcniiquef Tom. XI. p. 5. y feq. Paris, 1772, quarto.
The Diflertation is entitled, " De rOiigine dcs Monts de Glace, dans la
Mcr du NcrJ."

* If tlicrc had been a fixed barrier of ice from the time of the crea-
tion, (.xtcnding from 80] to the North Pole, the height of fuch ice mufl:
have been exceillve, by the accumulation oi frozen fnow from winter to
winter. Martens therefore obfervcs, thar'thc ice mountains in Spit/.bergen
jirc conftantl)' encreafing by the fnow and rain which falls freezing, and
Vthlch feldom Jiielts at the top, p. 43.

^ To thefe ])erhaps may be added the V\'hitc Sea.

be

m

i

i 33 ]

be prefumed, that the circumpolar feas are very fait, bccaufe
tliere is probably no fuch influx beyond N. lat. 80, Spitzbcrgcu
itfelf having no rivers. " »> .

• Having thus given fome general reafons, why the fea (hould
not be fuppofed to be frozen in the ten higheft degrees of lati-
tude, I fliall now proceed to lay before the Society, feveral in-
fiances, which I have lately colkaed, and which prove that it is
not fo covered with ice Confiderably to the N. of 804..

I fhall, however, previoufly make two obfervations ; the firft
of which is, that every inftance of exceeding N. lat. So'., as
much proves that there is no perpetual barrier of ice in that'lati-
tude, as if the navigator hath reached the Pole. The fecond is
that as four experienced Greenland mafters have concurred in in-
forming me, that they can fee what is called the ilink of the icc\
for a degree before them, they never can be off Hakluyt's Head-*
land, which is fituated in 79° 50', without obfervlng this efted
of the ice upon tlie fky, if there was a perpetual barrier at 80I,
which is not much more than half a degree from them, when
in that fituation. Now Hakluyt's Headland is what they fo per-
petually take their departures from, that it hath obtained the
name of I'he Headland by way of preeminence.

This mountain alfo is fo high, that it can be diflinguifhed at
the diftance of a degree : in fuch inftances, therefore, which I
ihall produce, that do not fettle the latitude by obfervation,
whenever the reckoning depends upon the approach or departure
from this Headland, the account receives the additional check of

fl.A-'^^f '' defcribed to be an arch formed upon the clouds bv re
fleaion from the packed ice Where the ice is fixed upon the iL, you
fee a/novv-white bnghtnefs in the fkies, as if the lun Ihined for the
fnow IS refledled by the air juft as a fire' by night is, but a^a dSa. ce
you fee the a,r blue or blackilh. Where there are many fiual Ice

neis ot the ikies.— Martens's Voyage to Spitzbergen. ^

^ the

oa

m

I'.' m

11 11

I 3* ]

the mountain's being increafed or diminiftied gradually to the eye
of the obferver.

My fecond previous remark fhall be, with regard to all in-
ftances of reaching high Northern latitudes, for which the autho-
rity of the fliip's journal may be required, that it is almoft im-
poffible to procure this fort of evidence, except the voyages have
been recent ; not only for the reafbns I have given in my former
paper, but becaufe I find, that if the (hip*s journal is not wanted
by the owners in a year or two (which feldom happens) it is
afterwards confidered as wafte paper.

Without the leafl: impeachment alfo of the knowledge in na-
vigation of the Greenland mafters, when they are in the a<f!lual
purfuit of fifh, they do not trouble themfelves about their longi-
tude or latitude ; they are not bound by their inftrudtions to fail
to any particular point, and their only objedt is to catch as many
whales as poflible ; the fhip's fituation therefore, at fuch time,
becomes a matter of perfedl indifference. It will appear, how-
ever, that they not only keep their reckonings, but obferve,
when they are not thus employed in fifliing.

Having made tliefe previous remarks, I fliall now proceed to
lay before the Society, fuch inftances of navigators having pene-
trated beyond 8o^, as I have happened to procure fince the read-
ing of my former paper on this fubjedl, in May laft.

James llutton (then belonging to the fhip London, Captain
Guy) was, thirty years ago, in N. lat. 8i|, as both the captain
and mate informed him ; but did not obferve himfelf. A very
intelligent fea officer was fo good as to take from him this ac-
count, together with the following particulars, which perhaps
may be intercfting to Greenland navigators.

Mutton hatli been employed In the whale fiihery nearly thefe
forty years, during which he hath been feverai times at the
Seven Iflands, and the Waygat Straits. In fome of thefe voyages
the fja hath been perfedly clear from ice, and at other times it

hath

4

[ 25 J

hath fct in fo rapidly towards the Waygaf, as to oblige tlu,-
veflbls which happened to be thereabouts, to force all iall'poiH-
ple, to efcape being inclofed.

This hardy old tar likewife fuppofcr,, that he hath been further
up the Waygat than perhaps any pcrfon now living ; for he was
once in a fliip which attempted to pafs through It, nor did the
mafter defift, till they (hoaled the water to throe fathoms, when
the fea was fo clear, that they could diftinguilh the bottom
from the deck.

Mr. John Phillips, now mafler of the Exeter, but then mate
of the Loyal Club, in the year 1752, reached N. lat. 8r and
feveral minutes by obfervation, which circumftance was confirmed
by another perfon on board the Exeter laft fummer, on her re-
turn from the Greenland fi.qiery. Captain Phillips added, that
It was very common to fifh in fuch latitudes.

Mr. George Ware, nov living at Erith in Kent, ferved as
chief mate in the year 1754, on board the Sea Nymph, Captain
James Wilfon, when, at the latter end of June, they failed
through floating ice from 74 to 81 ; but having then proceeded
beyond the ice, they purfued the whales to 82° 15', which lati-
tude was determined by Mr. Ware's own obfervation.

As the fea was now perfeftly clear, as far as he could diftin-
guifli with his heft glafles, both Mr. Ware and Captain Wilfon
had a ftrong inclination to pufh further towards the Pole ; but
tlie common failors hearing of fuch their intention, remon-
ftrated. that if they fliould be able to proceed fo fa.-, the Ihip
would fall into pieces, as the Pole would draw all the iron work
out of her.

TheWc.ghgatt is fo called from the wind which blows throuirh
rnis ftrait [wahen to blow] becaufe a ftrong S. W. wind Zws ou of
It. Another name for it is ///.././.^..-See Martcns's vSyagrp. ay

^^ ^ On

'(

f ■'

(i^

[ 3M

On this Captain Wilfon and Mr. Ware defifted, as the crew
had thcfe very ilngular apprehenfions ; efpccially - they '\ad no
whales in fight to the Northward, which alone would juftify the
attempt to their owners'. It need fcarcely be oblerved, how-
ever, that the notion which prevailed among the crew fliews,
that the common Teamen on board the Greenland (hips conceive,
that the fea is open to the Pole ; they would otherwife have ob-
jeifled on account of the ice being fuppofed to incrcafe. It
flicAild fecm alfo, that the pradicability ot reaching the Pole is a
point which they often difcufs amongft themfelves.

In this fame year and month, Mr. John Adams (who now Is
mafler of a flourifliing academy at Waltham Abbey, In Eflex)
was on board the Unicorn, Captain Guy, when they anchored
in Magdalena Bay'', on the Weftcrn coaft of Spltzbergen and
N. lat. 79° 35'.

They continued In this bay for three or four days, and then
flood to the Southward, when the wind freflining from that
quarter, but the weather foggy, they proceeded with an eafy
fail for four days, expelling to meet with fields of Ice, to which
tliey miglit make fiil: ; but they did not encounter fo much as
a piece that floated. On the fifth day the wind veered to
the Weftward, the weather cleared up, and Mr. Adams had a
good obfervation (the Sun above the Pole s) by which he found
himfelf tlvree degrees to the Northward of Hakluyt's Headland,
or in N. lat. 83.

Captain Guy now declared, that he had never been fo far to
the Northward before, and ci•3^vled up to the main-top maft head,

' This circumflancc of not feeing any whales in that dircdVion
accounts for Captain Guy's defifting, in the following inftancc, from
failing to the Northward, as alfo in many others which I Ihall have
occafion to ilatc.

' The Greenland maftcrs mofl commonly call this bay Mac-Helena.

" The old navigators to thefe parts call this a South Sun.

accompanied

1'

[ 37 J

accompanied by the chief mate, whilft the fecond mate together
with Mr. Adams went to the fore-top maft head, from whence
they fliw a fea as free from ice as any part of the Atlantic ocean,
and it was the joint opinion of them all, that they might have
reached tlie N. Pole.

The fliip then flood to the Southward, and twelve hours after-
wards Mr. Adams had a fecond good obfervation (the Sun beneath
the Pole) vvhen their latitude was 82" 3'. In both thefe obfer-
vations, Mr. Adams made an allowance of 5' for tlic refradion,
which, he fays, was his captain's rule, who was now on his
59th or 60th voyage to the Greenland feas.

In the year 1756, Mr. James Montgomery, now a merchant
in Prekot-flreet, Goodman's-fields, but then mafter of the Pro-
vidence, followed the whales during the month of June till he
reached N. lat. 83, by obfervation. Another Greenland mafler
informs me, that he remembers well the ice packed much to
the^ Weftward, but that the fea was open to the Northward
during that fummer.

In 1762, David Boyd, then mate of tlic brig Betfy, was
driven by a gale of wind from 79 to 82, odd minutes, by obfer-
vation ; during all which time he was befct in ice. A Greenland
maftcr has likcwiH^ told me, that he recolkas many other (liips
were driven to tlic N. F. from their filhing ftations during that
lealon. °

Mr.- Jonathan Wheatley, now mafler of a Greenland nii;>
was m 1766 otf Hakluyt's Headland", whence, not meeting
with fuccefs, he failed N. W. to 81 x, in which latitude he could
lee no ice in any direaion whatfoever from the mafl head
though there was a very heavy fea from the N. E

Mr. Wheatley alfo informs me, that whilll he was off the
Coafl of Greenland, three Dutch Captains told him, that a iLip

»• He was then on board a fliip called the Grampus.

of

i

!f

^ 'I

M 1,^,

'. •

1-*!

[ 38 ]

of tliclr nation liad been In 89, and they all iuppofcd, tliat the
(la in fuch a latitude might be as free from ice as where they
were filhing. This account probably alludes to the Dutch niau
of war, on board of which Dr. Dallie happened to be, the cir-
cunillanccs of which voyage I have fliated in my former paper.

This fame captain is fo thoroughly perfuaded of being able to
approach the Pole, that he will attempt it whenever an opportu-
nity offers of doing it, without prejudice to his owners. On
luch a voyage of difcovery, he would not wrfli a larger veflel
than one of 90 tons ', nor more than ten hands. I find, indeed,
that this is the fize of the ihip, in which iiioft of the early na-
vigators attempted to proceed far to the N()rth\\ rd.

In 1769, Mr. John Thcw, now mafter of a Greenland fhip
called the Rifing Sun, was in ' lat. 82, and 100 leagues to the
W. of Hakluyt's Headland. e circumftanCes by which he

fuppofed himielf to have been in this fituatlon, were ftated to
me in the prefence of a very able fea officer, who told me after-
wards, that he was perfedlly fatisficd with the accuracy of his
account.

Captain John Clarke, of the Sea Horfe, at the latter end of
June 1773, failed from the Headland N. N. E. to 81^, which
he computed by his run from the Headland in 1 8 hours, having
loft fight of it. At this time there was an open Tea to the
Northward, and luch a fwell from the N. E. that the (hip
would not ftay, being under her double reef'd topfails, whilft
the wind blew frefh.

During this run from the Headland, Mr. Clarke fell in with
Captain Rohinfon in 81" 20', whom I mentioned in my former
paper as having readied 81 1 in the fame month and year, by a
very accurate obfervation.

' Clippcrtoii reached China in a bark not much exceeding ten tons,
as did alio Funnell, in another fuch vcii'cl. Callander, vol. ill. 223.

I This

I 30 ]

This f-imc Cnptaln Robinfon, on the 28th of June laft pafled
by Hakluyt's Hcadhuul, lying off and on for fevcral days, during
which lie was fomctimcs a degree to tlie Northward of it, and
till the 20th of July following, there wa. no obftrudlion to his
proceeding Northward ; to which, however, he had no induce-
ment, as he caught two large whales in this latitudt ^

Captain John Reed, of the Rockingham, alio in July laft
purfued fome whales 15 leagues to the Northward of the Head-
land, and confirms Captain Rohinfon's laft account, hy faying,
he could then fee no ice from his mart head.

Captain Reed was brought up in the Greenland fiHiery, and
remembers well, that whilft on board his flither's Ihip tlie
ThifHe, the mate told him, that they had reached 81' 42'
wlien there was indeed a good deal of ice, but full room to fail
in any du-edion.

Mr. Rccd llkewife hath Informed me, that about 15 years ago
a Dutch Captain (whofe name was Hans Derrick) told him*
wlulft they were together in the Greenland feas, that he had been
in N. lat. 86, when there were only fome flnall pieces of floating
ice to be feen. Hans Derrick moreover added, that there were
then five other flilps in company, whicli took one with another
eighteen Imall whales.

I have great rcafon to expeft feveral other inftances of the
lame k„ul, ui a Ihort time, from the diii^rent ports of this klnp-
dom wliere there Is any eonfiderable Greenland trade : 1 fhall not
^lowever, trouble the Society with tliem, till I know whether
they would wifh any further information on this head

i fhall now recapitulate the diftbrent latitudes which have been
reached by the feveral navigators whofe names I liave mentioned

^ 81ft degree, and no ih.p ventured further that year/' viz. 1671

■m

[ 4° ]

in this and my former paper. I fliall alfo take credit for nearly
a degree to the Nortliward of their fevoral fituations, becaufc the
^\'.'ni or glare of the packed ice is to be diftinguilhed at ihls dif-
tance, when the weather is tolerably fair.

80'. 45'. Captain John Reed.

81^. For three weeks together, Captain Thomas Robinfon.
81". odd minutes, Captain John Phillips.

8 1 ^ 30'. Four inftances ; viz. James Hutton, Jonathan Wheat-
ley, Thomas Robinfon, John Clarke.
82°. Two inftances ; viz. Captains Cheyne and Thew.
82°. odd minutes. Two inftances ; viz. Cluny and David Boyd.
I 5'. Mr. George Ware.

Two inftances ; Mr. John Adams and Mr. James Montgomery.
30'. Mr. James Watt, lieutenant in the royal navy.
Five fliips in company with Hans Derrick.
Two inftances ; Captain Johnfon and Dr. Dallie ; to
which, perhaps, may be added Captain Monfon, as a third.
89^. Relation of the two Dutch maftcrs to Captain Goulden^.
8p". 30'. Dutch relation to Mr. Grey.

82^

86^
88'

% ¥ \

DAINES BJRRINGTON, F. R. S.

t This inftancc, however, harh bclbre been relied upon, though
never, perhaps, circumftantially flated, but by Captain Wood.

POST-

[ *> 1

POSTSCRIPT.

Jaminry 8, ijy^,
TTAVING procured the three fcllowing i„f}ances before ii-c
X i reading of my paper was finhhed, it may not be Improper
to add them in a poAfcript.

In Harris's Voyages ^ i. the following paff^gc, - By the Dutch
JournaLs they got into N. lat. 88' 56 , and the fea open."

I have within thefe few days alked Dr. Can.pb.Il, tlie very
able compiler of thefe voyages, upon what nuth.ority he inferred
t.us account > Who informs me, that he received it tVom Hol^-
land about 30 years ago, as being an extract from .he journals
rmduccd to the States General In ^66s, on the application for I

t eT7, r r ^r''* ^^«'^S^ '^ >!-"' -1--1^ -4^ fruftrated by
tlic Dutch Eaft-India Company. ^

In the >,;-;;./ ,/.. S^^vans^ for the month of Oclober 1774'
IS hkewife the following paragrapli : ^ ^

"To thefe inllances produced by Mr. Barrington" Tof navio-,-
to. havmg r.Khed high Northern latitudes], 'our cLuntrvn'a

C-^the Dutch) could add many others. An able officer i,

he Enghfh iervice hath in his cuftody the {ournals of

^^ ot May he had penetrated as ^r as 8.^ .0', when the fea was

fu'lnallrl'^';^'^"" '' ''^' "f ^^^P-i'^ Bateion, who
del .a I 73 from J.iverpool, hi a fl.ip called the Wlude on

thcCneenlandidhery, and who, on June.,, .ached Ri:::

' Vol. II. p. 4_53.

G

' P'^'-t "• p. 503.

[ 42 ]

n

»■■ ■ '

1
) "

i.

r(''

82° i^\ computed by his ruiiback to Hakluyt's Headland ^. As
this happened lb recently, Captain Batefon (as well as many of
the other mailers, whofe accounts I have before mentioned) hath
his journal to produce, if it fiiould be required.

This feems to be the ftrongeft confirmation of both Captain
Robinfon and Captain Clark's having been, during this fame year
and month, in 8i| ; as alfo of their having met each other in
81' 20', according to what I have already ftated.

I rnull; not lofc this fame opportunity of laying before the So-
ciety the information which I i\ave juft now received from M. de
Buifon, in relation to wiiat I have cited from his Natural Hif-
tory of Captain Monfon's having reached N. lat. 88^, *' as he was
*' told by pcrfous of credit.'"'

Upon my taking the liberty to inquire, who tbofe perfons of
credit were ? Monf. de Buffon refers me to Dr. Nathan Hick-
man, who In 1730 travelled as one of Dr. Ratcliff's fellows' ;
and who fuppofed, that Captain Monfon's journal might have
been at that time procured in England. Monf. de Buffbn alio
recolleds, that a Dutchman was then prefent, and confirmed
the account.

^ His inducement to proceed fo far North, was the purfult of whales.
I have llicwn the cxtraiits from Captain Batcfon's journal to a very able
fca officer, who is pcrfcdlly fatisfied with the accuracy of it.

^ He was alfo a fellow of the Royal Society in 1730.

■'ii ,,).,

^'It

ADDI-

V- 'M

m

[ 43 J

ADDITIONAL PAPERS

FROM

I

H

U

L.

TT7 HILST I was valtlng In expedlation of fcveral addl-
V V tional inflances of Dutch Hiips, which had been in hii-h
Northern latitudes, I received the following anfwers to certain
queries relative to the Greenland feas from a very eminent mer-
chant of Hull, and which he is fo obliging as to permit me to
lay before the public. March 31, 1775. jj ^

I. From Captain John Hall of the K^';,g

cf Pruffia*

the PdeT '' '^ ^""^' ""• "''^ "''' ^'^'^ '''y ^"^P approached
I have known fhlps go into the latitude of 84° Nortli, and c?id
not hear of any difficulty they met with ; but it is not often tint
the ice will permit tliem to go fo far North.

N B. On enquiring of Captain Hall what fliips he had
known p-oceed io ii.r ? He replied, they were fomc Dutch
fliips he heard had done fb, but knew no particulars
2d (^cry. When are the Polar feas moft free from ice'?
1 he leas arc mod incumbered with ice from about the'iftof
Sep.en.b.r to the ifl of June iollowing ; and in confequence
between the :ft ot June and September, the ice lieth f urtheft
tiom Sptt^bcrgen. And 1 know no other precaution to be takc'I

I'cfpccling

I

;«

'!:

.liji

liiit'

[ 44 ]

refpefting the Pole, than that they muft watch the opportunity
when the ice licth furtheft from tiie land.

3d Query. How far to the Southward have you fir{\. fcen ice ?

In tlie fpace of twenty years, I have twice known that we
met with the ice in the latitude of 74° 30' North, and could not
find a paflage to the Northward till the montli of July, and then
got into the latitude of 78'' with much diiticulty, in running
through the openings of great bodies of ice ; and fome years we
find a pafl'agc to the latitudes 79 and 80" North, without much
difficulty from the ice. Some years I have known fhips go round
the North part of Spitzbergen, and fo come out between Nova
Zembla and the South part of Spitzbergen ; but this paflage is
feldom to be found free from ice.

4th Query. From what quarter is the wind coldeft whilft off
Spitzbergen ?

Northerly and E. N. E. winds are mofl frofty ; but fnow and
froll: we have very common with all winds, except during
part of June, July, and Auguft. If the wmds be Southerly
the weather is milder, but fubje£l to fnow, fleet, and
thick weather. The winds, currents, and the ice are very
variable.

The opinion of the old feamen is, that wc may proceed fur-
ther North than ever has been yet attempted ; but this mufl be
done with caution. An opportunity is to be watched for in thofe
feas. I'he mod likely time for fuch difcovcries to be made is
in the months of July and Auguft, when the ice is moft com-
monly furtheft from the land ; but fome years not to be found
open at all from the land. And when it I3 open, they muft ob-
ferve the ice to lay a long way from the North part of Spitz-
bergen ; for I have Iinown Ihips that made attempts to go to the

Northwardj

rt

t 45 J

Northward, and before they returned back, the Ice fet In with
the land, fo that they have been obliged to leave the fhips to the
Eafl of Spitz bergen.

N. B. The ice always fets in with the land the back of the

year.

II. From Captain Humphry Ford of the

Manchefter,

rft. I was once as high as the latitude 8i» 30' North, in the
fhip Dolphin of Newcaftle, in the year 1739 or 60, and have
been feveral times fince as high as the latitude 81° in the fliips
Annabclla and Manchefter, in which latitude I never met with
any uncommon circumftances, but fuch as I have met with in
the latitudes y,, 76, 'j-j, 78, and 79"; if to the weftward, I
was commonly incumbered with large quantities of ice.

2d. I fuppofe that the Greenland feas are moft incumbered
w.th ice in the months of December, Januarv, Februarv, and
March ; for in the latter part of Aoril, and the firft of May the
ice generally begins to feparate and open ; and in the months of
June and July, we generally find the Greenland feas moft clear
of ice.

3d. TKe only precaution to be taken, in order to proceed to-
wards the Pole, is to fit out two ftrong flfips that are handv and
lail 1-aR, well equipped, and fecured in the manner of thofe t'vit
are generally fent to Greenland on the whale fifliery. Such fliins
fiiould be manned with about forty able feamen in each, and
viccualled for eighteen months or two years, and be ^ntirel,
under the command of fome expert, able, and experienced fe-^'-
man who has frequented thofe feas for fome time part. They
ihould lail from England about the middle of April, in order ti)

be'

i

i

:,J ' 'lill

Mm

[ 46 ]

be in with the edge of the ice about the loth of May, when it
bcghis to feparate and open.

4th. There Is not the Icafl: reafon to fuppofe, that the Teas to
the Weft, Nortli-vvcft, and North of Spltzbergen are covcretl
with permanent and perpetual ice, fo as never to be opened by
the operation of the winds : for dally experience lliews us, that
a Northerly wind, when of any long duration, opens and fepa-
rates the ice, fo as to admit of flilps going amongft it in fundry
places to a very high latitude. If attempted.

N. B. I never was to the Eaftward of Spltzbergen ; but am of

opniii

on.

that the ice is much the fame there as to the

North and North- weft of Spltzbergen.

I generally find that Northerly winds br!ng froft and fnow ;
on the contrary. Southerly wliids bring mild weather and rain ;
but none of thofe wuids appear to be periodical, except clofe in
Avith the land, called Fair Foreland, where I generally find the
winds in the months of June and July to blow moftly from the
S. S. W. and very often cNxeftive ftrong.

It is my oplnit)!!, by ol^fcrvlng the above, that In fome years
Ihips might fail very nigh tlio Pole ; If not, the ImpracllcablUty
muft arife from the large quantity of ice that lies in thofe feas.

^h

: m

III. From Captain Ralph Dale of the
J/j» and Elizabeth*

I am willing to give you my opinion, in regard to the queries
received of you, \o far as my obfervatlons will juftlty.

I ft. In the year 1773, I failed North 81% wlien I was much

incommoded with •large lields of ice, but tiic air was not fen-

5 fibly

•ih

[ 47 ]

so'icifr' *"° '""^ ""'" ' '™"'' ' ^ '"^ """^^ o^s-^

2d. I hnve for many years ufed the Greenlaud fiftcry • and
have by experience, found thcfc fcas the lead incumbered with
ice betwixt the forepart of JVIay till July.

I f' I^' t"' ^"" ' '"""'='' '° "'" '^•'■^"''^ »bove-me„tioned
I found m May, to the Weft of Spitsbergen, a fine ont
fea, the wu>d then blowing South-weftf and L fea (a far f

ce r'tT.f"" "'.^ ■"•^'^-''-'•) -- ""'= "-."bercd Jw
.ce, w nch fully conduced me that there was a probability of
proccednig to a very high latitude, ^

terlt'wifl'h i,°ft"'"'' •"''' ''' "" ™""' "°" ^™" -■'« 1>--
ter It wdl ,t ,s at fmes impregnated with froft, f„ow, &c • but

when moft fo I am not able to determine. As for rai , Td; n

recollea ever feeing any there. The weather I have, nrlv

found mildeft when the wind blows Southerly. As for p^'o^f I

wuids, I do not fuppofe there are any in Greenland '"

IV. From Captain John Greenshaw.

tn regard to the Qiieries fent to me, all I have to fav is tint if
npafiage to the North Pole ia ever to be accompli Jdmv op
";on is. It mull be obtained by going betwixt' GreenlZ 'd
^ova Zembla, as I myfelf have been to the Weftward of Green
nd. and reached fo for to the Northward as 8." of NortU

f; fohd /:,"'^^°"'> »-• ^-h-weft of that found IZ
but .a folKl body of ice: my opinion, therefore, is, that it is in,°
poffible ever to obtain a paflhge that way. C ptain jJir

croft, in the South Sea Company's time' w. / ""

^iiipauy s cime , was once fo tar as 82°

ycarr « th^crciS'Se^^^^^^ ''"^" "™^" °' '"'i^' ^^ ^-^o- nine

North

'yi

[ 43 ]

North latitude, and to the Northward of Greenland, and met
with nothing hut a iblld field of ice. And In regard to the winds
and weather, it freezes continually ; but the wind from the
Southward doth commonly bring rain and thick foggy weather,
which is chiefly in the latter end of June and July. If you are
to the Northward and Wefliward of Greenland, the wind from
the N. W. and N. N. W. doth always open the ice ; but at the
fiime time, if it come to blow any time from that quarter, packs
it clofe in with the land ; and the winds from the Southward
have tlie contrary ciYed:.

■ V.

The Queries anfwered by Andrew Fisher, mafter of a Grcen-
Jand fhip at Hull, who has been twenty-four voyages from
England to the Greenland feas.

ifl. Said Andrew Fifher i'ays, that in the year 1746, being on
board the fhip Ann and Elizabeth from London, on a voyage to
the Greenland ieas, he lleered from Hakluyt's Headland in Spitz-
bergcn North and N. N. \\ . in clear water till they were in lati-
tuile 82° 34', where they met with a loofe pack of ice, and made
tlicir fifhery, or olheruiie they might have got through tliat
loofe Ice, and doubt not, but that they might have gone confi-
<]crably further North ; they returned, however, in clear water
to Spitzhergcn.

2d. Bell: Icafons of the year arc, to be at or near Spltzbergen
from the 15th of Alay to the ift of June, though the years dif-
fer, and the laying of the ice exceedingly ; fome years it is not
poliible to get Nor*-h of 80" ; at other times you may meet with
very little ice, which is chiefly owing to the weather in winter,
and the winds in April and May.

3d. There

>^^ii;

mkW

I

[ 49 ]

3d. There is not any reafon to fuppofe, that there is any per-
manent ice, either North or Weft of Spitzhergen, fo far as 90'-
and it hath been always found, by able and experienced naviga^
tors, that there is not near the quantity of ice, nor fo liable to
fet^faft to the North of Spitzbergen, as there is to the South of
80° as far as 74% owing to the continent of America (called
Gallampus land by the failors) and Spitzbergen, which makes a
narrow palTage in proportion to what it is to the North of Spitz-
bergen. The land of America is fometimes feen by our Green-
land traders from latitude 74° to 76°; and as it is not feen any
further North, is fuppofed to round away to the North-weft
which makes it imagined by many, that there is not any land
near the Pole.

4. South whids bring moft fnow; North winds bring froft-
but that is in the month of April and two-thirds of May after
that time, to the ift or loth of July, it is in general mild', fine
clear, fun-fhme weather, and winds variable; after that again'
often thick fogs and high winds. *

5. It is very poffible, by fteering North or N. N. E. by the
fhip's compafs, (if it can be fo contrived as to have the card on
the needle fteady, and the winds prove favourable,) with a little
perfeverance, a ihip may get near the Pole, if they do not meet:
with rocks. . ',

VI.

SIR,

IN the year 1766, trade being dull, I fitted a fliip at mv Ht
expenceto the Greenland feas; and the faid f^iip returned with
one fifti, eleven feet bone. Finding the trade could be conduced
better m private hands than a company's, I was induced Co fend

" a fecond

n.;

\ 1

Rill

1 H

Mi

' 11

' Ml

ii III

. HI
' m

i 'i'

n

[ so ]

a fccond (hip In 1767, and as I had otiier concerns in ihipping-,
thought it mod prudent (being brought up to the lea, and having
made an ealy fortune tVom it) to go a voyage to the Greenland
feas, to fee with my own eyes what cliancc there might be of
making or loling a fortune. So failed from Mull the 14th day
of April, in my (hip the Brltilh Queen, with an old cxnericnced
mafter, and on the 24th and 25th of April was in the latitude of
72", catcliing feal.; amongO: great quantities of loofc ice. As we
did not ciioofc to flay In that latitude, we made the heft of our
vvayNord); and after failing through loofe ice, which is com-
monly the cafe, about the 6th of May we were as fiir North as
latitude 80°, (which is near what the n^afters call a f/Jbiiig latitude')
and about 15 leagues Wed of Hakluyt's Headland. I found the
further North the lefs quantity of Ice; and from the enquiry I
made, both from tlie Englifli and Dutch, which was very confi-
derable, there is a great probability of llilps going to the Pole, If
not flopped by meeting land or rocks. It appeared to me, that
the narrowefl place in thofe feas was betwixt Spltzbergen and the
American fhore, where the current is obferved to come always
from the North, which fills this narrow place with ice, but In
general loofe and floating in the fummer, though I believe
congealed and permanent in winter. Thofe from whom I en-
quired Informed me, that the fea was abundantly clearer to the
Nortli of Spltzbergen, and the further North the clearer. This
feems to prove a wide ocean and a great opening to the North,
as the current comes from thence that fills this paflTage as afore-
fiiid. The heft method of reaching the hlghefl latitude In my
opinion if, to hire two veflels of about 250 tons burthen each,
and if done on a frugal fcheme, the fame flilps might be fitted
for the whale fiflicry, and premiums given both for the ufe of the
fhip and crew, In jirf^portion to their approach to the Pole, which,

frotn

iM

I

I 5^ i

from many circumaaiiccs tliat may intervene, might be two or
three year,, before they cwuld complete tlieir wllhes. And It is
more hkely, they might make their fifhcry fooner than to the
Southward; as, if they met with ice, the fifli would be undif-
turbed ; it clear water and a good wind, thcv very foon mi.rht
reach the Pole. What I mean by two veflels i., one to foreliiil
the other at the diftance of three or four leagues, as the latter
may avoid tlie dangers the firft might run into; and to be always
ready, on fe^jjug and hearing proper fignals, to aid and affift, and
hy that means fecure a retreat. I am alfo of opinion, that fuch
Ihips being fent on difcoveries are much more likely to fuc-
cecd than his majefty's fhips and officers. The above hints I
have pointed out for your confideration ; and if I can be of any
further fervicc, may command, Sir,

Your mofl humble fej-vant,

SAM. STANDIDGE.

Hull,
Maiili 4, 1774.

TT/\ K E tin,, ojiportiniity of laying before the Public the fol-
•^ mvMig letter from Capt.i,, MARSl.ALr,, mafter of a Green-
l."H n,,,, to Captain Heath. „f the 4.(1 Re<;in>ent, who for-
iiicrlv made two voyage? to s;i>It7.bergeii.

SIR,

JN appliance wltl> your requeft of WedncfJav laft, I acquaint
A you. that (ix year, ago J .as as high as eighty-t vo degre
h.«.v ™..utes, North latitude, hy ob,-ervati», which if t";
h.gheft 1 have ever been in ; at that time I ,vas n,ate of the Ro
Exchange Greenlandman, of Newcaftle. I do not know of .y
one wl» has been ,„ a higher degree; but it has been repol I
Nnvcaflle (w,th what trutl. I cannot fay) that Captai' Green-

/liaw,

f,

I
i,

H

<:../il

'•ill.

[ 5^ ]

fhaw, of London, h.ul told his friends, tliat he had been as high"
North as eighty- lour degrees.

The Dutch, I have been informed, have proceeded to eighty-
three degrees, thirty minutes ; but I have it only by hear-fay.

In refpedt to }our fecond query, I remember, that about five
years fince, when I was mafter of the above-mentioned fliip, I
was in eighty-one degrees, North latitude, by obfervation, when
tliere was a clear fea to the Northward, as far as the eye could
reach from the maft-head j and 1 could not help oblerving to my
people, that if it had lva]>pened that we were then upon difcovery,
we might have iiad a fine run to the North, as tlie wind blew
fi'efli at South. Tlic like clear fea I iiave obferved feveral times
during the time I h.ave been in tlic Greenland fervice, which
is now about twenty-one years. I have no doubt but that a
navigator might reach a higher latitude than I have been in,
provided he was well acquainted with the currents and the ice,
for much depemls thereon ; : nd took the advantage of a favour-
able feafoii. I have remarked, that when the froft has been fevera
in England, and to the fouthward "", there has been a great deal
lefs ice to the northward, the enfuing fummer than ul'ual ; and
thf weather has been remarkably fine in Greenland. I have,
for this rcafon, great expectations that the approaching feafon
will produce a fuccefsful fifhery, and that it. will alfo afford an-
opportunity for a trial to reach the pole".,

" I conceive that this arifes from the ice becoming of a greater thick-
nefs during fuch fevere winters, and confcquently cannot be fo foon
broken up., or obferved by the Greenland Ihips which return to the South-
v.'un!, before the ice can have floated to them in the Spitzbergcn feas.

" I am ferry to have been informed, fince the Bill for promoting dif-
coveries palfctl, that the attempts to penetrate to the Northward will not
l)e fo frequent as I had flattered myfelfj becaufe, moft of the Greenland
vxfltls being infured, if any accident fliould happen to a fliip which is
not profecuting the wiiulc fifhery, the owners will not be entitled to re-

cover.

But

[ S3 ]

But the greatcft difficulf.y attending a navigator in very high
latitudes is how to get back again, for, Ihould he be befct
there in the ice, his fituation would be very dangerous; for
he miglit be detained a long time, if not for the whole winter.
I fpeak this from experience, for I was once befct for tiiree
months, and was given up for loft, and with difficulty got out.
Any further information in refpedl to tlie land, the currents,
ice, or other particulars, you may wilh to have, I fhall very
readily communicate it, and am.

N" i;, Spiing-ftreer,
Sliailwell, F«b. 45
1776.

SIR,

Your very humble Servant,

JAMES MARSHALL.

M

Captain Heath, to whom I am indebted for this communi-
cation, alfo Informs me, that on the 15th of December, 1777, he
minuted the following particulars from a perfon employed in 'the
whale fifliery..

*' That being, on board the Prince Frederick of Liverpool in
" 1765, commanded by James Biforown, he reached the Irti-
" tude of 83° 40', where he was befet in ice for three weeks to
" the Southward, but that he faw, during this time, an open.
" fea to the North." ^

The Aftronomer Royal having been fo good as to furnifh me
with the following memorandum, which he made at the time it
bears date, I here fubjoin it, as a well authenticated inftance of a
Navigator's having reached 84 degrees and a half of Northern,
latitude.

Mr.

[ 54 J

11:

I ■(,

'i

'Ui!

ii' ■,f^i

l, ■"

i'

% ■IK
' ' .11. I

Mr. Sto])liciK-, who went many voyages to the Eaft- hullcs, and
UKulc much uTc of the Lunar method of fuiding tlic Longitude,
in wlilch he is very cxptrt, tells me this i6th of March, 1773,
that he was formerly two voyir';es on the Greenland fifliery; that
In the 2d, In the year 1754, he was ilrlven off Spltzhergen, toge-
ther with a Dutch fliip, hy a T.. S. E. wind, N. N. Weflcrly by
compafs into latitude 84 degrees and a half, or within 5 degrees
and a half of the Pole, in which latitude he was near the end of
t!ie month of ]Mav. They law no land after leavlnji' I lackluit^
Headland, (or the Northern-mofl: part of Spit/,hergcn,) and were
hack in tlie month of June. Did not find the cold cxcefhvc, and
lifed little more than common clothinr^; met wltli but little ice,
ami the lefs the further they went to the Northward: met with
no drifi-wood. It Is always clear weather with a North wind,
and thick weather with a Southerly wind; neverthelcfs they
(nuld take the Sun's altitude for the latitude nioll: days. The
'k a is quite fmooth among the ice, as in the rl\cr 7'hame3, and
lo thiy alfo found it to the North of Splt/bergen. Met with no
ice ])ighcr than the Ihip's gunnel. Imagines it would hardly
ha\o been colder ui\der the Pole, than they experienced it;
altliough he thinks the cold rather increafed on going North-
ward. Tliinks «:iic currciits are very variable, and have no certain
or conllant dirertion. Says he has often talKd the ice, when
I be lea water has been let to run or dry off it, and always lound
it iVefh. That the fea-water will free/.c againil: the Ihip's bows
aiul rigging, but he never faw it frei'/.e in the lhij\ That it
never freezes in the pumjis. A little jiicce of ice detained under
a large jfiece oi' ice, when it gets loole from It and comes uji to
the iurfacc of the water, is very dangerous, it emerging with a
force which will fomctimes knock a Iiok- in t!ie bottoni of the
fhip. 'J'Jie Dutch fhip winch was dri\en with theirs iVom
I Spit/bergen

' -ill:

[ 55 ]

^1

Spitzbergeii ran againft a large piece of ice, and was loft, the
Ihips being then icparatcil to a confulerable diftance. The
winds In thci'c ieas are generally Northerly; the Southerly wind*
are commonly damp and cold.

Ilavlna; thus flatcd the memorandum ;^s I received it from Dr.
Mafkeljaie, I fhall now make fomc obfcrvations on the contents.

It appears by the preceding pages, that in this fame year, viz.

1754,

both Mr. Ware and Mr. Adams" failed to 82' and an

half, and 83 degrees during the montli of Juno, and both of
them conceivetl that they might iiave readied the North Pole.

Mr. Mailtcr, by letter from Hull, dated February 24, 1777,
hath procured me the following information from a friend of
his, who, at my dehre, inquired at Whitby with regard to any
Oiips having reached, high Northern latitudes.

" Captain Brown of the Freclove fays, that in the year 1770,
" he was certainly hi 82' North latitude, when the water wai
*' clear. Captain Cole alfo of the Henrietta fays, that in 1776,
** he was near the latitude of 81° North, and after he was certain
*' of being in that latitude, he was, with ftrong South Eafl gales,
" drove for three days to the Northward, but as he had thick
*' weather, the diflance was uncertain. In the courfe of this
" drift he met with nothing but loofe ice."

It appears alfo by the above account that Mr. Stephens had
proceeded as far as 84'' and an half, the fea being opeh to the
Northward a montli earlier in this fame year.

From this and other hd:s of tlic fame kind, I cannot but
infer that the attempt iliould be made early in the feafon ; if
I am right alfo in what I have hiforc fuppofed^ that the ice
which often packs near the coails of Spitzbergcn comes chiefly
from the rivers, which empty themfelves into the Tartarian

' ■" Sec the Prubiil.Mliiy of vcaehliig the North Pole, p. 42, Sec.

' Tea,

IK
Mil

n-:

M

[ 56 ]

fea, it feems highly probable that this is the proper time oi
pulhlng to the Northward, as the ice^ in fuch rivers cannot
be then completely broken up. What other ice therefore may
be feen at this time is probably the remains of what was dif-
embogued during the preceding fummer.

Another proof of this arifes from what happened in lyy^i for
the Carcafe and Race Horfe were obflrufted, at 80° and an half,
by an immenfe bank of ice, during part of the months of July and
Auguft; but four Greenland maf^ers were a degree further to the
Northward, during the *■ months of May and June, in the fame
year.

No one winters in Spitzbergen, but fome few Ruffians, from
whom however we have not been informed what happens
during that feafon, though it fhould feem from the obfervations
of Barentz, thofe of the Ruffians in Maloy Brun, and a fliip
having pulhed into the Atlantic, from Hudfon's Bay, during the
midft of December'', that the Northern Seas are then navi-
gable.

For the fame reafon probably Clipperton % who pafled the
Straits of Magellan in the midfl: of winter, faw no ice, which is
fo frequently met with at Midfummer by thofe who fliil to
the Southward of Cape Horn.

I take this opportunity of recapitulating the years fuice 1746 %
during which it appears from the inftances I have ftated, that the
Tea to the North of Spitzbergen hath been open, fo as to permit

» See the Probability of reaching the North Pole, p. 4, 45, 46, and 57,

1 See ibid. p. 83.

' See Callan^ler's Colleftion of Voyages, vol. III. p. 461. Frezier
was as far South as 58" in the middle of May, and faw no ice, though
he fpeaks of a S. E. wind as cold.

' Viz. 1746, 1751, 1752, 1754, 1756, 1759, 1763, 1765, 1766,
nht ^77i> and 1773.
. . ^ attempts

t 57 J
attempts of approaching the Pole, which will fhew that fuch
opportunities are not uncommon, and it is lioped that they
will be more frequently embraced, from a parliamentary re-

^""l ncT^' ^""^ ^^''" '^ ^"'^^ "^ ^'^ Majefty's fubjedls
as fl^all firft penetrate beyond the 89th degree of Northern lati-
tude; the Bill for which purpofe hath already paffcd bothHoufes.

^ ^ that I have had much converfatlon with the officers of
he royal navy, as well as mafters of Greenland fhips, abou
a Polar voyage, I fhall now ilate feveral hints whicL have
occahonally dropped from them, with regard to profecu ing dTf
coveries to the Northward. . ^

The fhip fhould be fuch as is commonly ufed in the Green-
nd fifhe.y, or rather of a fmaller lb., as it works the more
readily when the ice begins to pack round it

There fhould, on no account, be a larger complement of mea
^.an can be conveniently flowed In the boats, as it fomet mes
I^appens, that the Greenland velTels are lofl in the ice- but X
crews generally efcape by means of their boats. The 'crew -dfo
n.ouId confifl of a larger proportion of fmlths and c pi I
than are ulually put on board common fhips. ^

As It may happen, that the crews in boats mav be kept a
oonliderable time before they can reach either ^ o.- Zrc,

Atlantic and iC fic Oc ans in ant X'^' ^°T'^""'-^^ion between the
Hemifphcrc ' " ^"^ '^^''^'°" whatlocver ^f the Northern

there

m

*' rw,'

• tl «r-|., ,1,,- .-.,

§m

-1

I

it

Ih :t

: It
I

r s» ]

•tliere (hould be a fort of awning, to be ufed occafionally, if
the weather fliould prove very inclement.

As it is not wanted that the boats (hould laft many years, it is
advifed, that they fhould be built of the Hghteft materials, becaufe
on this account .they are more ealily dragged over the packed ice "«

As it is poflible alfo, that the crew may be obliged to winter
within the Ardlic circle, it is recommended, that the fhip (hould
be balafted with coals.

That there flioidd be a framed houfeof wood on board, to be made
•as long as poilible, for the opportunity of excrcife within doors'*.

That there (hould be alfo a Ruflian flovc, as a fire in a com-
jnon chimney does not warm the room equably.

It appears, by the accounts of the Dutch who wintered ia
Nova Zembla", as well as the Ruffians who continued fix years
in Maloy Brun, that during this fcafon there arc fometimes days
of a tolerable temperature; fnow (hoes, therefore, Ihould be pro-
vided, as alio fnow eyes, not to lofc the benefit of air and excr-
cife during fuch an intcr\ al K The beard likewife (Iiould be fuf.

" General Oglethorpe Informs me, that the Dutch veflels on the
Greenland fifliery have three boats fallcned on each fide of the fliip,
which may be fulfieient to contain the whole crew i« cal'e of accidents;
and that the early difeoverers had always what was called a J?ji/> in quiir-
ters on board, which might be jnit together when a creek, he. was to
be explored. He alfo advifcs, that the failing of the two flfips, to be
fcnt in concert on difcoverics, fliould be previouily tried, as there iljould
not be too great a dil'paricy in that circumllance.

'•''' On the Labradore Coaft the furriers raife a wall of earth all round
their huts, as high as the roof, which Is found to contribute much to
warmth within doors, fo as to want little more heat than arifes from the
lU'am o\ Limits. Such wall is commonly three feet thick.

'■' The Rulfian Henricks, oj the old fii:th, as they are Uiled, fometimes
winter in Nova Zembla. — Account of Malo}' r»riin.

y A barrelled organ, which plays a few country dances, might aniufc

rinf:; ihe dark monih^-, as :illo be of ufe in ihe ful} inrercourfi- with
midick biiiicr a. (nrt ot univeifat hiniruiin-- and Sir Francis

d

.1 \\c iiis'agj'cs,

Drake tor tl

rcafon carried out muficians with hiiu.

fcrcd

the

-ind

to

the

ncs

life
ith
Icis

[ 59 ]

fered to grow on the approach of whiter, from which theRuflian
couriers are enabled to fupport the feverity of the open air.

Ruffian boots, and tlie winter cap of the furriers of North
America, are alfo recommended; but recourfe fhould not be had
to this warmefl cloathing upon the firft approach of winter, for by
thcfe means the Ruffians do not commonly endure cold fo well
as the Englilh ; becaufe when the weather becomes exceffivcly
fevere, they cannot well add to their warmth.

When the weather is very inclemoiit, leads for the hands,
dumb bells, and other fuch exercifes, . fhould be contrived for
within-doors.

In order to prevent the fcurvy lilcewife, frequent ufe of the
flefli-brufli is recommended, as alfo occafionally a warm bath,
from which JaiTies*s crew received great benefit, when they win-
tered on Charlton Ifland.

With regard to the provifions, Ifhall here infert a method of
curing meat, communicated to me by Admiral Sir Charles
Knowles, the good effeifls of which" both himfelf and others have
frequently experienced ^. .

The

* So foon as the ox 13 killed,. let it be ikinned and cut up into pieces,
ilt for ufe, as quick as poffible, and falted whilft the meat is hot ; for
which purpofe, have a fufficicnt quantity of (alt-petre and bay-falt
})Ounded together, and made hot in an oven, of each equal parts; with
this fprinkle the meat, at the rate of about two ounces to the pound.
Then lay the pieces on Ihelving boards to drain for 24 hours; which
done, turn them and repeat the fame operation, and let them lay for 24
hours longer, by which time the fait will be all melted, and have pene-
trated the meat, and the juices be drained off. Each piece mufl: then
be wiped dry with clean coarfe cloths, and a fufficient quantity of
common fait, made hot likewife in an oven, and mixed (when taken
out) with about one-third brown fugar.. The cafks being ready, rub
each piece well with this mixture, and pack them well down, allowing
half a pound of the fait and I'ugar to each pound of meat, and it will
Ifiecp good fcveral years,

I 2 N.B.

m

■^

I 60 ]

f I

«H|

■t. I

*rhe flour fhoiilJ be kiln-drletl, and put into tight barrel;
'which are capable of holding liquids". Flour thus preferved and
packed hath been perfe(5lly good for more than three years,
without the Icaft appearance of the weevils.

To make the beft ufe of flour thus preferved, there fliould be
both a bifcuit-maker and an oven on board.

Witii regard to liquors, a large quantity of flu-ub from the heft
fpirits and fruits is recommended, which Ihould alfo be made juft
before the voyage takes place; the ftronger the fpirit, the lefs
ftowage. Dampier preferred Vidonia to other wines, on account
of its acidity; and perhaps Old Hock might ftill anfwer better.

I fhould ftand in need of many apologies, for having fuggeflcd
thcfe hints to Northern difcovercrs, had I not received them from
officers of the royal navy, as well as Greenland mailers, and emi-
nent phyficians; if any one of thclb particulars, however, would
not have been othcrwife thought of upon titring out tlie (hip for
fuch a voyage, and (liould be attended witli any good eficds, it
will become my bclT: e\"cu(e.

In order alfo to promote fuch a voyage of difcovery, I fhould
conceive, that extending the parliamentary reward of twenty
thoufand pounds by i3 G. IF. c. 17. for tlie j:»afi;ige to the Pacific
Ocean throusih HLidfon's ]hv, to a Northern communication

N. B. It is btil to proportion the cafks or barrels to the quantity con-
fumed at a time, as the fcklomcr the meat is cxpofcd to the air the bet-
ter. The f.ime procefs docs for pork, onl) a larger (jiuintii:}- otlalt, and leis
fug^ir; but the jnvfcrvation of both cc^ually depends on the meat's being
hot when firrt faked. Sir J' h i Narborough faked young feals, and Sir
Richard Hawkins many barrels of Pcngwyns, both of v. liit:h are laid to
lv;.ve been wholefomeand palatable: fifli likewifc caught at the ap]->roach
of winter niiglit bo fo cured, or indeed preferved, by the frofl: without
any fair. Captain Cook's precautions need not be hire alluded to.

^ W'oodcs Holders obfcrves in his vovage, that the water which he had
brought with him from Engl.aid on his arrival at Juan Fernandez,, was
y.li f])oiled by the cafKs being bad. Callantler 3. p, ,''.59.

between

m

le had
was

twecii

■0
V

-I

[ 61 3

Letween the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans In any dlrcclion whatfo-
ever, might greatly contribute to the attempting luch an enterprize.

To this, another incitement might be perhaps added, by
giving one thoufand pounds for every degree of Northern
hititude which might be reached by the adventurer from 85°
to the Pole, as fome fo very peremptorily deny all former in-
ftances of having penetrated to fuch high latitudes. An Ad hath
accordingly paflcd for the firft of thefe purpofes ; and fur the
fecond, with this variation, that a reward of 5000 1 is given only
for approaching within a degree of the Pole.

I fliall conclude, however, in anfwer to their incredulity, by
the following citation from Hakluyt:

" Now, left you fliould make fmall account of ancient wri-
*' tcrs, or of their experience, which travelled before our times,
" reckoning tlieir authority amongfl: fables of no Importance, I
*' have, for the better aflu ranee of thofe proofs, fet down part of
" a dlfcourfe written in the Saxon tongue, and tranilated Into
" EnglHh by Mr. Nowel, fervant to mafter fecretary Cecil,
*' wherein Is defcrlbed a navigation, which one Ochtcr made
" in the time of king Alfred, king of Weft Saxe, anno 871 ;
" the words of which dlfcourfe are thefe : ' He lalled right
*' North, having always tl\e dcfert land on the ftarboard, and on
*' tlie larboard the main fea, continuing his courfe till he pcr-
*' celvcd the coaft bowed dlrcclly towards the eaft, &c.' Whereby
" it appcareth, that he went the fame way that we do nowytarly
*' trade bv St. Nicholas into IMufcovla, wlilch no man In our a;i;c
" knew for certainty to be fea, till it was again difcovered by the
" Enghdi in the time of Edward VI.

" Ncvcrthclcr?, if any man fliould ha\'c taken this v^oyage in
"hand, by the encour.'. fitment of this only author '% he fliould

" have

'• Perhaps the fuinc k'-.i i;] alluded 10 in the following Tmc of Dionyfuis;

As vhe nnme of rrc-TCn cm fcnrceb' bo iij^pruMJ to that (if the Ealtle.

As

■4

!»!?

■m

'ii

t <50

** have been thought but fimple, confidering that this navigation
** was written ih many years paft, in fo barbarous a tongue, by
'* one only obfcure author; and yet, in thefe our days, we find
** by our own experience, his reports to be true."

As for the Thule of the ancients, about which fo many conjcfturcs
have been made, it feems to have moft clearly been Ireland, from the
manner in which Statins addrcfles a poem to Crifpinus, whofc father had
carried the Emperor's commands to Thule :

tu difce patrem, quantufque nigrantcm

Fluftibus occiduis, feffhq. Hyperione Thulen
Intrdvit mandata gercns.

It fhould alfo feem, from other parts of the fame poem, that this
General had crofled from Scotland to the North of Ireland,, or Thule :.

Quod fi tc magno tellus franata parenti
Accipiat, quantum ferus exultabit Araxes ?
Quanta Calcdonios attollet gloria campos?
Cum tibi longaevus rcferet trucis incola terras.
Hie fuetus dare jura parens, hoc cefpite turmas
Aft'ari; nitidas fpeculas, caflellaque longe.
Afpicis? ille dedit cinxitque hasc moenia fofla.

Statins f V. 14,

Crifplnus's father, therefore, mull have refidcd fome time in Scot-
land, from whence he went to Thule or Ireland, for the Hebrides (the
only land to the IVdi except Ireland) could not have been of fuffieient
confequence for the Emperor's commiflk)n, or the fortifications alluded
to; befides, that the expreffion oi fejfoque Hyperione implies, that the
land lay confiderably to the Weflward.

-m

THOUGHTS

[ «3 3

wit

by
Itid

ires
the
\vm\

THOUGHTS

this

:ot-

the

lent

led

Ithe

O N

The PROBABILITY, EXPEDIENCY, and
UTILITY, of difcovering a PASSAGE by the
NORTH POLE^

TH E poflibUlty of making dlfcoverles lii this way (that
is, by ftecriiig dIre<SlIy North) though now treated as
paradoxical by many, was not, as will hereafter appear, formerly
looked upon in that light, even by fuch as ought to be re-
puted the propereft judges. There have been a variety of
caufes that at dlilerent times have retarded undertakings of the
utinofl: importance to the human fpecies. Among thefe we may
juftly confidcr the conduct of fome great philofophers, who, as
our judicious Verulam wifely ol)ferves, quitting the luminous
path of experience to inveftigate the operations of nature, by
their own ipeculations, impofed upon the bulk of mankind fpc-
clous opinions for incontcftab'o truths ; which being propa-
gated by their difciplcs, through a long feries of years, capti-
\ated the minds of men, and thereby deprived them of that
great inllrumcnt of fclencc, the fphit of enquiry^. In fuc-
ceedlng ages a new impediment arofe from the fetting up profit
as the uliimate objetfl of difcovery; and then, as migiit well

' I Ir.ivi" l:irrl\- vcceivrd ihcfi- rcflcdtions from a karncd fiicnd, who is
pn.v (k\c.ik(!, and who pcnniucd nic to print them, though not to in-
form tl;o [/uh'iic to whom they arc indebted for this very valuable com-
i!ii:nica; ion. I), I'.

'■ ]}.ieoni Opera, torn. H^ p. loo. ct iilibi pajfmu But thcfe ])affio;os
y,\:y be found eolhililcd in Sha'v's Aln-idfiemcnt of Baton's Works,

be

H''

I «4 /

be cxpe(fled, the preferring the private and particular gahi of
certain individuals to the general intercfts of the community,
as well as to the intereft of the whole world, in the extciifion of
fcience. This it was that induced the States General, at the
Inftance of their Eaft India Company, to difcourage all attempts
for finding a North Eaft paflage, and to ftlflc fuch accounts as
tended to Ihew that it was pradlicable. We may add to thcfe,
the fournefs of difappointed navigators who endeavoured to ren-
der their owri milcarrlages proofs of the impraiftlcabillty of any
like attempts. This was the cafe of Captain Wood, who was
fhlpvvreckcd upon Nova Zembla, and who declared, that all en-
deavours on that fide were, and would be, found vain; though
Barentz, who died there in a like expedition, affirmed, with his
laft breath, that, in his own opinion, fuch a paflage might be
found.

That the earth was fpherical in its form, was an opinion very
early entertained, and amongft the learned genvially admitted.
It fecmed to be a plain deduftlon from thence, that a right line,
pafling through tlie globe, would terminate in two points dia-
metrically oppofite. Plato is thought to be the firft who fpoke
of the inhabitants (If fuch there were) dwelling at or near thofe
points, by tlie name of Antipodes. This do(5lrlne occaiioned dHV
putes amongft phllofophers for many ages ; fome maintained,
fome denied, and fome treated it as abfurd, ridiculous, and im-
poilible '. Whoever will examine impartially the fentiments of
tliefe great men, weigh the contrariety of their opinions, and
confider the Angularity of their reafoulngs, will fee and be con-
vinced how unfatlbfadory their notions were, and dlfcover from

« Lucr. de Natura Rerum, lib. I. vcr. 1063. Cicer. Acad. Quteft-.
lib. V. Plin. HilL Natural, lib. II. cap. 65. Plutarch, dc Facie iu
Orbc Lunje. Macrob. de Somn. Scip. lib. II,

thence,

[ <5 ]

thence, how Infufficicnt tlie lubtlc fpeculations of the human
uiiderftanding arc towards Ibttllng pohits Ukc thefe, when totally
unaflifted by the hghts ot'obfervatloii, and a»flual experience.

The dlvilion of the globe by zones being agreeable to na-
ture, the ancients diftinguKhed them very properly and accu-
rately into two frigid, the Ar^fllc and Antar(^ic circles; two
temperate, lying between thofe circles and the tropics; and
the torrid zone within the tropics, equally divided by the cqui*
nodtial. But judging from their experience of the nature of the
climates at the extremities of the zone which they inhabited,
they concluded, that the frigid zones were utterly uninhabitable
from cold, and the torrid from intolerable heat of the Sun.
Pliny laments very pathetically upon this fuppofition, that the
race of mankind were pent up in lo fmall a part of the earth.
The poets, who were alfo no defpicable philofophers, heightened
the horrors of thefe inhofpitable regions by all the colouring of a
warm and heated imagination ^ ; but we now know, with the
utmoft certainty, that they were entirely miftaken as to both.
For within the Ardtic circle there are countries inhabited as higli
nearly as we have dilcovered; and, if we may confide in tlie re-
lations of thofe who have been near^jfl: the Pole % the heat there Is

^ Cicero in Somnium Scipionis. Vii':!;il. Gi.org. lib. I. Ovi lii Met.
lib. I. Tlbiillus Pancgyr. ad .VU lihlar/i', lib. IV. Piin. Hiil. Natural.
lib. II. cap. 68. Pomji, Mchi de Situ Oibij, lib. I. cap. i. Claudian.
de Raptu Loferpinie, lib. I.

s That the earth had inhabitants even inulcr the Polos, fccms to have
been believed by many at the latter end ot the i6th Century, from the
following lines :

'' Fond men! if we believe that men c!o live
" Under the zenith of both frozen poles;
** Tho'igh none eome thence advcrtifements to give,
*' Why bear we not the like faith of our fouls.

Sir John Davis's Nofcc ic ipfum^
probably written in 1596, from a compliment to Lord Keeper Egerton
on his firfl receiving the Great Seal. D. B.

K very

ill

I

' I '•

ill' ,;;i

y^'

[ 66 J

very coiifiil rnblf, li\ ivfpcdl to which our own navigators and the
Dutch pcrfciftly agree. In regard to the torrid /.one, we have
now not the Icafl: doubt of its being thoroughly inhabited ; and,
which is more wonderful, that the cUmates are very diftcrent
there, according to the circumftances of their fituatlon. In
Ethiojpia, Arabia, and tlie Moluccas, exceedingly hot ; but in
the plains of Peru (and particularly at Qiiito) perfedlly temperate,
fo that the inhabitants never change their cloaths in any fcafon
of the year. The i'entimcnts of the ancients therefore in tliis
relpc(5l are a proof how inadequate the fiKulties of the human
mind are to difcuflions of this nature, when unaHiftcd by fadls.

The Pythagorean fyflem of the univerfe reviled, and rcftored
near two hundred and fifty years ago by the celebrated Coperni-
cus, met with a very difficult and flow reception, not only from
the bulk of mankind, for that mlglit have been well expetfled,
but even from the learned; and fome very able aftronomers at-
tempted to overturn and refute it ''. Galileo Galilei wrote an
admirable treatife in its fupport, in which he very fully re-
moved moft of the popular objections '. This, however, ex-
pofed him to the rigour of the inquifition, and he was obliged to
abjure the dodlrinc of the earth's motion. Our noble philofo-
phcr, the vleep and acute Lord Verulam, could not ablblutely
confide in the truth and certainty of the Coperiilcan fyftem; but
feems to think, that its facilitating agronomical calculations was
its principal recommendation, as if tliis had not been alio a

•> Amonjrlt the moft confiderablc of thefc was John BaptiO Riccloli,
who publiihod his Almagcjhm N^/riim \sith this view. Yet afterwards, in
his y}/lro!io/ii!ti Reformatio, he found hinilelt obUgcd to have recourfc to
the dodlrinc of the earth's motion, that he might be able to give his cal-
culations with a pro[K'r degree of cxaftncfs.

• This celebrated work of his was entitled, Dialoghi de Sijlemi c/i Tolomeo,
e di Ccpeniico. This is much better known to the l».-arned world by a
Latin tranflation, which fo clearly proved the fuperiority of the Copcrni-
can fj'ftem, that the only means of refuting it was by the ccnfures of the
church.

very

!^

..; »1

[ 67 ]

very ftrong prefumptlon at leafl:, it not a proof, of Its veracity*'.
It was from this coiilidcration that the church of Rome ac
length thought fit fo far to relax in her dccilions, as to permit
the maintaining the earth's motion in phyfical and philofophical
difquifitions. But Sir Ifaac Newton, who huilt upon this hafis
his experimental philolbphy, hath difpcrfed all doubts on this
fubjcdl:, and (hewn how the mofl: fuhlime dilcoveries may be
made by the reciprocal aids of fagacity and obfervation. On thefe
grounds, therefore, all enquiries of tliis nature ought to proceed,
without paying an implicit fubmiflion to the mere fpeculative
notions even of the greateft men; but purfuing fteadily the
path of truth, under the diredion of the light of experience.

It may be urged, in excufc of the ancients, and even of our
anceftors in former times, that, as they were unaflifted by flidts,
they could only employ guefs and conjeifturc, and that confc-
quently their concluiions were from thence erroneous. But to
waive the vifible impropriety of deciding in points (where obfer-
vation was fo obvioufly nccefl'ary) without its diredlion ; let us
fee whether this plea of alleviation may not be controverted in
both cafes. Cornelius Nepos reports, that fome Indians being
caft on fhore in Germany were fent by a prince of the Sucvi
to Quintus Motellus Celcr, then the Roman proconful In Gaul '.
A very learned writer in difculiing this point hath fhewn, that It
was poffible for thefe Indians to have come by two different routs
into the Baltic. He thinks, however, that it Is very improbable
they came by either, and i'uppofcs that they were either Nor-
wegians, or fome other wild people to whom, from their favago
appearance, they gave the name of Indians'". But though this

^ Shaw's Abridgment of Bacon's Works, vol. II. p. 21. where the
dodtor endeavours to dctend this opinion.

• Plin. Hid. Nat. lib. II. cap. 67.

" Huet Hiftoire dc Commerce, ct do la Navigation dcs Ancicns,
P-53I-

K- 2 ohllrvatloa

m

11 ■:^.'

V 1/

Hf

!'! ti

1*

•'§'i >■

ill

ilii ''W'' '

' ■«'!■; I

ii;;!

Sjl'iJI'J,;'

[ «8 ]

obfervadon may v/e)! enough apply to the Romans, who at that
time had no knowledge ot" thel'e Northern people, yet it I3 not
eafy to conceive, that the Suevi could fail into this miftake ; or,
if" tliey did not, that they fliould attempt to impofe \ipon the
Romans. It appears incontcftably, thar, in the time of king
Alfred, the Northern leas were conftantly navigated upon the
fame motives they are now ; that is, tor the lake of catching
wliales and i'a-horfes". Nicholas of Lynn, a Carmelite friar,
failed to the n\o{l diiTrant iflands in the North, and even as
high as the Pole. He dedicatee an account of his difcoveries
to King Edward the Third, and was certainly a perfon of great
learning and an able aftroncme'-", if we may believe the cele-
brated Chaucer, who, in his Trcatife on the Ailirolabe, Mentions
him v/ith great relpeft.

After Columbus difcovered America under the aufpices of Fer-
dinand and Ifabella, the fovercigns of Europe, and cfpcclally
Htr.iy the Seventh, turned their thoughts towards, and gave
great encouragement to difcoveries. Mr. Robert Thorne, who
relided many years as a merchant in Spain, and who was after-
wards mayor of Briftol, wrote a letter to Henry the Eighth, in
which he flrongly recommended a voyage to the North Pole.
He gave his reafons more at large in a long memorial to our
ambaflador in Spain, which fhew him to have been a very ju-
dicious man, and for thofe times a very able cofmograplier ; and
accompanied this memorial with a map of tlie world, to prove

• See Barrington's Tranflation of Oiofius from the Anglo-Saxon of king
Alfred, part 11. p. 9.

" Lcland. Commcnr. dc Script, llvitan. cap. 370. Bale, vl. 25. Pits,
p, 505. ir.s ikferi prion wi:, i.uiiuk'd, l,ivfiit.o I' rti/natd; bcfides which,
he wrote, amonoft odicr things, a book, De Mundi Rcvolutionc, which
(>oflibly may llill remain in the Rodieian Library. This friar, as Dr.
Dec alierts, nnulc iive vo_, ages into thcfe Northern ])arts, and left an ac-
count of his diieovcrics from the latitude of 54'' to the Pole.

4 the

^m^'i

»Jtf

[ «9 ]

the pradllcability of his propofal p. Though this proje^^ of his
was not attended to, yet a variety of expeditions were made for
dilcovering a pafl'age by the North-weft, and others by the North-
eaft, into the South Seas on the one fide, and into the Tartarian
Ocean on the other, until at length both were declared impradi-
cable by Captain James, and Captain Wood ; foured by their own
mifcairiages, and being ftrongly perfuadcd, that, as they did not
fucceed, none clfe could. But even thcfe unfuccefsful voyages
were not unprofitable to the nation upon the whole, as they
opened a pafliigc to many lucrative fiihcrics, fuch as thofc in
Davis's Straits, Baffin's Bay, and on the Coaft of Spitzbergen.
Befides this, they laid open Hudfon's Straits and Bay with the
Coaft on both fides, which have been already productive of many
advantages, and which, in. procefs of time, cannot fail of pro-
ducing more, in confequenceof our being in pofleflion of Canada,
and being thereby fole mafter of thofe feas and coaft?.

It is, however, very remarkable, that notwithftanding the
views, both of our traders and of fuch great men as were dillin-
guiihed encouragcrs of difcoveries, the ablcft ieamcn (who with-
out doubt are the beft judges) were ftill inclined to this pallage
by the North, fuch as Captain Poole, Sir William Monfon'',
and others; and tliis was ftill the more remarkable, as they were
entirely gnaidcd therein by the liglits of their own c:<|)eri(;iicc,
having no knowledge of Mr. Thome's propolal, or of the feiiti-
ments of each other. From the realon of the thiui', however,
they uniformly concurred in tlie motive:; thry fuj^gcft.d for
fuch an undertaking. They aflercod, that this paffagc would be

4

P Hakluyt's Voyages, vol. T. p. 212 — 2:0. Tlio litter to Dr. Lev,
who was the king's amhalHiclor in Sjniin, is d.ir^d yj. I), 1 i^^zj. Tliis
Mr. Thome's father was engaged, with others, la the diieovvi}' of New-
foundland.

1 Naval Trads, p. 435.

mucn

"9

•ml

[ 7° ]

much Ihorter and eaficr than any of thofe by the North-weft or
Nortli-eaft; that it would be more healthy for the feamen, and
attended \\ith fewer hiconveniences; that it would probably open
a paiTage to new countries; and, finally, that the experiment
might be made with very little hazard, at a fmall expence, and
would redound highly to our national honour, if attended with
fuccefs. It may be then deniapded, why it has not hitherto been
attempted, and what objedions have retarded a fc'.iemc fo vifibly
advantageous ? Thefe objections, as far as they can be colleifled,
are the fear of perilliing by exceffive cold, the dangei of being-
blocked up in ice, and the apprehenfion that there could be no
certainty of preferving the ufe of the compafs under or near the
Pole.

In refpe6t to the firft, we have already mentioned that the
ancients had talrcn up an opinion, that the feas in the frigid
zone were ixTipaflable, and the lands, if there were any, unin-
habitable. I'he philofophers of later ages fell Into the fame
opinion, and maintained tiiat the Poles were the fources and
principles of cold, which of courfe increafea and grew^xceflive
in approaching them ' But when the lights of experience were
admitted to guide in fuch refearches, the trutlj of this notion
came to be qucftioned, becaufe from faCls it became probable,
that there might be a divcrfity of climates in the frigid as well
as in the torrid zone. Charlton Ifland, in which Captain James
wintered, lies in the bottom ; that is, in the moft Southern part
of Hudfon's Bay, and in the fame latitude with Cambridge, and
the cold there was intolerable. The fervants of the Hudfon's
Bay Company trade annually in places ten degrees nearer the

•■ Iji the hmgungc of thofc times, the Pole was (hied Primum Frigidum;
and it was by lucli grouiidlcis phr^lcs that men pretended to account for
the_ operations of nature, without giving thcmfelvcs the trouble of ex-
perimental cncjuiries.

Pole,

'• y- ii^

[

7'

]

Pole, without feeling any fuch inconvenience. The city of
Mofcow is in the fiimo Lititude with that of Edinburgh, and yet
in winter the weatiier is almofl: as feverc there as in Charlton
Ifland. Nova Zcmbla hath no foil, herbage, or animals ; and
yet in Spitzhergen, in fix degrees higher latitude, there are all
three; and, Oii the ton of the mountains in the moll: Nortliern
part, men ftrip themfelvcs of their ihirts that they niay cool
their bodies '. The celebrated Mr. Boyle, from thcfc and many
other inftances, reje^fled the long received notion that the Pole
was the principle of cold. Captain Jonas Poole, who in 1610
failed in a veflel of feventy tons to make difcovcries towards the
North, found the weather warm in near feventy-nine degrees of
latitude, whilft the ponds and lakes were unfrozen, wh'ch put
him in hopes of finding a mild fummer, and led him to be-
lieve, that a paflage might be as foon found by the Pole as any
other way whatever; and for this reafon, that the Sun gave a
great heat there, and that the ice was not near fo thick as what
he had met with in the latitude of fjventy-three '. Indeed, tlic
Dutchmen, who pretend to have advanced within a degree of the
Pole, laid it was as hot there as in the fummer at x'\mfl:erdam.

In thefe Northern voyages we hear very much of ice, and
there is no doubt that vcflcls are very much hindered and in-
commoded thereby. But after all, it is, in the opinion of able
and experienced fcamen, more formidable in appearance than fatal
in its effetfls. When our earlieft difcoveries were made, ami thcv
reached farther North than we commonly fail at prefcnt, it was
performed in barks of feventy tons, with fcmie trouble, no
doubt, but with very little hazard. At this day it is Ino-.vn,
that in no part of the world there are greater (pianiiti'\^ of ico
feen than in Hudlbn's Bay, and yet there is no navigation {x'i^Xi

» See Marten's Account of Spitzbcrgen, p. 105.
' Purchas's Pilgrims, vol. III. p. 702.

thft

•^ ■

J! I'

\l

[ 7^ ]

the company not lofing a fliip in twenty years, and the feamcn
who ai'e uicd to it are not troubled with any apprehcniions
v?b()ut it. It is no objcv^lion to this, that we hear ahnoft every
feafon of ilt'ips loft in the ice on the whale fifhery ; for thefo
vefll'ls, inftead of avoiding, induftrioufly lock the ice, as amongft
it the wh-des arc more commonly found, than in the open fca.
Being thus continually amongft the ice, it is no wonder that
they are lometimes furrounded by it ; and yet the men, when
the fhips are loft, generally fpcaking, efcape. But in the feas
near the T'ole, it is very probable, there is little or no ice, for
that is conmionly formed in bays and rivers during winter, a; :i
does not break up and get into the Tea till the latter end of-
March or the beginning of April, when it begins to thaw upon
the Ihores. It is al fo, when formed, very uncertain as to its
continuance, being broken and driven about by the vehemence
Oj rhc winds. As a proof of this we have an inftance of a veflel
frozen in one of the harbours of Hudfon's Bay, which, by the
breaking of the ice, dvcw. to fea, and, tliough it was Chriftmas,
found the Straits quite free from ice", which are frequently
choaked witli it in May and June, and made a fate and ipecdy
pafl"-!gc home. All our accounts agree that in very higli latitu.les
there 'S Ids ice. Barentz, when his flilp was fro/.en in Nova
ZemMa, heard the ice broken with a moft horrible noill- hy an
impetuous fea from the Nortli, a full proof that it war; open.
It is the invariable tradition of the Samoides and Tartars, who
live beyond the Waygat, that the fea is open to the Norti- of
Nova Zembla all the year; and the moft knowing peopU in
Ruflia are of the fame opinion. Thefe authorities ought ertai^wv
to have more weight than funple conjedures.

* Mr. Dobbs's Account of Hudfon's Bay, p. 69, 70.

Th€

M

As

[ 73 ] ■

The notion tluit approaching to a pafTage untler the Polo
would dcllroy the ule of the compafs, is a popular opinion with-
out any jufl; grounds to fupport it. P'or it prelumes that the needle
is duTclcd hy the Pole of the World; which it certainly is nor,
as appears from the needle'? variation, and even the variation of
that variation, which if tliis notion was true could never happen.
In Sir Thomas Smith's found in Baffin's Bay, the variation was
found to he fifty-fix degrees Westward, the gicateft yet known.
Captain Wood is very clear ui)on this point, and maintains,
that no danger was to be apprehended from this caufe *. Thofe
who aficrted, that tlicy had advanced within a degree of the
Pole, eftimated the variation there at five points of the compafs.
Captain Wood, in flating the account given of the Dutch fea-
men's voyage by Captain Goulden, omits one very a^aterial point,
of which we are Informed by Mr. Boyle, wliich is, that one
of the Dutch captains coming over to England, Captain Gouldeii
carried him to fome of the Northern Company, who were per-
feftly fatisfied as to the truth of his relation ". On the whole,
therefore, whether we refpe6l reafon or facfts, tliere are no juft
grounds for apprehcnfions on this head, more efpecially as tlicrc
are other means by which the true lituation of a vefiel might he
determined, and the difficulty, if any arofe, would be but of
very fhort continuance. But as fuch a voyage could not fill of
affording many new lights in rcfpe^ll: to ailironomy aiul geo-
graphy, fo in this refpeil alfo it mufl necellarily afcertain ful'.y
what is at prefent only matter of doubt and conici^ure.

Wood's Voyage for the Difcovcrv of a NoiLb-ciil] l'afl'\r.;c, p. 139

See the honourable Ivh*. Bovk-'s l-Iiilory of Cold, in rcfpi.'iit to tl
„ .,,,,1, :..•,,)., „f „..[ „,,^ , ^:.,.,i ,. u' I. J?. !..L I _

, . . . .^ ... this

ind n multiiudc of other curious particulars, which fiicw with how riuich
induflry and care he ihug^'.eJ ro deliver truth from vulgar errors, and
(idion.

-^ jr_ ^^_:^____i!i_

[ 74 ]

4.1

As notions long received acquire from thence a degree of credit
due only to truth; and as new opinions, contrary to thefe, and
in other refpifls pcrlir.ps extraordinary in themfclves, meet
from thefe caufcs witli fiow and difficult hclief, however they
mav appear to he fupported hy arguments, autliorities, or facls
(which it is prefumed have been freely and fairly urged in the
prefent cafe, to a degree tlii.t may at Icaft entitle the matter to
ibme attention) ; let u,. now proceed one ftep further. This fliall
be to fhew, that what fecms to be fo repugnant to the common
courfe of tilings (:/":;, that near the North Pole the cold fhould
relax, and the ice be lefs troublefome) is perfectly conformable
to the laws of nature, or, which is the fame thing, to the will
and wifdom of our great Creator. If this can be proved, there
can be no farther dlfpute as to the poflibility of this paflage ;
more efpecially when it fliall alio appear, that this aflx)rds a full
folutlon of all the doubts that have been fuggefted, and at the
fame time clearly accounts for, and effeclually confirms, the fadts
and reafonings deduced from them, which have been already ad-
vanced upon this fubje6l. To come then at once to the point.

Sir Ifaac Newton, who it is univcrfallv allowed was equally
accurate, cautious, and judicious, in his philofophlcal dechions,
hath dcmonftrated clearly, that tlie figure of this our earth is not
fpherical, but of an oblate fpheroldal form, the diameter at the
equator being tlic greateft, and at the axis tlie leafl of all the lines
that can pafs through the center. He alio determined, by a
moft curious calculation, t!\c proportion of thefe diameters to be
as two hundred and thirty to two hundred and twenty-nine.
Thefe fentiments of his have been experimentally verified hy the
means which he alfo pointed out, viz. obferving the motion of
pendulunis in very ditferent latitudes, and the actual meafure-
ment of a degree at the equator and under the ArCllc circle.

This

iJ!

[ 75 ]

This laft evidently proved the depreflion of the earth's furface
towards the Pole, which no douht gradually incrcafes. The very
learned and fiigacious Dr. Hooke aflertcd, in one of his ledlurcs,
and brought very ftrong reafons to fhew, that there Is nothing
but fea at the Poles >'. Thefe points then, being maturely confi-
dercd, will be found to militate in favour of a free paflagc this
way, and at the fame time give much light into other things
that have been advanced in the courfe of this enquiry, by fhewing
the true caufes of thofe fa6ts that, at firfl fight, have aj^pcared to
many very ftrange and unaccountable. F'or example, if there be
no land near the Pole, then there can be no bays in which ice
can be formed to interrupt the navigation. Again, the rays of
the Sun falling on To flat a furface, and being; continually reflefled
from the water, mufl: afford a great degree of heat to the air. At
the fame time this will account for the Sun's being feen by
the Dutch in Nova Zemhla a fortnight earlier than he fhould
have appeared, according to aftronomical calculations ^ Many
other circumftances might be mentioned, but thefe will doubtlefs
occur to the intelligent, and therefore it is unneccifary to dwell
longer upon them.

The great injuftice of reje5ting opinions, on account of their
appearing, at firft fighi", paradoxical, or fomewhat inconfiftenl
with notions commonly received, having been clearly fliewn,
and the mlfchievous confequences flowing from it by various
Inftances pointed out ; the foundation of this conjedure, that
there may be a paflage near the Pole, having been falily ftatcd,
the popular objcdllons to it clearly removed, the general advan-
tage (that miglit be cxpecfled from thence) placed in a proper
iiglit, and the confidence of all the circumflanccs relative

1

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y Hookc's Pofthumoiis Works, p. ri,i,i,
PurchaSj vol. III. p. 499, 500.

L 2

See

thereto,

lis

[ 7^ ]

thereto, with the cftabllfhed courfe of nature, havhig been alfo
rendered evident ; there can be nothing more looked for refpec-
ting tills matter merely in tlie light of a phllofophlcal fpecula-
llon. But if fupporting this had been the only motive, thefc
rcfle(fHofi3 had not employed the time of the writer, or tref-
paflcd fo long upon the reader's patience. What then remains?
'I'o dcmonftrate, that as the poflibllity, pradicablllty, and facility^
of fuel) an undertaking have been infifted upon, its national
utility iliould be fliewn to defervc confideration ; and thai, as it
is an objc6l of the greateft importance to the public welfare,
its execution fhould be no longer delayed. There is unqueftion-
ably no country in Europe fo well fituated for fuch an enter-
prize as this. The tranfit from Shetland to the Northern parts of
Afia would, by this way, be a voyage only of a few weeks. The
inhabitants of thefe iflands and of the Orkneys are, and have
been for many years, employed in the Greenland fiflieries, and:
the natives of thefe ifles are the perfons moftly fent to the
eftablifliments in Hudfon's Bay. By thefe means they are
inured to cold, to ice, and hard living, and are confequently the
fitteft for being employed in fuch expeditions. When this fliall,
be once executed with fuccefs, it will neceflarily bring us ac-
quainted with new Northern countries, where ordinary cloaths
and other coarfe woollen goods will probably i)e acceptable, new
channels of commerce would be thereby opened, our navigation
extended, the number of our feamen augnicnted, without ex-
hauftlng our flrcngth In fettling colonics, ex'^ ofuig the lives of
our fallors in tedious and dangerous voyages ti i-ough uuwhole-
ftiUH' climates, or having any other trade in profpecl than that of
exchanging our native commodities and manutaftures for thofe
of other countries. This, if it could be brought about, would,
in the tird inftaucej convert a number of bleak and barren iflands
z ' into

[ 77 ]

into cultivation, connedl them and their inhabitants Intimately
livirh Britain, give bread to many thoufaiids, and, by providing
fuitablc rewards for many different fpccies of induftry, en-
courage population, and put an eafy and efFeftual period to
the mifchiefs and fcandal of emigrations. The benefits derived
from tliefc difcoverles, and the commerce arifing from them, will
nccefl'arily extend to all parts of our dominions. For however fit
the poor people of thofc Iflands niay be for fuch enterprizcs, or
however commodious the ports in their countries may be found
for equipping and receiving veflels employed in tiiefe voyages,
yet the commodities, manufa6lures, &c. niufl: be furniflied from
all parts of the Britlfli empire, and of courfe be of univerfai
advantage. Thefe, as they ure true, will it is hoped appear jufl
and cogent rcafons for wifhing, that a proje£l which has dwelt-
in the mouths and memories of fome, and in the judgement and
approbation of a few, from the time of Henry the Eighth, fhould
be revived, and at length, for the benefit of his fubjedls, car-
ried into cffe<fl, under the aufpices of GEORGE the Third.

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[ 79 3

I HAVE mentioned In the preceding (hcct3% that I ex-
pected fomc additional inrtances ot Dutcli Ihlps, which had
been In high Northern latitudes; but, though I delayed the pub-
lication for fomc weeks, they did not arrive time enough to
appear with the others. I have however fincc received them
from Protlflbr Aliamand of J^eyden, F. R. S. by means of Mr.
Valltravers, F. R. S. &c. and take the earllcll: oppt)rtunity to lay
tliein before the public as a valuable addition to the former papers.

1

To the Honourable D A I N E S B A R R I N G T O N.

S I R,

HA\'ING made inquiries (ngixeable to your defire) from
Profellbr Aliamand of 1/jy den, F. R. S. with regard to
Dutch navigators, who have reached high Northern latitudes ;
he has been fo kind to fend me the following account, drawn up
by Captain William May, a very dllVuigulfhed and experienced
fea officer in the Dutch fervlce, which begins with a letter from
Mr. John Wallg to his owners, who has been mafter of a Green-
land flilp ever fmce the year 1740. 1 am, &c.

ROD. VALLTRAVERS.

" To Meflrs. Xic. and Jacoij Van Staphorst.

" Holder, J.in. ;,, 1775.

*' T N anfwer to your letter of the 22d of December, concern-
" -I Ing the quciVion, whether we liave been nearer to the
*' Pole than 80 dcg. and a lialf, I mull Inform you, that wc
*' have been often to 81 dcg. near tlie Seven Klands, tc the North-
*' ward of the Nortii-EalT: latul, and iomc have been In 82 deo-
* I'agc 52, in the addition.il papers from Hull.

" but

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(716) 873-4S03

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* but then not clear from ice, in whicli they drove about. 1

* never heard of any difcoveries made there, as tliey have ahvays

* been fifhers, who, driving with the ice to the Northward, leave

* that dirctf^ion upon getting room; and when now and then the

* fea has been free from ice, that has happened commonly in tiic

* months of June and July. In 1763, I fpoke with a Scotch
' Captain in Greenland, who told me he had been to 83 deg,

* that the fca was theii free from ice, but that he had made no
' difcoveries, without mentioning any more particular.-;, for we
' alk after notlilng but Whales. When I fpoke to him it was
' in July, and then we could get no further North than 79 deg,
' ^o min. for the ice. In fliort, we can fcldom proceed much
' higher than 80 deg. and a half, but almoll: always to that
' latitude, for it feems that the conjundion of the currents
' often fafte!\s the ice there. I lifhed lafl: year from 80 deg.
' 25 min. to 80 deg. 35 min. according to the land we made
« afterwards.

** But in the year 1707, Captain Cornells Gillis, having gone
' without any ice far to the Northward of 8 r deg. failed to the
' North of the Seven Iflands, proceeded from thence Eaft, and
' afterwards S. E. remaining to the Eaft of the North Eaft

* land, when coming again to latitude 80 deg. he difcovered
' about 25 miles ^ Eaft, from the country to the N. E. very

* high lands, on which, as far as we know, no body has ever
' been. As to the feafon when the Spltzbergen feas may be

* expcdcd to be free from ice, I believe, according to my obfer-

* vations, that the moft open fea to the Northward generally
' happens In the month of September, but then the nights begin

* and make the navigation dangerous. I am, &c.

" JOHN WALIG."

* Fifteen to a degree, at the Equal or.

A SHORT

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[ 8' ]

A SHORT

ACCOUNT OF NAVIGATORS

WHO HAVE REACHED

HIGH NORTHERN LATITUDES*.

I WENT to Amfterdam the k6th of March, being the moft
proper time to make the defired enquiries, and to obtain infor-
mation from all the commanders that were to depart this year to
Greenland ; for then you meet fix, eight, and more together, in
houfes where they enlifl: their men. I am, however, forry to
mention, that but few of thofe commanders keep journals when
they are near, or in the ice ; but, notwithftanding this, the ac-
counts they give carry with them fuch an air of truth, from
being confirmed by minute circumftances, and corroborated by
fo many witnefles, that thefe relations (I verily believe) may be
depended upon as well as fome journals. I particularly applied
myfclf, however, to thofe to whom a great number of voyages
had given experience, and (contrary to my cxpciflntions) met
with men of candour and penetration. I thought it proper,
likewife, to take the following extract of a journal, it (hewing
the common form in v.'hich fome of them are kept.

i^

I

* This account was drawn up bv Cai>t-ain William Mav, in the fcrvice
of the States, at the defue of ProfeUbr Allamam) of lAyden. See
p. 94.

M

Tranflation

[ «^ ]

Tranflation of part of a Journal kept on Board the
Vrow Maria, Commander Martin BRtiiT.

N. B. The fun's altitudes were taken with an odant, and. 1 2 min.
allowed for the fun's feml-dlameter, refratftlon, and dip of tiie
horizon ; the longitude from TencrifF, the miles 1 5 to a degree
at the equator, the bearings with a compafs unredilied.

Tlie :i2cl of xApril, 1771, fiiled from the Texel for Greenland.
8th of May, latitude, according to the run, 70 deg. 33 min.
longitudv- 19 dog. 22 min. faw the firft ice.

13 ditto, latitude 74 deg. 50 min. longitude 24 deg. 35. min.
met with a border of ice.

14 ditto, latitude by obfei-vation, y^ deg. 44 min. longitude
26 deg. 13 min. came againft fbme ice. - •

15 ditto, latitude 76 deg. 13 min. longitude 25 deg. 40 min.
faw Spitzbergcn, tlie South Cape bore E. N. E. 14 miles.

N. B. Drove about in the ice, made fail: to a field.

25 ditto. In the morning faw the North Foreland, N. E. by E.
Intitudi. 79 dtg. 12 min. longitude 20 deg. 40 min.

26 ditto, latitude by obfervr.tion 79 deg. 10 min.

27 ditto, againll: the ice.

28 ditto, part through fome ice.

29 dit o, got faft in the ice, faw two Ihips failing pretty freely
hi the E. N. E.

N. B. In the ice till the

7th of June got more room; beat to the Southward and made
faft to a field, fuv land In the E. N. E. diftance 1 4 or 15 miles,
fuppofed it the Quade-hock, latitude by obfervation, 79 deg. 58
min. made faft to the ice till the

3 '11 June,

E 83 ]

11 June, at noon, a violent ftorm, wind S. \V. latltiulo by
obfervation 80 deg. 19 min. Iii the night drove towards the
coafts, for it blew too hard to carry fiiil.

12 ditto, in the morning laid faft in the ice, the ftorm con-
tinued, and the (hip fo much preft by the ice, that we were
obliged to unhang the rudder.

13 ditto, hard preft by the ice, latitude by obfervation 80 dog,
29 min. Remained prcft by the ice till the

18 ditto, latitude by obfervation 80 deg. 50 min. the fhip not
moveable.

19 ditto, latitude by obfervation 80 deg. ^"j min. the ice in
great motion.

20 ditto, faft in the ice again, latitude by obfei vution 80 deg.
58 min. calm till the

24 ditto, began to blow a ftorm; got fonie room in the ice.

25 ditto, having got more room we advanced.

26 ditto, locked up again.

27 ditto, faw the land, namely, the Dorre Iloek, S. by E. half
E. and the Vlakke Huek, E. S. E. lay befet till the

29 ditto, latitude by obfervation 80 deg. 16 min.
50 ditto, wind N. E.

1 ft of July, faw water in the W. S. W. which we had not fecn
for many days. In the afternoon got more room.

2 ditto, worked our way through as much ice as we could,
wind E. N. E. towards the evening N. made flift to a field.

3 ditto, at noon, faw the land, being the Robbc-bay, bearing
S. W. by W. about one mile.

I have left out many little circumftances refpe£l:ing the wind,
tides, &c. as thinking the above fiifficient for afcertainlng tlic
latitudes, and to (hew the method in which many of the Green-
land maftcrs keep their journals. That year feems to have b:en

M 2 favourable

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fivourablc for getting more to the north, for notwithftanding
Mr. Breet met with fo mucli ice, from tlie latitude of 79 deg.
30 min. to that of 80 deg. 58 miii. Captain Jan Klaas Caftricum,
in the fliip the Jonge Jan, at that very time of the year, and
nearly in the fame longitude, reached 81 deg. 40 min. by the
medium of fcveral obfcrvations with foreftafFs, where he fiflied
with fuccefs in company with Witjc Jelles, who failed from
Hamburg, and found but little ice. There were likcwife two
Englifli fhips, who failed fo far to the north, that Caftricum loft
fight of them from the maft head, which two fhips returned in
fomething more than two days, and the Captains came on board
of Caftricum ^ and affured him that they had been to up-
wards of 83 degrees, and could have gone much further, as they
had no obftru*ftions from ice, but finding no whales, they re-
turned. I fpoke at the fame time with other commanders, who,
having been in fight of thofe fliips, confiri^ied Caftricum's ac-
count.

Six of the oldeft mafters affured me (amongft whom were
John Walig, Klaas Keuken, and J. Klaas Caftricum) that they
had known from 1730 to 1742 an old Englifli commander,
whofe name was Krickrack'; it was his cuftom between the
fifheries, if not obftru«5led by ice, to fiil to the northward,
and fome of them affirm, that when they have been at an an-
chor in Brandewyn's-Bay, he once ftayed away ten, and at
another time twenty days, before his return, and they -are very
fure that he reported (and they have reafons to believe him) that

vr

m

*' Captain Caftricum neither afked thc'r names, nor thofe of their
fhips ; all that he knew was, he faid if he rcmembLred right, they failed
from England.

«■ From 1730 to 1740, moft o'' the mafters of Englilh Ihips, fitted out
for the Greenland trade, were Dutchmen.

he

[ 85 ]

he had been two degrees, and even more, north of the Seven
Iflands; all I could furtlicr learn of this Mr. Krickrack was, that
in 1740 he was in the only (hip fent from England; that for
fcveral voyages he had the fame fliip's company; that in or
about 1742 he had the command of a traiilport, on hoard of
which he loft his life by a mulket ball; they were c rtain that
he kept journals, out of which they think much light might
be obtained.

The greateft part of the Dutch commanders live at the Heldcr.
Mr. Wallg and others afl'ured me, that tlie moft Northern voyage
then ever heard of, and on which they could with certainty de-
pend, was that of Jacob Schol in 1700, who had been lb far
North, that on his return he (iiiled with a frcfli gale of wind,
due bouth, 48 hours, and then fell in with the Seven Iflands; he
confcquently had been (reckoning that run at only four Dutch
miles an hour, which they thought too -little) in upwards of
84 deg. N. latitude. As Mr. Schol was an inhabitant of the
Heldcr, they told me that they would ftrlve to procure me iiis
papers from his heirs ; and, if I miftakc not, they faid that they
had adually feen thofe papers in their younger da;s.

Finding that Mr. Van Keulen had put down (in liis chart) the
land difcovered by Captain Gillis, mentioned in Mr. Walig's letter,
I went to him, to fee on what foundation he liad placed that dif-
covery; but as thofe papers could not be found, 1 applied to
Mr. Wallg, who told me, that Mr. Cornelius Gillis had been
an inhabitant of the Helder ; that Wallg, together with Mr.
Keuken, Mr. B.ilke, aiid others, hncc l.nd, had often examined
Gillis's papers, maps. Sec. and found that he was an enterprlf.ng
man, and very accurate In his remarks and charts; tli;^t Ills grand-
fon had his journals and other papers in his pofl'eiiion ; and liis
grand daughter, who was marritd to an officer of Walig's ihip

(who '

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[ 86 ]

(who had lonnerly been a cotnniar.dor) had hli charts, fome of
^vllich that oHicer goticrally took with him, in order to corrcfl
tlicm. I bcop.cd hard to have them, it only ibr twcntv-four
hourf, and next morning Mr. Walig put into my hands the ori-
ginal tl anghts of" all the dikovcrics Mr. Gillis ever made with
regard to Spitzbergcn, excepting fome particular drawings of
bays and views ot land, with permiliion to keep them in my
pofiefluMi till Mr. Walig's return from Greenland ; copies of
which are here annexed ', and Mr. Walig promifcd to procure
nil', if po(]lbk% all the papers of that old commander before he
left thcTcxcl, w':ich I hope to receive in a few davs, and fhall
not fail ill fending over every thing I find material. Afking
what particulars Mr. Walig and others remembered out of thole
papers, they gave the following fliort account. That Mr. Gillis
paflld more than a degree to the Northward of the Seven Iflands,
without any hindrance from ice, that he proceeded Eart: for
fume leagues with an open fea, then bent his courfe S. E. and
afterwards South; faw in the latitude of 80 deg. to the Eaft
very high land, run through the Eafl: coaft of the North Eafl
land, and entered the Waygats Streights, came to an anchor in
Lamber-bay, and took two whales, and from thence proceeded
to the Texel. Mr. Balke gave alio an account of his uncle's
huing, in company with three lliips, entered Waygat's from the
North, and advanced as fir as the fame bay, but found too much
ice to get through, which the other three, being young com-
mandeis, made a trial of. The North pafliige, however, on their
return being Ihut, and it being the beginning of September, they
made preparation to leave their Ihips, in order to get over land to
Smeerenberg, but the ice luckily giving way, they got out to

f Thefe were coiiics of t!)c draughts of the difTertnt courts of Spitz-
bcrgcn, of whieh Captain Gillis hath taken accurate furvcys.

the

[ 8; ]

the NoilhwarJ. Mr. Bafkc, who Is a curious mnti, pi-omifec!
nie, amongfl: other things, his thcrmomctrlcal obicrvatloiis, which,
by the convcrfation 1 had about them, I have reafon to think will
be accurate.

Attcr having paflTed fix mornings wltli a great number of our
commanders quartered in different houlcs, I find that Tcarcely a
year had paft, but Ibme of them have been to 8i deg. North,
but rarely found the feas free from Ice,

This is all the information I have been able to procure during
my (hor: ftay at Amfterdam, which I would have prolonged, if
a cai' to ;iij Hague had not prevented me. I can only add,^that
waiting upon Mr. Borecl, that gentleman promifed that he would
order a fearch to be made for the J jurnals of thofe ihlps which
were formerly employed in protecting our Greenland firticries.

I muft, however, not forget to mention a particular that Mr.
Van Keulen acquainted me with. He had at his houfe, laft fum-
mer, a converfation with a Ruffian, who had paft the winter
laft year In Spitzbergcn, and gave him tlie following account.
That being in the utmoft dlftrefs, for want of eatables, on the
North Coaft, he made a trial to got with his boat towards the
middle of the ifland, by means of the Cay of Wyde-bay in
GlUis's map, into which he proceeded, till, to his groat furprlfe,
he fell into Wybe Janft's Bay, and fo came out to the South of
Spitzbergen; but he had taken no notice of the depths of water.
Being queftloncd as to that particular, he faid he was very furc
tliat he did not pafs through the Waygats.

In all my converfations with our Green! Mid commanders, I
never tailed to aik which courfe they would take to rcacli hr'h
Northern latitudes; the refult was, that they would never i^ok
it to the Weftward of Spit/bergen, but run out to the North,
from the Weft coaft of Nova Zembla; Mr. Balkc's rcafons and
thofc of other commanders were,

ift, That

' i<

I ' i

Mi

•Si

i

[ 88 ]

1 fl, That all theWcftern coafts of the Northern countries were, for
the mofl: part, free from ice, occafioned from the winds and tides
chiefly coming from the Eaft, which experience proves.

id, That tlie ice con.cs originally from the Tartarian rivers, for
that the fca never freezes but where it is calm, and at the
lame time a great quantity of fnow falls.

^d, That near the Seven Iflands navigators often meet with a
great N. E. fwcll, which proves that at fuch time the fea, to a
confiderahle diftance to the N. E. is not locked up by the ice.

4th, That the drift wood could not come to the Northward of
Spitzhergen, ii\ cafe the fcas between the North of Afia and
that llland were frozen ; whereas a great quantity of that wood
is drove on the North coafl: of Iceland, which is a demon-
rtration tliat the currents come from tlie N. E.

(;th. That in fomc of the trees the marks of the axe were very
plaui, and the colour of the wood fo frefh, that they certainly
had not been fix months in the fea.

6t]i, That fomc whole trees appeared with buds thereon, which
they think could not have remained fo frcih, if the trees had
been a year In the fait water.

^tli, That the Eafl of Circcnknd was now difcovered to the lati-
tude of 79 dtg. and a half, that it probably extended further to
the N. N. E. whicli they look upon to be the caufe of the
fto]5page of ice between that coaft and Spitzl)ergcn, and the
realon why they never find a N. W. or Nortiierly fwell.

8th, That generally all Ihlps, which had once got to the Nortli
as far as 82 deg. met with little or no obffru(r^ions from the
ice ; and more arguments to tlie fame purpofe. There were
f(.iue, however, would rather make the trial between Spitz-
hergen and the land difcovered by Mr. (lillis.

N. B. They knew r.othinij of the pnpcrs read before the Roynl Society.

To

i'lS

[ 89 ]

To ROD. VALLTRAVERS, Efq; &c.

SIR,

PROFESSOR Allamaml, being very defirous that the in-
clofed might be fent to you as fooii as pofliblc, has
obliged me to draw up with hafte the above account of the
informations I received at Amfterdam. In reading it over, and
comparing it with my notes, I find no fault as to the fadls
related, whatever tliere may be in the manner in which it is
drawn up; in cafe the whole or any part of it ftiould be thought
worth publifhing, I liope you will be fo good as to have it
corrc(5led ^.

I could have made it more circumftantial, as my notes arc
very full, in particular with regard to the rcafons our Com-
manders gave for not making the trial to the Weft of Spitz-
bergen, &c.

I am informed that Mr. De Bougainville intends to go by the
way of Nova Zcmbla \

I am, with profound refpecl,

S I R,

Your moft obedient humble fervant,

Leyden,

April .ith, ,775. WILLIAM MAY.

\ m

8 This hath been done in feme trifling particulars, relative merely
to the flile, as Captain May is not a native of England.
^ This voyage of difcovcry, however, did not take place.

N

THUS

'!^

[ 90 ]

: I

''r^HUS do tlic Dutch fianieii, uiipIoycJ in the Greenland
filliery, agree with our own countrymen, in never having
fo mucli ns licard ot a pcrjjctual harrier of fixed ice, to the
Northward of Spitzhergcn, iji 80 dtg. and a lialf'', width in-
dccil is one of their n\oi\ common latitudes for catching whales,
whiHl: all of them fuppofe the fea to he generally open in tliofo
parts., and m.iny of tl'.cm proceed fcveral degrees beyond it.

1 fliall only adil, that, in my former pamphlet ', I have
mentioned a fad or two, 1 had reafon to cxpe(5l from the
Rev. Mr. Tooke, Chaplain to the fadlory at PetcriLuigh, whieii
he conceived would Arongly prove that the fea is open to the
Pole, a!ul which 1 have fmcc received in a letter from him dated.
the 26th of May laft:.

Mr. Tof)ke hath been afl'ured by feveral pcrlbns, who have
pafled the winter at Kola in Lapland, that in the fevereft wea-
ther, whenever a Northerly wind blows, the cold diminilhes
inftantly, and that, if it continues, it always brings on a thaw
as long as it laf^s.

He hath alio been informed by the fame authority, that the
ftamen who go out from Kola upon the whale and morfe
fdhcries early in March (for the fea never freezes tliere) throw
oil' their winter garments as foou as they are from 50 to 100
wcrfts '' from land, and continue without them all the time
they are upon tlie fifhcry, during which they experience no in-
convenience from the cold, but that on their return (at the end
of May) as they approach land, the cold increafcs to fuch a
feverity, that they fuffer greatly from it^

^ One of thcni indeed (ays, that the ice frequently p(7cks in that lati-
tude, which he fuppofcs to arifc from the meeting of two currents.

^ Three werfts make two miles,.

ThU

t 9< }

Tills account iigi-ecs wltli that of Baroiit/,, wlillll he wliitorcJ
in Nova Zeinbhi ', and that of the RuHians In Maloy-Briin ;
tlie North wuid caiinot therefore, during the colded foafons of
the year, be fuppofed to blow over ten dL^grees of ice.

Goveruor Ellis indeed, whofe zeal in profecuting tlie attempt
of difcoverlng tlie N. W. paflTage through Hudfon's Bay is io
well known, hath fuggcfted to mc an argument, which feemj
to prove the ahfolute impoflibility of a perpetual barrier of ico
from 80 deg. and a half to the Pole.

If fucii a trad: hath exilled for centuries, the incroafe, In point
of height, mufl: be amazing in a courfe of y^^ars, by the fnow,
which falls during the winter, being changed into ice, and whicli
muft have formed confequently a mountain perhaps equal to tlie
Pic of Tcncriff'". Now the ice, whicli fomctimcs packs to the
Northward of Spitzbergen, is faid cbmmonly not to exceed two
yards in height. D. B.

1

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' See, Thoughts on the Probabilitv, he. of reaching the North Polo,
p. 8?,

'" Mr. De Luc obfcrvts nlfo, that the ice upon the Glacierc^ is al'A-aya
mcreafing. See his intcrerting oblcrvaduus uu ihyie mountains o\ S<vlt.-
/-crland.

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O B S E R-

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[ 9' ]

OBSERVATIONS

ON THE

FLOATING ICE,

WHICH IS FOUND

IN HIGH NORTHERN, AND SOUTHERN LATITUDES.

SINCE the return of the King's (hips from voyages of dlf-
covery, both in high Northern nnd Southern latitudes, I
have found that it hath b.'en a difputed point, whether the ice
which they have met with v/as formed chiefly from the fait
or frefli water. I fhould rather conceive that this doubt muft
have arifen from what is mentioned by the great Mr. BoyJe,
in his experiments on heat and cold ; or from an obfervation of
M. Adanfon, at the end of his voyage from Senegal, becaufe
from the quantity of ice merely (at leaft to the Northward) the
early navigators never conceived that it was produced from
fea water.

In full proof of this, not to ftate the opinion of feveral others
on the fame head. I fhall content myfllf with citing t' ;it of
Sir Martin Froblfher, who is well known to have made three
fucccfiive vov:io;es to Greenland, with a further intent of dif-
covering the North Weft pafllige from Europe to the Pacific

Ocean.

[ 93 1

Ocean. In the fecond voyage of this celebrated navigator, he
obferves :

*' We found none of thefe Iflands of ice fait in tafte, whereby
it appears that they were not of the ocean water congealed,
which is always filt, but of fome {landing or little moving lakes ;
the main fea freezes not, and therefore there ii> no Miire Glac'tale.'^
In his third voyage he moft anxioufly repeats this fame opinion,
and in ftill ftronger terms, fo that what he hath thus laid down
was not an occafional obfervation merely, but what he had much
reflected upon, and found to be confirmed by his experience
in thofe Northern Seas ".

This opinion of Si." Martin Frobiftier's fecms not to have been
difputed by any one, till the time of Mr. Boyle, wiio obferves,
that there are feveral in Amfterdam, who ufcd to thaw tiu^
ice of fea-water for brewing, and then cites Bartholinus De Nivis
ufu. " De g/acie ex aqua mariml^ certum ejl fi rcfohatur^ f(^lf^"^
faporem depofuijfe, quod non tta pridem expertus ejl ClarKJimui
Fink I us in glaciei Jrujiis, ex port u nojiro allatisT

I fliall not now criticife eitlier what falls from Mr. Boyle
himfelf, or from Bartholinus, though it is very clear that the
ice alluded to by both mufl have probably been formed from
frefh water, either in the rivers, or lakes wliich empty thcmfelvcs
into the Zuydcr Sea, bccaufe I fhall hereafter contradi(ft the
aflcrtion of Bartholinus, by the a>5ual experiment, wliich I have
tried myfelf during tlie late hard froft.

m

»

) fi

" Sec Hakluvt, Vol. II. p. 62 and 67. In 1776, Mr. Marfliall,
Captain of a Greenland i\\\\\ was fo good as to bring nic a bottle ot'
water, whieh was melted iVom ice fouml floating in the Snitzbcrovn
icas, and which had not the Icafl: lalinc taftc.

" Bo) le's Works, Vol. II. p. 264. Folio.

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[ 94 ]

To do jufticc iiuloeil to Mr. Boyle, lie afterwards, upon more
!u;iturc coulidcratii^n, ihcws it t(; be his opinion, agreeable to
that oF Sir Martin Fiobilhcv, tlK\t the iVcfli water obtained from
ioc fli).itiiig in the lea j)rovcs it could not have been formed from
t!..^ ocean,' " becaufc the main ka is kldom or ever frozen p."

The next author wlio fuppoks that congealed fea-water is by
this procefs rendereil fwect to the talle, is Monf. Adanfon, who
informs us, that, upon his returii from Senegal in 1748, he
earricd two bottles of ka- water, taken up on the coafl: of Africa,
from Breil to Paris, whicii, during an Intenle froft, was Co
frozen as to buril the bottles, and the contents afterwards be-
came palatable ">.

To this facl 1 Ihortly anfwer, either that the bottles were
changed, or otherwife that Monf. Adanson ddcs not mention
tlic circumftance by which the tafte of the fea-water was thus
altered upon its being difl()lved. Mr. Nairne hath been much
jnore accurate in ftating his experiments with regard to the
freezing fea-water, in a paper read before the Royal Society
on the id of February, 1776, as he mentions, that, in order to
clear the ice from any brine which might adhere to it, he
walhed it in a pail of pump-water for a quarter of an hour, after
which he informs the Society, that to his palate it was per-
fci^ ly free .rom any tafte of fait.

This is moft undoubtedly the fiX(^, but Mr. Nairne does not
feem to be aware from what circumftance the ice thus melted
had become frefli water '; and indeed I muft admit, that upon

the

r Boyk's Works, Vol.11, p. 302.
1 Voyage au Senegal, p. 190.

' As Mr. Nairne, in his letter to Sir John Prlnglc, fays that one of
his great rcafons for trying thefe experiments was to determiui.' whether

i the

If

I

I 95 ]

the firft experiment wl'ilch I made with regard to ficezliig fea-
water, I deduced the lame inference that he hath done, having
walhed it in frefh water for the fame reafon that he did, viz.
to get rid of the brine which might adhere to the furface of
the ice.

To determine, therefore, whence this frefhucfs in the thawed
ice might arife, I placed a large piece of what remained frozen
^without being waihed at all in pump-water) to be dii^blved be-
fore the fire, which tafted very lalt as one might naturally fuppole.

The weather continuing to be very fevere, I froze more fea-
watcr, repeating the experiment of fivflicning it or not, bv
leaving, or not leaving it, in pump-water, which alway i
turned out uniformly to be the fame ; and the rcaibn of which
is the followuig.

When fca- water is frozen, it does- not form ice funllar to that
from frefli water, being by no 'means lb Iblid or tranfparenr,
as it confifts of thin laminae or plates, between which the brine
is depofited, and if the ice is accurately examined, the fmall

the ice which floats in the Northern Seas Is formed frain the falt-watcr
or' not, he therefore fliould have thawed the ice precikiy under rl.c fume
clrcumftances with the lea- water adhering, as the navigators take it up.
The truth is, that, if the piece- of ice lormed from fca-watcr is at all
large, the adhering fait- water can fcarcely afT-ct the tafle at all; and I
have melted the central parts of a pretty large mafs, which became verv
fait after dlflblution, though entirely detuched from the lea-water in
which it had been frozen. " In the fevere froll laft January (viz. 177?),
♦^ fomc falt-water, being fet abroad, froze into an iee, v.hieh was iioc
" folid but porous, the hollows being tilled with the faltetl p.u't of the
" water, for the ice when diahnd was (juite freih. The fak-wat- r being
" again fet abroad, fro7.c as before, wha»- renuiined Hill unfrozen was
" now become exceeding fair, bii!: the iee lirained and dilFolvtd 'vas
" little if ar all braekllh; by this experiment, if another time more f'tilly
" repeated, it may be found to what degv<;e the laknefs uf water may
*' bo incrcafed, by continuing to freeze away the freih waler." Mr.
Barker in Phil,. Tranf. Vol. LXVI. p. ii. 1776. p. 373.

F-iortions

[ 96 ]

portions of brhie between the plates may be eafily diflln-
guiflied. If this brine therefore is removed, the laminae of ice
when diflblved become fweet to the tafte, but, if thawed to-
gether with the brine intercepted between the laminae, the tafte
is fait, nor can the ice be confiderably divefled of the brine, by
merely leaving it to drain. '

Having fatisfied myfelf thus far from the freezing fea-water
by the natural cold, and under the common circumftances of
txpofuig it to the air in fmall china cups, I applied to Dr.
Higgins to profecute thefe trials with his more ample apparatus,
and knowledge of chemiftry ; who was immediately fo good as
to fuggeft and try the following experiments, which will throw
further light upon this fubjed'.

■"■li!

11. :

"JANUARY 2d% 1776. A gallon, Winchefter meafure,
of fea-water, which I had frefh imported from Mr. Owen in
Fleet-ftreet, was placed in a (hallow difh of Welfh ware, glazed
yellow ; the depth of the water was three inches and a half in
this fliallow difh, which I marked A. and placed on a brick wall
eight feet high above the ground behind my houfe. This
wall on the Eaftern fide faces the gardens belonging to five or
fix houfes in the fame ftreet with mine ; and on the Weftern fide
of it is the area between my houfe and the elaboratory; and
Weftward of my area is the garden of MefT. Wedgwood and
Bcntley, which I believe is forty feet wide, bounded on the Weft
by nigh buildings."

' It \\ould be great injuftice to Mr. LomonofofF, a Sweedifh chemift,
not to mention that he feems to have tried experiments fimilar to thofe
w hich I have made myfelf, and found the refult to be as I have ftated
it. CollccUon Acadmiauc^ Tom. XI. p. 5. & feq. 4to. PariSj 1772.
Sec alfo 'Jie Probability of rci-ching the North Pole difcufled, p. 37.
Note y.

' Mr. Nairne began his experiments at the latter end of this month.

"At

((

file.

[ 97 ]

** At the fame tune I placed another gallon of the fame fea-
water in a glafs body. Tlie cohunn of water hi this veflei wa*
about thirteen inches high, about fix inches diameter at the bafc,
and about three inches at the mouth of the veflel. I placed this
body with the fea-watcr clofe by the veflel marked A ; fo tliat
both were equally difliant from the adjoining houfes; and after
marking the glafs body B, I covered the vefllls A and B with
glafs bafons in fuch a manner, that the air might communicate
with the furface of the water, but rain or fnow might be ex-
cluded.

A Thermometer was placed between thefe, veffels.
From the 2d to the 7th of January, the mercury in the
hermometer flood, at various times, as low as thirty-one of
Fahrenheit ; and Thames water in fliallow wooden veflels, placed
on the ground, near the wall above-mentioned, was often frozen
t :> the thicknefs of a crown piece. But an eartlien oil-jar con-
taining twenty gallons of Thames water, and a like jar contain-
ing twenty gallons of diftilled water, and each covered with a
pewter di(h, preferved the water contained in them from free-
zing during this interval.

" About the 7th of January, the mercury in the courfe of
twenty-four hours did not rife above thirty-one, but fometimes
funk to thirty. Ice was formed in the veflel marked A; but none
in tlie veflel marked B. Ice was at the fame time formed in
the great jars containing Thames water and diftilled water; and
to a thicknefs much greater in the Thames water than in the
water diftilled. The ice obtained from the veflel A was ;iU
formed on the furface of the water; and confiftcd of thin
laminae adhering to each other weakly, and intercepting in their
interftices a fmall portion of water, which was filine to the tafte.
This ice beaten gently with a glafs peftlc to divide the lamina?,

O then

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[ 98 ]

then (Iraliicd, and then wnfliecl in dlfllllecl water, tafted like
the ice of tVelh water; and being phiced In a glafs tunnel before
a culinary fne, fo that the water nirglit drain off as foon as
formed, it diflblved in half an hour, and not in lefs time, al-
though the Thermometer placed at the fame dlftance clofe to
the funnel rofe to 160; and the fide of the funnel next to the
fire was hot to the like degree, as nearly as could be afcertained
by the rouch. The water of the ice thus melted was fre(}\ and
palatable, and meafured half a pint.

*' From the 9th of January to the nth inclufive, the mercury
rofe fome days to forty, and during three or four hours on
other days it funk and remained at thirty, and fometimes for
an hour or lefs it funk to twenty-nine. But it did not remain
at thirty during any of thefe days for more than four or five
hours, unkfs at the hours of reft, when no obfervation was
made. During this period, a thin coat of ice, like ti; former,
was produced on the water In the (hallow veflel A ; but no
ice was formed In the veffel B.

•' January 12, the Thermometer pointed for feveral hours
between thirty-one at the higheft, and twenty-nine at the loweft.
A thick cruft of ice, of the texture before defcrlbed, was formed
in the veflel A. This ice broken, waflied, and diflblved, became
frefli water, meafuring a pmt or more. This quantity of ice,
placed in a funnel before a fire, in the circumftances already de-
fcrlbed, was not all diflblved in an hour and ten minutes. No Ice
was formed in the veflel B".

" ** The foregoing obfcrvations were committed to writing on the
days when they were refpediivcly made, but the day of the month was
not then accurately noted. It may therefore be found that I have placed
fome of the foregoing temperatures a day before, or after that on which
they were obferved."

•' January

[ 99 ]

"January the ijtli at night, and 14th hi the ttioraing, tlic
Thermometer funk for fomc hours hclow tn'onty-fevcn, and
did not rife during iixteen hours above twenty-eight. The
water in the vefl'el A, remaining after the foregoing congchi-
tions, was frozen to the thicknefs of a quarter of an inch in
the centre, and three quarters of an inch in the circumference,
but no ice was formed at any greater depth in the water. Thii
ice, like the former, was laminated, and when bruifed and waflud,
it formed frefli water to the quantity of three pints.

" On the fame day, viz, 14th of January, in the morning,
the Thermometer pointing below twenty-feven, the Thames
water in the great jar was frozen to the thicknefs of three or
four inches, if not more, contiguous to the jar and the furfacc.
The dlftillcd Thames water in the other jar was frozen to the
thicknefs of two inches, or thereabouts, and contiguous to the
jar and furface of the water; and the fea-water in the glafs body
marked B was for the firfl time frozen. On the furface, aiid in
the center of this furfacc, the ice was half an inch thick ; at thtj
circumference it was an inch thick; and from the circumference
and furfixce the ice formed contiguous to the glafs, in fuch a
xnanner, that the crufl: was an inch thick near the glafs and
furface, but, as it proceeded downwards towards the wider part
of the glafs, it tapered to an edge, terminating within an inch
of the bottom of the veflel.

" Thus all the ice was formed on the furface and contiguous
to the glafs, and was tiuckefl: where the veflel was narrowed;
that is, the quantity of ice was Inverfely as the diameter of the
veflel. This ice refembled that obtained in the fliallow veflel in
its laminated fl;ru£lure and fpongiiiefs, and in its enveloping a
portion of the lalt-water, with this difference only, that the
laminae fhot vertically, and from the circumference hiclining to-

O 2 wards

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warcio the centre, not dlretSlly, but fo as to fo.m with the cen-
tre an angle of about 1 5 degfces. This ice brulfed and walhed,
melted to a pint and a half of pleafant frefli water. The time
and heat were nearly the lame as I defcribed above.

*' Mr. Barrington at this and former periods obferved, that
the Irparation of the laminae of the ice by bruifnig accelerated
the cffe^l produced by wall ing; that is, the extrication of the
intercepted brine.

" January the 1.9th at night, the mercury in the Thermometer
funk to twenty-fix. The fea-water, remaining after the foregoing
congelations in the flat dllh marked A, was fi-ozen fo far, that
only a pint remained fluid at the bottom. This ice was in all
refpe£ls like the former portions. Bruifed, waflied, and melted,
as on former occalions, it gave a quart of frelh water. At the
fame time, the water in B' was frozen in the manner before
defcribed, uut in a larger quantity, and fome laminae of ice Ihot
clofe to the glafs as far as the bottotii of the veflel. This ice
bjull'cd and walhed as formerly, and placed before the fire in a
glafs funnel, melted in a heat of a hundred and fixty, in an hour
and a half, to one quart crf frefli water.

*' January tlie 20th, the mercury which flood at twenty-feveiv
ill the morning, and fell to twenty-fix towards twelve o'clock,.
fcll in a few hours to twenty-four, and, before nine at night, fell
to tweutv-three. Only a thin coat of ice was formed on the
water in A, which I did not difturb, expelling it to freeze deeper
during the night. Tlie water in the veflel B was frozen to fomo
thlcknofs at the f-irface, and contiguous to the fides of the glafs
body, but not at the bottom. Expelling a ftronger congelation,
1 fuffercd this alfo to ftand until the next morning, and confe~
quently could not determine the quantity of ice formed in it,
othcrwife than by feeling near the furface, whereby I prefumed.

the

'. 'M

[

lOI

]

the quantity of Ice to be equal to that laft obtained, and formed
in the fame manner.

♦' January the 2ift in the morning, the Tbcrmometer pointed
to twenty-eight. The thin cruft of ice, obfcrved on the preceding
night, did not appear to be encreafed or diminiflied in the vefli.1
marked A. The laminae of this ice adhered fo weakly, that the
whole cruft could not be raifcd without breaking. This ice,
bruifed and well waflied, diflblvcd to near half a pint of water,
brackiftj to the tafte. And the fame day, in the morning, tlio
ice in B was removed, bruifed, and waflied; it melted to a pint
or more of frefli water.

** From the 21ft to the 26th of January, the water in the
veflel marked B was frozen twice, and the ice formed each time
was bruifed and wafhed, and melted to frefli water, both por-
tions meafuring one pint or more.

" From the 26th of January at fun-fet, to the 27th at eleven
o'clock in the morning, the mercury in the Thermometer ftood,
at the ufual hours of obfervation, between twenty and eighteen.
The water remaining after tiie foregoing congelations in B was
fi-ozen fo f^ir, that only half a pint remained fluid. The ice,
bruilhed, waflied, and dlflblved, tafted a little brackilh, and mea-
fured one pint and a half.

" On the 28th of January the mercury flood in the morning
and until four o'clock in the afternoon between twentv-twa.
and nineteen, and before eleven o'clock at night it funk to leven-
teen. Very little ice was formed In tlie veflel B; and what
was formed very eafily crumbled or fell to fmall flakes in at-
tempting to take it out. I therefore fufFered it to rem-ain in the
liquor until the morning.

'* On the 2<yth of January the mercury fl-ool between
Iv^'cnty and twcnt^-'two until fix o'clock; and between twenty

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niul nliicti.\ii, fii.in lix until twelve at night. The quantity of
Icr, Ibinicd on th'- juxccciin^ day, was not notably augmented
Of dhiiininicd; brLiircd, wnlhed, and melted, it yielded two ounces
of water, brackifh to the tafte, in a greater degree than any of the
fori going portions which were wafhcd.

*• On the 30tii of January, finding that the temperature of
the preceding e\ening of the night, and of this day, which was
between nineteen and twenty-one, had caufed no notable con-
gelation in the fmall quantity of water remaining in B; finding
alfo that the reliduc of the water In A admitted of no further
congelation worth notice; and confidering that the flender laminwa
of ice, lately formed in thefe waters, melted to falt-water, and
confequently that no further congelation, capable of feparating
the frelh water from the brine, even with the aififtancc of wafli-
lug, could take place; I mixed the concentrated brine in A with
that In B, and found both fcarcely meafured a wine pint ; fome
fmall cryftab were found in the bottom of both veflels. which
funk in the brine, and were to the tafte fea fait. It is hence
evident that fome fea fait is formed in cryftals by the con-
centration produced by cold acting gradually, and caufing con-
gelation only on the furface of the water, or not affeding that
part of it which is contiguous to the bottom of the veflel.

" The quantity of thefe cryflals of fea fait was about two
grains. I poured them together with the water into a china
plate, fet in a fand heat, and, by cryflalization, obtained fea fait
and the other fallne contents of fea-water, in a dry form, near
two ounces, averdupoife.

" Now, as this quantity of fea-water (that is, two gallons),
taken on our coaft, generally yields about {even ounces of faline
matters ; it appears, that two- thirds or more of the fea fiilt, and
bitter falts of fea-water, are intercepted in the ice of the fucceflive

congelations J

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I «03 1

congelations, ntui arc wafhecl away by frtHi water, apjilicd as
above-mentioned. Hence we learn tliat lea-water may be iVefh-
ened by freezing, provi<led the brine enveloped l)etwccn the
laminae of its ice be waihecl avvay. And in cold countries fait
might be prepared from fea- water at a very moderate expence;
for by freezing (hallow ponds of tiiis water, by turning the icc to
drain off the brine, and when the brine is reduced to a twentictli
part or lefs by evaporation, very little evaporation and fuel will
be neceflary towards the formation of the fait '. But all the flilt
of the fca-water employed will not be obtained, becaufe the
greater part of it will be retained between the lamina? of the
ice, which muft be reje£led; and the concentration by freezing
cannot be advantageoufly carried further than is above exprclicd,
becaufe at that degree of concentration the cold, and tlie time
necefll\ry to caufe further congelations, muft be very confiderable,
as will the wafte of fait likewife, fince the ice is then ftrongly
faline.

** A fmall portion of the ice, taken at various times from B
fince the 26th of January, was not wafhed, but only left to drain
in a funnel ; and each portion thus drained durhig five or fix
days, being feparately diflolved, tafted ftrongly of lldt, although
the like icc, which was bruifed and walhed, yielded fre(h water.
This proves that walhing removes the intercepted brine; and
that this brine does not feparate by draining.

«* January the 20th, at eight o'clock in the evening, the
Thermometer pointing at twenty-three, in the open air where
the Thermometer flood. I mixed fnow with fmoaking fpirit of
nitre, and placed in the mixture a glafs half-pint tumbler full of
fea-water ; and at the fame time placed the Thermometer in tlip

^ ** Wallcrius fays, this art :s praftifed in the Northern countries."

mixture.

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nuxtmv. Ill two iniuiitcs tiic mercury lunk out of the tul)c
quite into the j-^lohe. The Itale cxtendj only twenty-tivc degrees
below O of" Fahrenheit; wherefore 1 could not determine how
many degrees lower it would have funk on a more extended fcale.
In live minutes, fomc (lender laminic of ice hegan to flioot from
the circumference of the water, and adhered to the glafs. Tiic
whole water was tut frozen in Icj's than an hour, at which time
the mercury in the 'riiermometer roie to twenty degrees below

0. Having another mixture of the fuiie kind ready made, I
brilkly removed the tumbler with the ice it contained into the
frcfh mixture, which, like the former, funk the mercury into
the globe.

" The ice of fea-water Is more opaque than that of frefli
water, when both are naturally congealed. For the eh.ftic fluid
in common water forms bubbles only in the central parts of the
water laft frozen ; but the ice of fea-water confills of alternate
parts of ice and brine ; the denfity of which being unequal, and
the matter of them being alfo didimilar, light cannot be freely
tranfmitted, but is partly reflected and refraded, according to Sir

1. Newton's Ideas of light. . .
*' In the experiment lail-mcntloncd, the ice was commonly

opaqxie; and w^hen it was cxpofed to the frefli frigorific mixture,
it became like a mafs of fnow comprefled, having a fnowy white-
nefs and opacity, perfect near the furtace, but not perfect to-
wards the bottom.

«' The tumbler,with the ice it contained, was kept in this lalt-
mentioned mixture an hour, when the mercury denoted that no
further degree of cold could be given by this mixture. The
tumbler was then placed in fnow until the next day, to preferve
the ice for further obfervatlon. Notwithflanding the extreme
cold to which it had been fo long expofed, and the cold medium

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in which it wns placed, the ice was not follil like that «it* neH?
water, but, on the contrary, could ealily he cut tliio\igh the
centre of the mafs with a knife. The ict.- talL.l ei|u.iily of
fait through tlie whole i-n:\f:j, in the fuiw manner ass :i \'\k^
quantity of fca-watcr. Bruifcd bri(k!y, waflud as already v.
fcrihcd, and melted, it yielded frefli water to the quantity of
four-fifths of the water frozen; wherefore in wafhiiig vory little
ice was diflblved whilft the falt-water intercepted in the ice
was removed.

" Mr. Barrington having obferved that \v.\ artificial freezing
commences from the bottom and fides of the i-»iafs of water
placed as ufual in tlie frigorific mixture, but that natural free-
zing commences on the furf^f'e and proceeds downwards; and
it occuring to me that tlic fpccific gravity of incongclable brino
is greater than that of the congelable water; aiul, coiifequently,
that this greater fpecific gravity favours the feparation of brine from
the ice of fea water, when the freezing commences on the fuiface
of fea-water, and may be an impediment to tiic feparation of the
inconge'able brine from the ice artificially formed in the i'ca-
water, when the congelation proceeds from the bottom up-
wards : On thefe confide rations it fccmed that the foregoing
experiments indicate, that ice formed in fea-water cannot, wl\cn
melted, become frefli water, unlefs it be vvafhed in frelh water ;
but do not fully prove, that ice formed on the furfacc only, and
proceeding flowly downwards, in fea-water, may not conlill: of
frcfh water, and be freed from brine, by reafon of tlic fpecillc
gravity of brine and other unnoticed circumftances. There-
fore, on the 2ift of January, at two o'clock, when the mercuiv
flood in the open air at twenty-nine, I made the following ex-
periment, with a view to determine whether fea-water, frozen
artificially from the furface downwards in the manner perfoiim d

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by nnture, would not yield ice of a iblld texture capable of
melting to frefii water without wafhing, merely by draining;
which mufl: take place in mountains (5f ice, it' any are formed lii
the Northern Sea: becaufc, ice being fpccitically lighter than
water, and the accefi: of congealed water being at the l)afe, the
portions lirfl: frozen will be raifcd above the water by fucceeding
j-o:tions frozen, and thus a mountain of ice may be ralicd, whole
ir.a.s and height above water will be to the nralllve bafe Immerfcd ;
in water, iuverfely as the fpecihc gravity of ice is to that of water. -

" I placed therefore a gallon of fea- water in a glazed earthen
veflcl, vvhofe diameter was one-third greater than the depth of •
the watjr. In this wat^r I flung a thin glafs bafon cut from a
bolt-head, capable of containing near two quarts of water, in
fach manner that it might be immerfed two inches deep in the
fea-water. The veflel containing the fea-water was furrounded
with fnow. I then filled the balon, which was fufpended in the
fea-water, with fnow prefied down with a glafs- peflle, and
poured into the fnow the ufual quantity of flrong nitrous acid.

** In fifteen mhiutes fome cryflals of ice were formed on the
interior glafs bafon, in the part where it was contiguous to th i
furface of the fea-water. In three hours the whole bottom of the
bafon, containing the frigorific mixture, was coated with ice,
the thicknefs of which was half an inch or kfs at the bottom of
the bafon, increafnig to three-fourths of an inch at the part
which correfponded with the furface of the water.

" I eafily feparated it entire from the bafon, found it fome-
what firmer in its aggregation than the ice ilowly form.d b/
natural freezing, and not compofed of lamimc like this h tter;
but fimllar in texture to the falt-water frozen by artificial cold
applied in the ufual manner. I placed it on a '^ cap of fnow,
where it remained to drain upwards of fix hours, but flill was
3 wet

[ I07 ]

wet to the touch on the furface, and hi the frofli lurfaces of the
fractured parts. Ithen placed a part of it hi a ghifs funnel before
the fire, to melt, and found the water ftrongly faluie to the
•tafte, but not near fo faline as equal parts of fea and rh'cr-water
mixed.

" Another portion of this Ice, which was wrapped up in filter-
ing ppp^r, and left to drain on a heap of dry fnow during four
days, when melted, was Hiline to the tafte, and not fenfibly
different from that which had drained only fix or feven hours.
Whence It appeared, that ice formed in the fca-water, in circum-
ilances fimllar to thofe which attend natural congelation, is,
neverthelefs, faline to the tafte.

*' The feveral portions of water obtained In the foregoing ex-
periments, from the waflied Ice of the fea- water in A aiid B,
being preferred in glafs-ftopper- bottles, were not examined.
Although they were frefh to the tafte, it appeared by the quan-
tity of luna cornea, which they all formed with faturatcd nitrous
folutlon of filver, that they were ftrongly Impregnated with
marine fait, comparatively with Thames and New River water,
examined in the like manner.

** Mr. Barrington obferving, that fait In water is an impedi-
ment to the congelation of that water, prefumed, that fait
in water would accelerate the thawing of ice immerfcd in it;
and that in equal temperatures ice would be thawed In lea-water
fooner than In frefli water. 1 therefore made the following ex-
periment.

" January the 20th, when the Thermometer pointed to
twenty-three, about nine o'clock at night, I placed five ounces
and half a drachm, averdupoilc, of Thames water In a half pint
glafs tumbler; and the like quantity of tlie fame water diililkd
in anoHier half pint glais tumbler of equal figure and capa-

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City with the foregoing. The tumblers were placed on the wall
formerly defcribed, and left there covered with glafs until eleven
o'clock next morning.

** In the morning, at eleven o'clock, the Thermometer pointed
to twenty-':ight. The water in both tumblers was frozen quite
through, and formed maflcs of ice, tranfparent as cryftal in every
part, except the centre, and near the bottom, which parts were
rendered opaque to the thicknefs of half an inch, by a number
of air-bubbles locked up in the :ce. The diftilled water had
been kept feveral days in the jar above defcribed, whofe mouth
was only covered with an Inverted pewter dilh.

*' Into a glafs tumbler, capable of holding a Winchefter pint or
more, I put a wine pint of Thames water; and into another
tumbler of the fame figure and capacity, I poured a pint of fea-
water coi:icentrated, by freezing one fourth of it, the better to
reprefcnt fea-water of the great oceans, which are not affe(fl:ed by
rivers ib much as the fea-watcr ufed in thefe experiments muft
be, as it was taken up near the North Foreland. The fea-water
was thus concentrated for thefe further reafons : firft, that the
effc£t of lidt in the water might be more confpicuous during
the thawing of the ice; and fecondly, to prevent the firft portions
of ice thawed from diluting the fdt water to a degree, which
ntvtr is found in the ocean. I reduced the Sea and the Thames
water, contained in thel'e tumblers, to the fame temperature
cxaCftlv, in the open air; then taking hold of each by the fum-
mit of the glafs above the water, I carried them into my ftudy,
and placed them on a carpet fifteen feet equally diftant from the
fire, a!id three inches from the walnfcot of the wall oppolite the
fir'% and equally dillant from a door on one fide, and a window,
which extends within fourteen inches of the floor, on the other.
The tumblers, containing the fro/.en water, were immerfed in

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[ 1^9 1

a large pan of hot water, clofe to each other, and near the centre
of tlie pan, the water rifing to the height of the ice in the tum-
blers; after a few minutes the ice was thrown out, by invertl.ig
the glafles on clean paper. The two pieces of ice were equal
in fize, figure, and weight i the weight of each being five ounces
avcrdupoifc.

*' The moment before the ice was taken out of the tumblers,
I found the temperature of the fea and frefli water, placed as
above-mentioned, to be equal, and exa£llj thirty- four ; the tem-
perature of the air in that part of the room being forty-fix. I
plunged the pieces of ice immediately, one in the fea-water, the
other in the frefh water. It was at this inftant two o'clock in
the afternoon. In ten minutes the temperature of the fea-water
was thirty-two, that of the frefh water was thirty-three and a
half. In half an hour the fea-water raifed the mercury to thirty -
three, the frefh water raifed it to thirty-four and a half.

" At this inflant, viz. half an hour paft two o'clock, I took
both the pieces of ice at the fame time, weighed them brifkiy,
and replaced them in their refpedlive veflels at the fame itiflant.
Of the ice placed in the fea-water, half an ounce was diflolved ;
of the ice placed in the frefh water, only four diachms and a
half were difTolved.

*- From half an hour pafl two o'clock until fix I frequently
chunged the pofition of the tumblers, making oiic take the place
of the '^rher. At fix, the temperature of the fea-water was
thirty-fix, that of the frefh water was thirty-feven aiul a half.
In the manner already mentioned, the ice was at this time
weighed and replaced. Of the ice in fea-water three ounces and
four drachms were diflolved; of that in frefh water, only two
ounces and eight drachms.

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It is obfcrvablc, tliat the fca- water • was a "degree and a half
colder, ever fince the immerfion of the Ice, than the frefh water,
acVcd on by the like mafs of ice, and placed in the like circum-
flances; and ncvcrthclcfs the ice was diflblved much quicker in
the colder fea-water. The quicker folution of the ice in fea-
water was evidently the caufe of the greater degree of C')ld pre-
ferved in it daring four hours ; and it already appeared, that
fait- water is a more powerful folvent of ice than frefli water
in tlic like temperature. And, agreeable to Mr. Barrington's
fuggeftion, tlie matter Vvliicii impedes the congelation of water
mull of courfe facilitate the thawing of ice. The nitrous acid
furniflies us with another flriking inftance to this effedl; for no
cold can be produced to freeze the water in it; and a red-hot ladle
cannot tiiaw ice placed In it, fo quickly as ice is thawed by
nitrous acid.

** At ten o'clock, or in eight hours after the pieces of ice were
firft placed in the Sea and Thames water, the temperature of the
fea-water was thirty-nine, that of the Thames water only thirty-
eight. At this time, ot t^e ice in lea-water four ounces eight
drachms were diiiblved; of the ice in Thames water, four ounces
only were dllfolved. The fea-water being at this period war-
mer than tliu Thames water, correfponds with the fmall portion
of ice remaining in it, compared with that remaining in the
frefli water. The temperature of' the room in -the place where
tlic tumblers flood, being, by reafon of the fire kept conftantly
in It, forty- four or forty-five, for tiie laft fix hours.

"In tv.elvc hours, or at two o'clock in the morning, the
temperature of the room near the vcflels of water being nearly
tlie lame as formerly defcribed, the temperature of the fea-
water was forty, the temperature of the frefh water was thirty-
nine. Four ounces fifteen drachms of the ice in falt-water were

dilfolved,

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diflolved,. only one drachm remaining; four ounces ten drachm*
of the ice in frelh water were diflblved, only fix drachms re-
maining.

*' At the end of the thirteenth hour, after the immerfion of
the mafles of ice in the frefti and in the falt-water, that is, at
three in the morning, the temperature of the r(joni was forty-
five near the place where the tumblers flood. I'hc tempe-
rature of the open air was thirty-one. The ice in the fea-water
was melted. The quantity of ice remaining in the frcfli water
was one drachm, which, in fifteen minutes more, was entirely
melted. .

** At this period, when the ice in the frefh water was melted,
that is, a quarter of an hour part three, the mercury flood at
forty in the frelh water, in th"; falt-water it flood at forty- one.
In a quarter of an hour after this the mercury flood at forty-two
in the falt-water, and at forty-one in the frefh water. In a
quarter of an hour more, the temperature remained unalterable
hi the lalt and frefh water, although the temperature of the air
between and near the veflTels was forty-five, and the vcflel on the
right was placed on the left, and replaced feveral times. And
both veflels were at all times equi-dlflant from the wainfcot,
which was perfectly clofe, as were the boards of the floor alfo.

** In a quarter of an hour more, the temperature of the air
near and between the tumblers remained forty-rive; the tem-
perature of the frefh water was fcarccly forty-two; the tem-
perature of the falt-water was forty-two and a Iialf.

*' la a quarter of an hour m.i; -, the temperature of the air
between the tumblers being forty four and a halt, tiie tempera-
ture of the falt-wnter was ton --liiree; the temperature of the
frelh water was fomewhat more han forty-two. It: was now pall:
four o'ck'-k in the morning, on Monday the 22J of January
I went 10 bed iw..vutg the tuuiblers in the polidon defcribed.

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*' It was obferved, during the foregoing and other experi-
ments, and it is vifible from the experiments related, that fire,
in ditFufing itfelf from warm bodies to contiguous cold bodies,
proceeds flowly ; that cold bodies do not acquire the temperature
of the warmer medium in which they are immerfed fo foon as
is commonly imagined, but, on the contrary, require a confide-
rable time for that purpofe; and this time is direclly as the dia-
meter of the cold body.

" It was inferred from thefe experiments, that a temperate body
like water, placed in a cold medium, as in air, cooled to thirty
or thirty-one of Fahrenheit, requires many hours before it acquires
the temperature of the furrounding medium, and before a conge-
lation commences; and that the time neceflary for the com-
mencement of the congelation is diredly as the mafs and fhorteft
diameter of the water, and the progrefs of the congelation is
inverfely as the depth of the water.

*' It was alfo obferved, that as much of a given mafs of water
was frozen in five hours in a temperature of twelve degrees below
the freezing point, as was frozen in one hour in a temperature
fifty degrees below the freezing point ; and that long duration of
the temperature between twenty and thirty-two is, towards
the congelation of water, equivalent to intenfity of cold, fuch
as Is marked o, and below o, in Fahrenheit, but of Ihort dura-
tion.

*' It was moreover obferved, that water in thick jars covered
was not frozen, when water in open veffels was frozen; that
water included in maflive veflels of wood, or furrounded by any
matter except water, to fome thicknefs, preferved its tempera-
ture, and rcfiftcd congelation, longer than the like quantity of
water expofcd co the cold air; and that water in thick veflels was
not frozen fo foon as a like quantity of water in thin veflels of
2 like

WW

[ "3 ]

Tike matter, figure, and capacity. It was theiicc inferred, tliat fire
does not fo quickly pervade thick bodies as it docs thin bodies;
and that fire pervades water more freely than it does folid bodies,
and fooner diffufes itfelf from water to air, than from any
other body containing water to air.

*' Thence it followed, that in reafoning on the phaenomena of
congelation, the mafles of water, the duration of cold tempera-
ture hi the atmofphere, and the mafles of other matter furround-
ing water, are to be confidered. Deep rivers and lakes do not
freeze lb foon as {hallow rivers and lakes. Large bodies of
water are never frozen in any temperature of fliort duration;
but fhallow waters are often frozen in the fummer.

*' It need not be prefumed, that certain lakes, which are never
frozen, communicate with fubterranean fires, or hot mineral
ftreame-; or that they are impregnated with matter whlcii im-
pedes congelation: but it is ratlier to be prefumed, that as fire
(lowly pervades, enters, or quits bodies, the time 'ncccllary for
its difFufing itfelf from deep lakes to the cold atmoiphere is
greater than ever fuch temperature of the atmofphere continues
without intcrmliiion below the freezing point.

" By the like reafoning applied to mafles of earth and other
matter which are not fo quickly pervaded by fire as water is, we
.can conceive why deep wells and fprings at or near their iflliing
from the earth are not frozen in this climate even wlien navigable
.rivers are ice-bound. We alfo underfland why the main pipes,
buried inour flreets, retain the water fluid, when the pipes leading
fioni thcfe to the houfes and cro fling the area of each houfe, are
choaked with icef and why hay-bands twiflcd round thefc fmall
pipes prevent the freezing, &c.

*' On thefe grounds it is prefumed, that no confiderable con-
gefiation ever takes place in the fea, bccaufc this is the greatefl:

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and deepeft mafs of water wc know of; bccaufe it Is always in
motion, and communicates with the water of temperate climates;
becaufe fca-water is not I'o cafily frozen as fi-efli water; becaufe
the ice found in the fca is folid, and in tranfparency not dirferent
from the ice of frcfh water; and, laftly, becaufe this floatinfj: ice,
which is met with by navigators, both in hlgli northern and
fouthern latitudes, when melted, is palatable to the tafl:c; whereas
the ice formed from fca-water is very faline, if it be thawed with-
out having been wafhed in frefh water.

*' It is alfo prcfumed, that in the deep Northern feas the
water near the furface will be found warmer than that near the
bottor.i at the approach of fummer; and will be found colder
near the furface than at the bottom in the firft month of the
cold fcalbn, fortlie reafons already expreffed: and in like manner^
that, during the firft fix or eiglit hours of a froft in England, the
water in any deep lake will be found colder near the furface than-
at the bottom, but that the water at the bottom will be found
colder than that near the furface in twenty-four hours after a.
thaw, provided the air be temperate or nearly fo."

■- !i(

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IT having been proved, from what hath been already urged,
as well as by the preceding experiments of Dr. Higgins, that the
floating ice, w hich is obferved both in high fouthern and northern
latitudes, cannot be probably formed from fea-water, it may be
thought incumbent upon mc to fhcw how fuch quancitics can be
fupplicd from fprings, rain, or frozen fnow.

The rivers which are always found at certain intervals in
any large tra^l of land undoubtedly fupply confiderable part of
fuch ice ; but there are not wanting other fources from which
thefe floating mafles may be produced.

The larger and higher ice iflands'' I conceive to be chiefly
formed on Ihorc, after which they arc undermined by the rills and
melted fnow, during the fummer, of which we have an accurate
account in theiate voyage towards the North Pole\

Others

4»*

y Mr. Wales obfcrvcs, that in the iflands of ice, near Georgia Auftralis
and Sandwich-land, there are ftrata of dirty ice, which irrcfragably proves
their having been formed on the land. Remarks on Dr. Forfter's Ac-
count, &c 8vo. London, 1778, p. 106.

With regard to the formation of Ice-iflands, fee likewife Captain
Cook's Voyage, Vol. II. p. 213 and 240, who conceives them to arile
from congealed fnow and fleet in the vallics. Captain Cook alfo fup-
pofes, that the ice-cliffs, at the end of thefe vallies, often project a great
way into the fca, when they are flickered from the violence of the
wind, p. 242.

^ " Large pieces frequently break off from the Ice-bcrgs, and fall
** with great noife into the water: we obferved one piece which had
** floated out into the bay, and grounded in twenty-four fathoms; it was
** fifty feet high above the furface of the water, and of the fame beauti-
** ful colour as the Icc-bcrg." p. 70.

1 have likewife been favoured with the following account of ice
'iflands on the coafl: of Labradorc, from Lieutenant John Cartwright,
of the Royal Navy, to whom I have not only this obligation. [See the
Probability of reaching the North Pole, p. 5.]

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Others, which happen to have projei5led over the fca, may
have had their foundations fo- fappcd by the waves during a

florm,,

" Dkar Sir, ThurfJay, Feb. 28, 1776.

In conformitv with my jiromifc of yefterday, I now fend you, as nearly
as I can rccollcit, my brother's account (who hath rcfidcd four years on
the Labradore co:;(l:) of the formation of thofe great iruillcs of frozen
fiiow, fecn annually in very great numbers on the northern coalb of
America, and by mariners ufualiy called Ijlands of Ice.

Along the coall of Labradore, the fea, in winter, is fro7.cn to a great
diftance' from the land [how this ice is produced^, will appear, p. 145.].
The north-weft is the prevailing and coldefl wind. The fnow, carried
bv this or any other wcfterly winds over rhe cliffs of the conft, falTs
becalmed upon the ice at the foot of the laid cliffs, drifting up to the
very tops of them, although many of them are not inferior to that of
Dover, or thofe about Lulworth. The current of the ftrong weftern winds,
having paifed thelc precipices, takes its courfe downwards into the uri^
dirturbed air below; but it is not until it arrives at fome dillance from
the land, that it can be felt on the furface of the fea.. Having the frozen
furface of the fea for a bafe, and the precipice for a perpendicular, an^
hyiiochenufe is made by the defcending diredion of the wind. The
inclofed triangle, be the cliffs ever fo high, will be filled with fnow;
becaufe the tops of the adjoining hills, being quite naked, are entirely
fvvept clear of fnow by the violence of the llorms, and what would other-
wife have lain there is carried to the leeward of the hills, and uirder the
flieltcr of the cliffs, where it is depofited in infinitely greater quantities,
than it wo\ild fall in without fuch a caufe. The hypothenufc of fucli
triano-le is frequently of fuch a flope as that a man may walk i:p or
dowir-vvidiout dililcuUy. By frc(pient thaws, and the occafional fall of
moifture interrupting the froft, during the firft parts of the winter, the
fnow will, in fonie fuiall degree, diliblve, by which means it only ac-
(luires a greater hardnefs when the froft returns; and during the courfe
of that rigorous fealbn it generally becomes a vcr\- compaft body of
fnow-ice. hi the fpring of the year the icy bafe gives way, and its
burden plunges into the'fea, fometimcs entire, fomctimcs in many frag-
ments. As tJie dcjith of water in many parts is forty, fifty, one hundred
fati^oins, and upwards, clofc to the Ihore, thefc bodies of ice, vaft as is
their bulk, will frequently float without any diminution of their con-
tents, alihough the very large ones do often take the ground, and
fomctimcs are not fuHiciently reduced by either the penetration of the
fea and the rain-water, or of a whole fummer's fun, to get at liberty
again before another winter.

The

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rtorm', as to have loft their fupport ; whilft others again may
have been reft from the mafs to which they before adhered
by the expanfive power of the froft •*.

Great part of the field, or lower ice, I take to be formed by the
fnow falling on the fluids left bare for fix hours (from half ebb
to half flood), which immediately diflblves upon touching the
fands, and, before the tide returns, becomes folid ice ; part of
thefe pieces are by the wind, or tide, again returned to the
fame fands, where they again meet with another ftore of ice»
formed during another fix hours, which, in the courfe of a
winter, muft, by packing, accumulate to immenfe mafles. That
this is not mere conjeflure, but the fatSl, I appeal to Captain
James's account of what he himfelf was witnefs of whilfl: he
wintered at Charlton Ifland, in Hudfon's Bay'*

The above relation, which my brother gives from his own obferva-
tton, in North latitude, 52 deg. 15 min. accounts very naturally and
eafUy for the formation of that furprifing number of the vaft pieces of
ice which is annually feen on the Labradore coaft, and confiderably to
the Southward. John Cartwright."

■ " The fea has wafhed underneath the ice cliffs, as high as the
** Kentifli Forelands, and the arches overhanging, fupport mountains
" of fnow, which have lain fince the creation." Wood's Voya^e^ p. 20..

" Cundta gelu, canaque asterniim grandine tcfta,
" Atque asvi glaciem cohibent, riget ardua montis
*' ^therii facies, furgentique obvia Phoibo,
" Duratas nefcit flammis mollire pruinasJ'

Silius Italicus, Lib. III. 1. 480..

■> ** The roeks along the coaft burflr with a report equal to that erf
artillery, and the fj^linters are thrown to an amazing diftance." Mr»
Wales, in PhilofopbicalTranfadionSf Vol. LX. p. 125-.

•^ For Captain James's account,, fee Boyle, Vol.11, as alfo Harris,
Vol. II. p. 420. where it is confiderably abridged, and differs in fomc
few clrcumftances. It is ftated, however, that in few hours the fnow
thus frozen will be five or fix feet thick.

5 Now

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Now It' we examine a globe, wc (hall find, tluit from fixty to
flveiUy degrees of Northern latitude more than half its cir-
cumference is lanil, whicli is open to a Northern lea, from
vvhlcii large trakfl of coafl much greater quantities of floating
ice may be derived than have ever been met with by naviga-
tors, without being obliged to fuppofe that any part of it is
formed from fca-water.

But it may be fald, that our late entcrpri/ing navigators to tlie
Southward jiave alfo met with as great a quantity of ice in the
oppofitc hcmifphcre, without fcarcely difcovering any land.

To this I anfwcr, that their circumnavigation was, at a
medium, about fifty-feven degrees of Southern latitude, though
they made pufhes greatly to the Southward in three points,
and in one of thcfc to feventy-one degrees ten minutes. In the
other inftanccs, as fiir as 67 dcg. and 67 deg. 30 min.

There is confequently a very large fpace in which there may
be many a frozen region, which they have not had any opportu-
nity of difcovering. If, for example, a navigator from the Sou-
thern was fent upon difcoveries to the Northern hemifpherc, and
Europe, as well as Afia and North America, having been funk
by earthquakes, was to report that lie had circumnavigated at
fifty-five degrees North latitude at a medium; made pulhcs even
to feventy-one degrees in different direcflions, without feeing any
continent ; and that therefore there was no land to the north of
fifty-five degrees ; his countrymen would be much deceived by
fvicli report, becaufe Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Mufcovy,
Tartarian Afia, and part of North America, continued in their
prefent fituation. . . •

Befides, however, the Ice which may come from Tier r a del

Fue^Oy Captain Cook hath difcovered two frozen iflands between

Cape Home and that of Good Hope, which were covered with

6 ■ ice

ice and fnow ''. The firft of thcfc, fituatcil in fifty-four degrees,
is called Georgia Aujlralh ; and the fccond, Sandwich-hmd^ in
fifty-nine degrees, which appeared fo large, to fome eyes, that it
was conceived to be part of a continent '»

It is believed alfo, that no ftiip hath been beyond forty-eight
degrees to the Southward of New Zealand; and from the coldncfs
of the nioft Southern of thefe large iflands, I cannot but fuf-
pe£l that there is a confidcrable trac^ of land between it and
the Pole.

Having thus endeavoured to account how the floating ice
which is met with may be fuppofed to be formed from fnow
or frefh water; I cannot but rilk another conjedurc, tliat tlie
time of the year at which attempts are commonly made to make
diftoveries towards the two poles (though favourable in many

■^ Hence whatever land is difcovered to the fouth of this latitude
muft produce ice. There is alfo a large tradl of land named in fomc
maps, the Gulpb of St, ScbaJliaUf which is not far diftant from Gco>xia
Aujtra/is, and which poflibly may have efcapcd Captain Cook. This
great navigator alfo conceives, that the ice floats from 70 degrees South,
and is detached by accidents from land lying to the South of that paral-
lel, as the currents in the Antarftic Seas always fet to the North. Cook's
Voyage, Vol. I. p. 268»

Captain Furneaux, in 1744, pafled between Georgia Auftralis and
Sandwich-land (rather fuppofed a continent), without feeing either of
thefe new difcovcrics, though the mountains on both arc remarkably
high, particularly thofc in Sandwich-land, one of which, by fcveral,
was confidered to equal Tcnerilf.

Captain Furneaux could not have been well more than two de-
grees from either of thefe countries. Sec his Track in the lately pvib-
liihed map.

« See Captain Cook's voyage, Vol. ll. p. -^30. where he fuppofes land
near the South Pole, chiefly oppofite to the Southern Atlantic, and
Indian Oceans, as on thole meridians ice is found as far North as 48 deg.
It is in this tradl of Southern land that Cook fuppofes the ice to be
chiefly formed, which is u\ct with in the Southern Oceans. Ibid.

Other

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other clrcumftanccs'^) is piobably the feafon when the gi-cateii
quantity of floathig ice will be obfcrved.

This fcems to follow as a iiecefliiry confcquence from the pu(h
being never made before Alidfummer, aud often a month later,
which is precil'.'ly the time when the ice begins to break up h\
the frcfli water rivers, &c.

I have accordingly iiiinuted down, from feveral voyages into
high northern latitudes, the day on which navigators firfl men-
tion feeing the floating ice.

The refult of which is as follows :

Sir Martin Frobifher on the 23d of June. Hactluyt, Vol. IL

P- 77' ^ ^

Davis in his firfl: voyage, July 19. — In his third, July 2d.

Ibid. p. 99.

Pet and Jackman on the 13th of July. Ibid. p. 447.

Burrow, on the 2ifl: of July. Ibid. p. 277.

Governor Ellis, July 5th. Voyage to difcover die North Wefl:
Paflage, p. 127.

** Tiic Ihores of Hudfon's Bay have many inlets or friths,
" which are full of ice and fnow, and frozen to the ground.
" Thefe are broke loofe, and launched into the fca, by land-
" floods, during the months of June, July, and A'.<guft." Ibi^l.

" The firll floating ice which is obicrved on the coaft of
" Labradore is a joyful prefagc to tlic inhabitants of the
" approach of lummcr." Lieutenant Curtis, ui Philofopjiical
Tranfadions.

*' The ice begins to break up the i8rh of June." Danlrti
Account o^ Grocnland. — Fojuigcs au Nord, Vol. I. p. 167.

*" Viz. The nights being ihortcr, and the rigging not being fo fubjctft
to be frozen.

**Tlie

H}

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[

121

1

** The lakes ot Laplatid continue frozen on June die 24th.**
'Lhifchotcn's Voyage, Ibiil. Vol. IV.

" On the 5th of July, the fea on two fides is obfervcd to be
covered with Ice." Ibid. p. 187.

Wood fees the firll ice in North latitude feventy-five degrees
fifty-nine minutes, on June zzd.

On the 1 7th of Augufl: vaft pieces of floating ice. Ibid.

" In the month of Augufl: the French obferve, on the Labra-
■** dore coaft, mountains of ice as high as the lhi]is." Boyle's
Works, Vol. II. p. 303.

" On June 16th, a river in Hudfon's-lxiy breaks up." Mr.
Wales, in Philofophical Tranfaflions, Vol. LX. p. 126.

" The mouth of the Lena is not open till the middle of Augufl:."
Obfervations Ghgraphiques, par Mr. Engel, p. 229.

With regard to the ice which may be obforvcd in Southern
latitudes, I Ihall only take notice that Sir Francis Drake, Feuillee,
and Clipperton, pafled Cape Horn, or the Straits of Magellan,
during the month of December, without mentioning icep, from
which it Ihould feem that it breaks up chiefly during the months
of January, February, and March, anfwering to our July, Augufl",
and September ''.

Three Dutch fliips, which failed on difcoveries with Commo-
dore Roggewein, in 1 72 1, met with much ice to the South of
Cape Horn in the middle of January. The Author of the Nar-
rative afterwards makes this obfervation : " Thofe mountains of

E Sec Callander's Voyajrcs iiikIiT thi.fc three nriiclos.

•* It luiiy 'poffibly break up in Ibinc /ears c.irlicr, perhaps In December;
Init lomc \lme muft be allowed for its flo:\tin[.i; to the north, as far as the
latitude of Tiom del h'lugn. rroiu the inllanees cited, it appear:; that
the earlieft floating ice which is feen in the norilicrn heiuif[)herc is not
obfervcd fooner than the i6th of June, vvhiUl in much the greater part
mention is not made of it till July.

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" ice, which are feen In the latitude of Cape Horn, prove that
** there Is land towards the Southern Pole, it being certain that this
" ice cannot be formed In the ocean, though the cold is fo fevere '.'*

But it may, perhaps, be faid, that the ice which breaks up in
June, July, and Auguft, or during the correfpondcnt months in
the oppofitc hemifphere, may remain floating for years without
being much dlflblved.

To this I will not take upon myfelf to fay that fome fuch
iflands, when very large, may not continue more than a year ;
but I {hould conceive this not to be very common. Storms and
otiicr accidents muft probably break them into fmall mafles
which will quickly be thawed; as that able geographer and pro-
moter of difcovcrles, Mr. Bailiff Engel, obferves that if a piece
of ice is faftencd by a cord and let down into the fea, it is pre-
fcntly melted''.

Mr. Wales alfo informs us, that he fuppofes moft of theie
Iflands of ice are foon wafled, In the following words : ** The
** truth Is, their motion and dlflblution are apparently fb very
** quick, that I am of opinion it muft be a pretty large ifland
** which is not dlflblved in one fummer '."

How foon llkewife does the ice dlfappear, which is difcharged
from our own rivers into the fea, after our moft inte.nfe frofts?

I have omitted ftatlng the degree of cold at which the fea-
water I expofed to the air began to be frozen, and cannot now
recover the memorandum which I made at the time. I am
pretty confident, however, that the mercury had funk only to
twenty-feven.

» Hiftoire de rExpedltion de trols Vaiffeaux, &c. Hague, T739, p. 81.

^ See Ob/crvations Geograp/jiqui.y, p. 224.

' Philofoph^ a! Tranfadlions, Vol. LX. p. 112.

A But

{(

[ 123 J

But though congelation thus took place at five degrees below
the freezing point, it is proper that I fhould ftatc fome other
circumftances attending the experiment.

The fea- water which I ufed came from the North Foreland,
which is at the mouth of the Thames, and confequently, not
being the fame with that of the ocean, was more eafily frozen.

Befides this, the quantity was fo fmall as not to cover n thin
china bafon deeper than an inch, both which particulars contribute
greatly to the more fpeedy formation of ice : it need fcarcely be
mentioned alfo, that the liquid to be frozen was in a quiefcent
flate.

How much a confiderable degree of motion impedes congela-
tion, may be inferred from what may be obferved in every river;
for as high as the tide hath any force, I doubt much whether any
ice is fcarcely ever formed in the fair open channel, during our
moft intenfe frofts. I attended to the Thames, in this refpedt,
during the late feverity of the weather, and it feemed to me that
all the ice floated down from the upper parts of the river; but
packing afterwards between the lighters, cccafioned tlie formation
of very large mafles.

I have little doubt, from thefe circumftances, but that the open
fea, if it be frozen at all, muft require a much more intenfe cold
than twenty-feven ; allowing however any greater degree of cold
in the high latitudes, it feems deducible, from the experiments
of Dr. Higglns, that fea-water cannot be frozen into a folld
flate, if compared with that of ice formed from the water of
rivers; nor will luch ice when melted become palatable, unlefs
it hath been previoufly waftied in frefli water.

Hence it feems to be almoft dcmonftration, that the floating
ice met with by navigators, being both folid and fweet to the

R 2 taftc

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[ 124 ]

tafte after diffolution, cannot be produced from the water of the
ocean •".

I will venture alfo to infift, that if fuch ice was aftuaHy frozen
from the ocean, it muft very quickly be melted, becaufe, as it
muft confift of detached laminae intercepting the brine, the fea
would foon inlinuate itfelf between the interftices, fo as to
caufe its diflblution. If any ice, therefore, fhould be formed in
thofe parts of bays which are land-locked, have little or no
tide, and receive confiderable quantities of frefli water, when
fuch ice is wafted fairly out to fea, I fhould conceive Lhati
it raufl difappear m a very fhort time.

" The ice taken up by Captain Cook, during his circum-navigation
in high Southern Latitudes, was folid and tranfparent; being placed alio
on the deck for the falt-water to drain ofT, the ice became wholefome
and palatable water.

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[ 127 ]

ESSAY I.

i; ♦

WHETHER THE TURKEY WAS KNOWN
BEFORE THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA.

TH E earlier writers on ornithology, as Belon, Ray, and Wil-
loughby, had fuppofcd that the turkey was introduced into
Europe from Afia: M. de ButFon, however, (with other great
authorities) hath lately maintained, that we owe this bird to
America; and, as he hath more fully entered into the difcuflion
of this point than any other writer, I fhall principally confider
the reafons by which this mofl able naturalifl fupports what lie
hath coiitended for.

Having taken fome pains on this fubjedl, by examininj; moft
of tiic authorities which can afford any liglit, 1 fhall, without
hcfitation, fay, that I rather conceive this bird was never indige-
nous in the neighbourhood of Mexico' : thougli I do not mean
to affert this with any degree of pofitivenefs ; but I am tho-
roughly convinced, that, whether turklcs were found in America
by the firft difcoverers or not, the Europeans are chiefly In-
debted to Alia, and perhaps Africa, for this valuable addition to
our tables.

* As for Virginia, I admit turkies to have been found in a wild liite
on that coaft by the firft fjttkrs in 1584. H.:kluyf, ?r. Hi. •■). -j.
The vaft dift ice, however jv"tvvccn Virf,iiiia and Mexico is well '■:.\\o n\
and thcfe birds were called turkies in England thirty years bciorc the
difcovtry of Virginia.

M.de

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[ 128 ]

-M. dv iK.iiou'? priiicipnl argimi''iils in tin uvir ot tlic American
claim arc the following:

MernandLZ, who \moic the Natural llillorv of Mexico, hath
mentioned this bird under tlie name of llucxolotl.

Now it is much wifhcd that Hernandez had explained what
is t]ic meaning of this Mexican term, as T ftrongly fufpe6l it
iignifies 7i:c Nczv^ The Eq/lern bird, or of the like import, in-
timating that it was brought to Ameri';a by the Spaniards.

But I muft not difmifs this earlieft and principal authority
of M. Button's, without dwelling upon fome material circum-
llances, to the decilion of the point in conteft.

Hernandez's work was firfl printed at Rome in 1651 ; and
I cannot difcover at what time he compiled it but by the Dedi-
cation, in which it is flated that Philip II. had fent this phy*
fician to Mexico.

Now this King of Spain began his reign in 1555, and died in
1598; and if we therefore allow twenty-one years as the half of
his life, after Charles V. gave up his crown, it fcjms to be
a fair conje6lurc, that Hernandez took notice of this bird in the
neighbourhood of Mexico about the year 1576, when he Ipeaks
of it alfo as known to eiery one under the name of Gallus Indicti^,
which I hope foon to prove means the Eailern, and not the
Wcftcrn Indies.

This fame year alfo, of 1576, was but hfty-one years after
the conqucft of Mexico by Cortez; and if this bird was in that
time fo difjierfed over Europe, as to be known to every one, could
the iiatural hiftorian of this part of America liave omitted fo
material a circumflance in relation to the animals of the country
which he was defcribing.

As for Columbus's difcovery of the iflands in the Gulf of

Mexico, neither M. ButFon, or any other writer, hath ever pre-.

a tended

[ >^9 ]

tended that tinkles were found upon them; and, on the contrary.
Brown informs us, that in the prefent century, " they require a
*• good deal of care in Jamaicay and a moderate climate when
" young \" Du Tertre alfo obfcrves, though turkies in the
Leeward IJlands thrive well after they are of a certain lize, yet,
that if the leaft dew wets their heads they commonly dye, as
likewife from a vertigo, luppofcd to arife from the intenfe heat of
the fun in that climates

But as the citation from Hernandez is fo much relied upon
for turkies being indigenous in the neighbourhood of Mexico,
it muil be recoUedled that Cortex firfl vlfited that country in
1 5 19, did not take the capital till 1521, nor returned to Spain
till 1538'', which is the earlleft period ihat can be reafonably
affigned for the introduftion of this bird into Europe from
America, though no author (as it is believed) hath cvf r men-
tioned his bringing with him any live animals.

The Inference from this feems to be, that it is much more
probable turkies (hould have i)ccn carried with fowls, horles,
cows, and fhccp, to the Wert: Indies, than that they Ihould have
been brought from thence to Europe, as it is well known that a
regular fupply of wholcfome food muil: be one of the firft objecls
wlilch everx new fettlcnient mud attciul to.

]5ut 1 will now fuppole that Cortez, or anv of his followers,
h;ul introiluced the turkey into Spain In rlic year 1528; would
It not then have received the name of the Mexican bird, or
Mexican peacock', rather than that o^ piit^o, which was Its old

appellation,

'^ 1 fillory of Jamaica, p. 470.

' ililloirc dcs Antilles. T. II. p. 266. — Parlsj 1667. Quarto.

'' Roherrfon's Hillor\ of America.

« G.ige was lent to Mexico in 1625, and traverfed not only the
Wexie.m, buL adjuining t\rrirories; in his accoiniL of which journics, he
Uy.\x Miirs nienrions tmkics, 'oj^ethcr \\\x\\ foivis which are known to

S have

11

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appellation, though now it is more commonly called /^-yo, and
the peacock pavAi ^

Again, if turkics were fiifl: introduced from Mexico into Spain,
the other parts of Europe nuifl: have received them from the
fame quarter, whicli would alfo liavc termed it either the
Mexican or Spanifli bird at leaftj but there is no fynonym in
any language of Europe which bears the moft diftant allufion
to this circumftance, nor is there any tradition of fuch an intro-
du6lion. On the contrary, we have the authority of Cardinal
Perron s (a contemporary of Hernandez) that they were in his
time drove from Languedoc into Spain in large flocks, " Le
" coq d'hidc eft un oifeau qui apeuple merveilleufement ; de Lan-
" guedoc ils en mcncnt en Efpagne, comme des moutons''."

By this paflagc, we find that turkies, fo far from being
brought from Spain, were fent during the fixteenth century by
droves into that country, which is the ftrongeft proof (amongft
many others) that we, are indebted to Afia, and perhaps Afia
Minor, for this bird, becaufe the French have long had inter-
courfe and trade with tlie Turks, though the Spaniards never
have had any communication with them.

The next citation by which M. BufFon fupports his opinion,
is from Sperlingius's Zoologia Phyfica, in the following words :

have been introduced from Europe, and originally Afia. It is remark-
able alio, that he always meets with turkies and foivis near fome towns,
and not in the uninhabited tradts through which he pafled. Now if
turkies were wild in the Mexican cm;iu-e in 1576, when Hernandez may
be fuppofcd to have wrote, can it be conceived that they were entirely
confined fifty years afterwards to the cultivated parts of the country?
Sec Gage's New Survey of the Weft Indies, London, 1648, p. 23. 75.
105. 125.

* See the Royal D'.dionary of the Caftilian language, Madrid, 1726.

B Cardinal Perron died in 1620.

*> Pcrroniana, p. 67.

t(

ante

[ '3^ J

*' ante centum, ct quod cxciiirit, anno?, ilJata hxc avis (Ic. Gall.
*' Pavo) ex Nova India in Europam '." •

I really am not without my cloubt:i, vvhctlior by Kovn Tndid
Speiiinglus does not mean ibmc of the dlfcovcrljs or" the Portu-
guerc in th^ Eaft Indies; but, allowing him to Ipeak r,it!icr of
America, lot us examine this aflertion, for which he cites no
authority whatfoever.

Sperlingius's Zoologia Phyfica was printed at Lcipfic in i66r ;
and from the pretence to great accuracy in fpeaking of loi years
rather than a round loo, the turkey muft have been tlrft: brought
to Europe from Nova India during the year 1560; whereas four
young /«r/;/Vj '' (and confequently bred in England) were drefled
at a ferjeant's feaft in 1555 ', which, by the way, was but twenty-
feven years after Cortex's firft return to Spain.

But I fufpeel at Icaft, that I find a iVill earlier mention of
turkies in England, for capons of Greafc' (Greece probablv) made
part of an entertainment in the fixth year of Edward IV. A. D.
1467 '" ; it being highly probable that this bird was common to
two countries lying fo near to each other, as Greece and Afia
Minor.

Sperling, however, printing his work at Ix'lpllc, mud: b.> fup-
pofed to have beci. a native of Saxony ; and how are we to o:-
pee^ an accurate account of the introduftion of turkies into
Europe from an Inland part of that empire, which never bad
the leaft intcrcourfe with America r I Ihall alfo prove hereafter,
that fuppofing the paflage cited to relate to America, and not to

' , !) I

VA

5 P. 366.

^ They arc fo called, and undoulftedly, as Willougrhby obfcrves, b;>
caufe they were fuppofcd to have been introduced into England froai
that quarter.

1 Dugdalc's Orig. Jur. p. 135.

" LeUind's Itinerary, vol. VI. p. 5.

S 2 India,

■; sjF!

. s ^l

[ ^3^ ]

India, wc (hall find this writer to be contrndicled by the terms now
ufcd in Gtrmany when the turkey is i'poken of. I am confident,^
moreover, that this wliole treatile of Zo()h)gia Phyfica is luch a
publication, as M. Butfon would neitlier read nor cite tor any
other purpole; efpecially as Spcrlinir fuppoles the bird in queftiori
to be a monftrous production between the peacock and common
hen, botii of which were firft brought to Europe from Alia; as
;ilfo that there is frequently intercourle between turkies and ducks ".

Bulfon next endeavours to prove, that the turkey docs not
come from Alia but America, by travellers agreeing that few or
none are found over that vaft and lirft-mcntioned continent.

Before. I enter Into a dlfculiion of this lail argument, inlided
upon by fo ingenious and able an ornltliologld, I fhall premife, that
inoft of his authorities relate to the S. E. parts of Alia, and not
to Afia Minor, or Indoftan, from whence I rather luppole the
turkey was firfi brought into Europe.

In the next ])lace, tliough Tome of thefe travellers have pafli'd
through confidcrable trads of this quarter of the globe, it is no
more to be inferred, becaufe they did not obferve turkies in
tlielr route, that therefore they are not to be found in other
parts of Afia, than if an Aliatlc had made a comjilete tour of Great
Britain fifty years ago, wiriiout leclng (Tiiitiey-hens^ tliat the
E!^y:!lfli were therefore without that bird. I mention fifty vears
ago, becaufe duiney-hens lince that time have become much more
common in this country".

Thib

" Though I ilishelieve this, together with M. Ruffon, yet I have fre-
quently been informed that ducks, hatclud under a hen, prefer thcni
to ihe females of their own fpecies, or rather gjnus. Suppoling this to
be true, where birds do not ditier genericallv, as ducks and hens do,
perhaps the hatching the eggs of one fpeeies under that of another is the
moil likelv means to produce a mixed breed.

" As M. BuflTon's niort poficive authority for this negative fort of proof
is TuvCHiier, I ihall now endeavour to fhew that little is to be inferretl

froni

t m ]

This feems to be a general anfwer to all fuch negative au-
thorities, bccaufc the traveller certainly deferves little or no
credit, but in what relates to particulars Iccn or not fccn by
him, and in his own route.

Whenever any of thefe writers, however, happen to aflcrt,
that turkies are to be found in Alia, M, BulTon will not give tlicm
credit, as in the cafe of Du Haldc, whom he believes, when he
lays, that " ibe Chinefe have them not^ but from other countries f,'*
becaufe he fpeaks of what he had been an eye-wltnefs of. But
M. Bullbn pays no regan , to the fame authority, when he ftatcs
that thefe birds are very common in the Eaft Indies, becaufe Du
Halde is fuppofed to luve received this account from others.
Now I have always uuderftood, that Du Halde had never been
in China, or any other part of Afia, having compiled his hiftory
from materials colle(5led by others who had vifited that moll ex-
traordinary empire.

M. Buftbn having endeavoured to prove that no turkies have
been found in Alia, in order to fupport the exclufive claim of
America, hath banifhed this fort of poultry likewifc from Africa,
ali'frting, upon the authority of Bofman, that rhofe which they
})avc near Senegal were originally brought from Europe''.

n

: If

from the teftlmony of this traveller, who, indeed, does take upon hiru-
fclt to alfert, that there are no turkies in all A/iii, though he never wiis
but onee in any part of the Indies, viz. in 1649, wlu-n he failed fron\
Gombroon, in Perfia, to Suratte, Ceylon, and B.iiavia. Bui this is not
all, tor he hath refuted himlelt" by tht- publieation of his, broihfr'b ae-
counr of the kingdom of Tuncjuin, where there is a print repnllnting
the ceremony of a funeral in that part of Afia, and tlic animals wliich
are to be facrificed, amongft which there is a Turkey-cock. See the
third volume of Tavernier's Travels.

p BufTon's Orn. t. II. p. 150. Thefe ether conn trie.', however. nu)ft
probably refer to other parts of Afia.

1 Hii\. Nat. dcs Oif. i. II. p. 151. 158.

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Bofmaii's Vovap-e to x\fi'ica w.is lull print.d .it I^oiuloii la
17C5 ; and I concludo, that I'uch turklcs a^ lie liappcued to loc at
tiiat tinvj on the coall: of Giuncy nii;2,Ut nuu be hi a wild ilatc,
but lupplk'd from ILiiropc.

It Ihuiild Iccm, however, that above a century before this the
fame coail abounded with them: for in I'homasCandiih's Voyage
in 1588, he informs v.s, *'Thr': we found in t-iiis ifland (r/'s.
St. Helena) ^reat flore of Guiney cocks, whieli we call Inrkia'y

Thefe birds were therefore either indigenous in Sr. Helena,
" being found in great Jiorc '" oc muft have been brought earij'
in the lixtccnth century by the Portugucfc from the coaft of
Guiney', or the Eaft Indies, of both which they were the. firft
dilcovcrcrs, as well as of the ifland of St. Heleaia.

There is one circumftance, indeed, rather in fiivour of the
Eaft Indies, which is, that a turkey to this day is called in the
Portuguefe language pent, whilfl: it goes by the liune name in
many parts of India; nor can it be contended that the bird is thus
named from tiiat part of South America, becaufe the Portuguefe
had never any connexions with Peru. Befides which it never

' PTakluyt, Pt. II. p. 825.

'^ Four years hcibre this, "viz. in 15S4, Mr. Williiini Barrett touched
at this iiland, and found there only two Portuguefe hermits. Turkics
tl.orefore could have been fearcely introduced merely for their lulle-
nancc; end if ihc Portugueie had intended to make the fame ufe of the
llland that \vc do, they would have left there more ufeful members of
loc-iety. Hakluytj Pt. II. p. 280.

' So early as the year 1^55, and confequently long before the difcovcry
of any part of Ameiiea, a Venetian nami-d Alvifc da M Jlo, fpcaks thus
of birds, which he found on the coaft of Senegal: " There arealfo in this
" country fome large birds, which we call hens of Pharaoh, and which
*' come to us (fc. the Venetians) from tlie Lcviint." Ramufio, v. i. p. 104.
B. Venezia, 1588. I fhall afterwards take notice, that one of the
Turkilh fyuonyms for this bird is Mcfry, or of E^ypt,

hath

[ ^3S ]

hath been infiftcd upon by any one, that turkles were found
indigenous in that part of the globe.

But I have another authority to produce, that this bird abounded
during the feventeenth century in the great ifland of Madagafcar,
{o much nearer to the coaft of Alia than St. Helena.

De la Croix, who publilhed his General Hiftory of Africa
in 1688, informs us, that there are many turkies in the ivoods of
Madagafcar ", which therefore it (liould fccm nioft highly pro-
bable were indigenous, becaufe the Portuguefc were merely the
firH: difcoverers of that ifland ; and, though the French did
begi a fmall fettlement in 1640, yet it was foon abandoned*
De la Croix may be fuppofed to have received this account from
fome of tlicfe fettlcrs, who clearly fpeak of them as in a wild
ftate; whilft othcrwife it would have been highly natural to men-
tion, that thcfe birds had multiplied greatly hncc their firft l;i-
trodu^lion from Europe.

Let us now examine how this bird Is called in mofl: of the
European languages, as it muil afford fo ftrong a proof of the
country from whence it was firll: introduced, clpccially if moll:
of thcfe concurr in pointing to Afia, or Africa, for its origin,
whilft none bear the moft diftant allufion to America.

The Spanifli term is not Pavon dc las Itidias, as M. Buffon
ftatcs, but funply pavo, and formerly p^go. If moreover the name
were Pavon de las Indias, it would not lignify the Weft Indies,
as in all European languages the addition of JFijhrn is necef-
fary, and for the following reafon, befidcs the conftant ufage.

The country calLd India, during the earlier ccnturi--'^, com-
prehended only the territory of the Great Mogul (properly the
prefent Hlnd(^ftan) but when the Portuguefc had difcovered tlie

" " Rcaucoup des coqs d'hule dans Ics bois." Rclauon Univerfcilc
Afrique, torn. IV. p. 426. Lyon, 16S8.

two

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[ '3« ]

two great peniiifulas which lie to the South, thefe three immenfc
territories went by the name of the Indies for pre-eminence.
When America therefore is referred to, it muft be termed the
IP^eJ} Indies, to diftinguilh it from the Afiatic India, fo long in
poileffion of that appellation.

I fui'pe(fl, however, that the turkey was never termed Pavo de
las Indias, becaufe we (hall find that in moft of the European
tonffues it is ftiled Cock of India and not of the Indies.

O

In France, therefore, the name is Coq-d'Inde [not des Indes],
Indar, Paon d'Inde, Dindon ". In Italian, Gallina Indiana.

BufFon gives us the German namt; of Indianifcher hahn, or
the cock of India, but he omits the more common appellation of
Wcljcher hahn, or the cock from Italy; as ^{o Kalckutijcher hahn"i,
or the cock from Calcutta*. Nor is it at all extraordinary, that
this bird fliould pafs under different names in different parts of
the fame empire, as the turkey to this day is called in Scotland
Bubhle-Jack, for Snolty-Jack']^, from tlic caruncle which projects
and hangs down beyond the bill of the male bird.

The Portuguefe lynonym is peru, which I am informed is tlie
name for a turkey in the Eaff Indies, whilil: that of the Swedes
and Danes is kalkohn', in all which terms there is not the leaft
ajlufion to its firft coming from Mexico, or being difperfed from
Spain into the different parts of Europe and Afia. In the modern
(ifeek tiiis bird is called Tana.

* Cotgrave's Dldtionary.

y The moll common name in SikTia is nuer bcihi, wliich I am told
fignliics the i<:itd hen. In Bav;iria and the Palatinate, it is called "Tnttt
/jc./jn. Sec Sehoctfer's Ornithology. The Synonyms of Wclfcber and
liiihkutifihcr are to be found in Johnfton's Natural Hiilorj-, printed at
Anillerdam in 1657.

'' B;uboi"a vifued Bengal in 15 18, and Ipcaks of feeing there " Gallinc
*' grandiffime, e fmifurate," by which he poflibly means thefe Calcuita
turkies. Ramufio, Vol. I. G.'.llus decutnanm, queni Gcfnerus giillopavum
vociit. De-Brv, Hilt. Orient. Pt. 6.

S I fliall

I fhall now mention fome of the Afiatic names for a turkey,

I find by an Italian and Turkifh Diftionary, printed at Romct
in 1 64 1, that this bird is termed in that language Hifid Taughi^;
and in Arabic Deek Hindy^ both fignifying the cock of India i
in fome parts of Afia Minor alfo, I am informed that it is ftilcd
Mefry or Myfyr, fignifying the bird from Egypt.

It will fcarcely therefore be contended that the Turk ' (who
muft have had this bird in confidcrable numbers before 1 641 , fo that
it had obtained an Arabic as well as Turkifli name) by the term
Hindy mean theWefl: Indies ''j about which they were then, and
continue to be fo ignorant, efpecially as America in their lan-
guage is called 'ieni dunia'=; befides that fome of them conceive
the bird to have been introduced from Egypt by the term oi Mcfr\y-
or Myfyr, it having probably been brought from India to Suez,
and from thence to Cairo.

I fliall clofe the different fynonyms by our name of turkey^
which I have proved to have been ufed in England lb long ago
as the year 1555, becaufe the chickens or powts made part of
a ferjeant's feaft In that year.

Turkles had fo increafed In England within twenty-five year*
from this, that Caius in his account of our rarer animals (printed
in 1570) omits mention of them, though he Is very particular
in the defcrlptlon of a Guinea ben^ filling it Meleagrls. At the
latter end of the fame century they were driven by the carriers
from Kent to London, as they are now from Norfolk^'.

* If had therefore obtauied this name in Turkey, twenty years I)cfbrc
(aceorciing to Tavcrnier) it was fcarcely heard of in any parts of Afia.

^ Innd ox Htnd. Lcs Indcs OriciiLdcs, Herbclot.

' Or the New IForU, the Arabs uiing the faau term, though thev
fomctimcs fay alio Anicrih.

<* See Shakelpear's llenry IV. Pt. I. Bv a prockti-nation in 16:53, their
priee at diifeixnt growths is Icttled. R^ mt'r, V'oL V'lII. Pt. IV. p. 53.
Some horfcs left near IVieno^i Ayrcs, by the S|-)aii;irds. in thirty years
filled the country for twenty leagues round. Hakluyt, Pt. III. p. 7.

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But BuiTon himfelf fupplies us with a more decifive proof
ngainft the claim of America, by afllerting that turkles were firil
known In France during the reign of Francis the Ifl:, and iii
England during that of Henry tlie VlHth.

As for what he advances in relation to France, it ref^s upon?
a tradition which. I fliall have no reafon to controvert, as this
tradition does not lettie whence they were fo intioduced. Francis
the Ifl, however, dying in 1547, which was but nineteen years,
after Cortez's firft return to Spain, it is not very probable that
they (hould have come from America.

With regard to their being fufl known in England during
the reign of Henry the VIII. this depends upon the following
old verfe :

Turkies, carps, hops, pickar.,1, and beerCy
Came into England in one jeare.

Thefe old lines are certainly erroneous with regard to fome of
the particulars; but are generally agreed to have been made from
the tenth to the fifteenth j-ear of Henry the Eighth, or from
15 19 to 1524; the latefl of which is before Cortez's fitft return
to Spain, and confequently we mufl: have been fupplicd wltli
thefe birds from fome other quarter than that of Mexico. It is
to be obfervcd alfo, that they are thus early called Turkies.

I have indeed prefumed to fuggeft a ftill more early introdudion-
of turkies into England, under the name of Capons of Grea/e', nor
is it impoflible that Fitz Steven who wrote in the time of Henry
the IP. alludes to them under the term of Afra Avis, which feems
to have formed fome part of an entertainment, during the Thir-
teenth Century, nt a London Feaft.

Some alfo have relied much on their not being mentioned in
our oklcfb bills of fare; but it niufi; be rccolicded that we

have

rf /■!

t ^39 ]

liave very few of tlicfe till the Sixteenth Century ; as alfo,
that the phice where the i'cAi}: is given, and the time of year,
is very material. If at a diftance from London, thcfe dainties
could not be procured j whilil the autumn only produced the
chickens or powts, which were then only eaten by our anccftors,
as they had not difcovered that a grown turkey becomes only a
delicacy by having been kept for a fortnight or three weeks.

Having thus endeavoured to fhew that M. BufFon is not fup-
ported by any of his authorities in the turkey's not being known
till the difcovcry of America, it would be uncandid to fupprefs a
ftronger proof on his fide -of the queftion than any which he
hath produced, and which I happened to ftumble upon in my
rcfearches on this queftion.

Peter Gyllius, w4io was a native of France, and published a
tranflarion of ^Elian's Mifcellaneous Hiftory in 1535, together
with a few remarks of his own, hath defcribcd the turkey;
faying, that the living fpecimens had been brought ex Novo
Orbe.

Though, perhaps, there tn;iv be doubts whether this expreflion
alludes to America, or the Uiicoveries of the Portuguefe in Afia,
yet I will admit it to refer to the former, according to Gyl-
lius's meaning ; but ftlU I conceive he muft have been deceived
from the following circumftances.

Gyllius was born in 1490, and died in 1555, having travelled
for forty years of his life, and, amongft other parts of the world,
to Conftantinople, of which lie hath printed a defcrlptlon, toge-
ther with that of the Bofphorus Thracius. As he does not men-
tion where he faw thefe birds, it is not improbable that this
might have happened in Turkey; and can It be othcrwife fuppofed
that they could have been brought to any part of Europe (except
Spain), witiiin eight years from Cortex's firft return from

T 3 Mexico,

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[ 140 ]

Mexico, which happened in 1527, whilfl: Gyllius's work was
publilhed in 1533? It i''. highly probable alio, that this aflcr-
tion was made many years before it appeared in print.

There is another very decifive circumftance with regard to
his meaning either to refer to the Eaft Indies by Noviis
OHiSf or otherwife being miftaken in fuppofing that the birds
came from America, which is, that the cock is defcribed to be
of the dark colour obferved commonly in wild birds, whilft the
hen was white.

Now fnch a change of colour arifes from birds and ether
animals being long domefticatcd and pampered; nor can it pro-
bably be produced in fo Ihort a fpace of time as eight years,
allowing their importation from America as early a date as
poffible.

Whilft birds remain in a wild flate, the leafl: deviation from
the common plumage becomes a phienomenon, and is depofitcd
in the Mufcums of the curious ; but the conftant fupply of pala-
table food, together perhaps with a better protedion from the
inclemencies of the weather, produces daily varieties In all our
poultry, as it does in Canary birds %

I fhnll now urge another argument of fome prefumption
againft the Mexican claim. Wherever birds are found indige-

^ The darker colour in all wild birds, and which confcqucntly are not
protcttcd by man, is a moft providential circumftance againil their being
difcovcred by their numerous enemies. In birds of the gayeil plumage
tbrvefore, the young of both fexes do not aiRime their bright and gloliy
feathers, till the third year; nor docs the female at any age, who would
be otherwife feen whilll fitting. No eolour, however, points out a bird
fo much to it's purfuers as that of white; and Columella, for that rea-
fon, advifes againft the white breed of chickens, as being more cafily
fecn by hawks. De Re Rultica, 1. viii. c. a. As for the Ptarmigan, it
is an exception which proves the juftice of the general oblervation, bc-
caufe it becomes white only, when the ground is covered with fnow.

nous.

[ HI ]

nous, they are in the climate beft fuited to their wants, and
moft favourable to the increal'e of their fpecies. The mother
bird therefore moft affiduoufly exerts and attends to the great
duties of incubation, and rearing her young. Thcfe fame birds,
however, removed to other climates, often neglefl, or feem in-
ienfible of this moft providential impulfe, which 1 conceive to
arife from a fuppofition that their neftlings cannot be reared.

In our own latitudes we find this almoft conftantly with re-
gard to pea and Guiney hens, whilft, on the other hand, a duck
removed to a tropical climate will feldom hatch her eggs or reaf
her young.

A French gentleman, therefore, named Morifette, who for
fonie years hatched chickens in ovens near Lambeth Marfli,
gave me the following account :

The firft time he went to Batavia, he was at dinner with a
large company, when a man came in out of breath, to inform
them, that he had found a duck fitting upon her eggs, on which
every one but himfelf immediately left the room to fee this un-
common fight. After this Mr. Morifette having been employed
both by the Engllfh, Dutch, French, and Portuguefe, vifited
almoft every part of the Eaft Indies, where he found that ducks
would not fit for any time, and which is the occafion of the
Chinefe (who live fo much upon this bird) making ufe of ovens
for this purpofe, and contriving that the young ones fliall burft-
the egg, whilft the gleanings of the rice harveft float upon the
water ^

f I rather fufpeft, for the fame reafon, that hens do not fit clofc In
Egypt, though this moft ufcful of all poultry is admitted to breed well
in almoft every climate, and to be an exception to the general obferva-
tion which I have ventured to make.

To

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[ M2 ]

To apply this general obfcrvation to the inftance of the turkcj.

Mexico is not only fituatcd within the tropicks, but the con-
tinent in that part being narrow between the two feas, I ihoukl
fuppole that the climate muft be nearly the fame with that of
Jamaica, whore Brown informs us *' that turkies require a good
*' deal of care, and a moderate climate when young^", which feems
to imply ncgleil: commonly In the mother bird. On the other
hand, turkies are very attentive to their parental duties in all
the more moderate climates of Europe, whicli circumftance affords
• fome prcfumption that we derive this bird originally from the
Northern parts of Indoftan, which are not only out of the Tropic,
but being iiiland have often very confidcrablc degrees of cold.

i therefore conceive, that if Gyllius fpeaks of America by the
ferm of Novtis Orb.s, he was impofed upon by thofe who Ihewed
him thefe then extraordinary birds, as we know well how every
one's curiofity muft have been raifcd with regard to the pro-
duwtlons of that lately difcovercd quarter of the globe. To this
it may be added, that Belon, who writes exprefsly on birds
(and therefore deferves much more credit on the point in contro-
vcrfy) fo far from imagining that turkies came from America,
gives us his opinion, that they were known to the ancients. Now
Belon was a Frenchman as well as Gyllius, and only publKhed
his Ornithology in 1555, or twenty years after Gyllius' s work.

I have thus ftated, for the decifions of others, this new au-
thority on the fide of America, together with the circumftances
which may invalidate it : if, upon the whole, my arguments
ihould not be deemed irrefragable againfl the turkey's being
found indigenous in Mexico, yet 1 flatter myfelf tha^. I have
fully proved that this bird was not peculiar to i\mcrica, as
M. Bulfbn hath contended.

K Hiftory of Jamaica, p. 470. See alfo ante, p. 129, where there is
a c'.tation from Du Tertre to the fame import.

4 Having

[ '43 ]

Having thus endeavoured to prove that the turkey (whether
indigenous or not hi the ncighhourhood of Mexico) could not have
been firft introduced into Europe from that quarter of the glohe;
I (hall next confider another queftion of fome moment amongft
the ornithologies, whether it was the meleagrh of the ancici.ts.

Moft of the earlier writers on this part of Natural Hiftory
have rather fuppofed the meleagris to be the fame bird ; but
M. de BufFon contends that the meleagris was tlie Peintade or
Guiney hen.

I will not pretend to pronounce with any pofitivcnefs on this
point; but I muft own that I rather conceive, neither the one nor
the other were commonly known to the ancients, at lead to the
Romans, nor were perhaps ufed by them or the Greeks as
poultry.

My firfl reafon for this Is, that I do not conceive how thcfe
very ufeful birds, having been once Introduced into Italy, could
have been loft, as both turkies and Guiney hens were undoubtedly
for fo many centuries: whereas the peacock, by no means fo
neceflary as either of them, was continued from the time of tlie
Romans to the prefent century. It is agreed likewife that the
common hen was originally introduced from Afia.

But it may be faid, that this argument is not to hold
againft pofitive defcriptions of the bird, which I agree to; but let
us examine what thefe defcriptions are.

Ovid, in his Eighth Book of the Metamorphofes, transforms
the fifters of Meleager into thefe birds, in the following hues ;

natis in corpore pennis

Allevat, & longas per brachia porrigit alas,
Corneaque ora facit, verfafque per aera mittit..

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[ H4 ]

Now Ovid Is known to be very accurate in the dcfcription of
the animals into wlilch every one is changed''; and yet, of the
only three circumflanccs mentloivd in this defcription, tvyo of
them are not the Icaft; applicable to th" Guiney hen, for th\%
bird hath very Ihort wings, and confeq\K;ntly feldom takes any
flights. Even the third c'nxumih[ncc of cor*ieaque ora facit per-
haps implies nothing more than the change of the human mouth
into a bird's bill.

Varro fpcaks of the Mcleagris after mention of the Ga/Ihia
rujlicii^ which he fays was then rare at Rome, and fcarcely ever
fecn but in a cage. He then obferves that they are like the African
hens, afpeSiu ac facie incontaminatd ', which brings him to the
dcfcription of the Gall'ina AJricana ; Gallinae Africanae funt
grandes, varia?, gibberae quas ^sXsa/fiiS'aj appellant Gricci.

Now when the refemblance to fowls is mentioned, it certainly
cannot be faid of the Guiney hen, that they are comparatively
hirc^f, or grandes.

Columella thus alludes to the meleagris :

Afrlcana eft, (quam plerique Numidicam dicunt) NLleagrldi
llmilis, nifi quod rutilam galeam & criftam in capltc geric (juie
utraquc funt in Meleagrlde civrulea^." Now a Guinea hen l.ath
ncltlier creft nor comb ; and as for the horny nob on its head,
it is red and not blue. Columella by this paflage likewife only
fiys, that the African hen is /ike the meleagris, except as to the
colour of its creft and comb, and not that it Is the lame bird.

'' I lliouUl therefore wifh, that if an elegant edition of the Met:uiior-
phofcs fliould be printed, it might be beautified iMui illulbatcd by co-
loured engravings from fpcciniens in Sir Alhton Lever's moil eapiial
Miiteum.

' IX' Re Ruftica, 1. iii. c. 9. I mufl: own that I have no clear idea of
what Varro means bv ftric incuntaminatd.

'^ Columella de Re Ruilica, 1. viii. c. 2.

6 We

'■'■fl[^:f'i| I'l

[ '45 ]

As tlie African hen is here likewife fpoken of, and faid to have
been more commonly called the Numidian hen, it explains that
Martial cannot allude to the peintadc in the following lines. After
having llated that his friend Fauflinus's villa was a mere farm,
the poet enumerates his poultry :

** Vagatur omnis turba fordidae cortis ;

*' Argutus anfer, gemmeique pavoncs

** Nomenque debet quae rubentibus pennis,

** Et pi£la perdix, NuMidicaque guttatas,

** Et impiorum phafiana Colchorum,

** Rhodias fuperbi foeminas premunt galli."

Martial, L. iii. Ep. 58.
I cannot but rather think that Martial defcribes thcfe birds
from a pi£lure, than what were before his eyes in the farm-yard
(for fb I tranflate fordida corils) becaufe the Phaenicopterus, or
Flamingo, is plainly alluded io by

Nomenque dedit quae rubentibus pennis;
and though fome of the Roman Epicures were fond of the
flamingo's tongue, yet it cannot be well conceived that tJiey
were reared as poultry. But the moft material part is to de-
termine what the poet means by

Numidicaque guttata..

As I have juft now proved from the words of Columella,
that the African and Numidian hen were the fame bird, and
that it differed in mofl: material circumftances from the peintade^
I cannot underfland any thing more to be implied by this cx-
,preflion, than the common fowl from Numidia, fpotted in a
rather particular manner, as the penciled and partridge hens are
with us, the varieties being fo nwrnerous; but {lill with fome
care fuch a beautiful breed may be continued for a confiderable
time. In this fame poem, therefore, we find mention of the

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fowl from Rhodes, whllft Varro and Columella llkcwlfc recom-
mend the forts which came from Africa and Media.

Another clrcumflancc whicli inclines mc to think that our
Guiu-'y hens were little known to the ancients, is that neither
the moft difagrccable nolle, which they are perpetually making,
nor their mofl envious and quarrclfomc dlfpofitlon, arc noticed
by any ot the writers who may be fuppolcd to have alluded to them.

Pliny fpeaks twice of the Melcagris, which lie fays were not
foon introduced to the Roman tables, propter ingratum virus.
We know, however, of no difagreeable or polfonous tafte in
the Guiney hen at prefent, but, on the contrary, cftecm it to be
a bird of excellent flavour.

In his thirty-feventh Book, and fecond Chapter, tlie fame natura-
lift cites Ctefias for faying, that near a place called Sicyone in Africa,
and the river of Crathis,, which empties itfelf into the ocean, there
were birds called Meleagrides and Penelopes'; whilft a few lines
afterwards he referrs to Sophocles the Tragedian, for faying that
amber is made by the tears of the Meleagrides beyond India. There
feems, therefore, to be as little agreement amongft the ancient
Romans about the place thefe birds were brought from, as in
their defcription of them.

It appears from this great uncertainty In defcribing the Melea-
grls by the Roman writers, that, if known at all by them, it was
net confidered as poultry, becaufe, if that was the cafe, they
muil have continued in Italy till the fixteenth century, when
they were firfl introduced from Africa"", and as I fhould fuppofe
from the Coaft of Guiney, according to their Englifh name.
Nor can I hear that they are at prefent found in a wild flate

1 Ariftotle confiders the bh-d of this name, as a fca eagle. L. viii. c. 3.
'" Wc are informed likevvife by Margrave, that they were firft brought
to Brafil from the i'anje quarter,

6 wpon

■■4,X

t H7 ]

upon the Northern parts of that vafl: continent ". On the contrary,
Athcna;us mentions, that tliey were brought from Ethiopia, and
carried about in cages at a proceflion of Ptolemy Philadelphus",
Photius alio infoniis us, that Tome of them were to be found on an
ifland of the river Nile, and probably the upper j)art of that river ''.
I (hould for thefe rcafons rather I'uppofe, that when the Romans
fpcak of Volucrcs Libyciu or Numidieiu, they only refer to a
variety of the common fowl, the plumage of which might fome-
what refemblc that of the Guiney hen, as we now diftlngailh
them by the name of Bantam, &c.

-I am by no means fo clear that Guiney hens were not confi-
dered as poultry by the Greeks, though their having b :cu in-
troduced to Europe from the Coaft of Guiney makes me fufpeifl
that they were not, becaufe this delicacy could not have been
wanting for the tables of the emperors when they rcfuLd at
Conflantinople, and confequently the breed could not be entirely

" Dr. Shaw takes no notice of the peinindc amongfl the bird-; \n the
neighbourhood of Algiers, but on the coiurarv gives an cngr.ivinp; and
dcfcription of the Rhaad or S.if-faf, which anlWers almotl in cvcr\ ci'--
cumllance with Columella's aecount of tlic Mclcagris. The Rhaa , is of
the fize of a capon, and hath a tuft of blue feathers on its hcail ; h.iviiiir
no hind claw, it may properly be considered as a buftardj and there is
a fpecimcn of the leller fpccies of this bird in Sir Afliton Lever's Mufi. urn,
which Dr. Shaw obfervcs hath no tuft of blue feathers behind the head ;
it is alio elegantly mottled with brown and v/hite.

I had an opportunity of fhcwing Dr, S'law's engraving and deferiprlon
of the Rhaad, to a lady who had lived many years ar Tu i"-, ans! . l.ti
told me that Ihe believed it to be what was th-'re more co nmonly called
the Hen of Cn tbn^e, becaufe it wa-^ gencrallv brough' from i'mc-v '.ind
cfteemed a good bird for the table. Kiom thele cirmm'l: nee-; .: is ';oc
improbable that the Rhaad may b' the Mel.'igrii ot the Rr mans, their
intercourfe b ing ehielly wi'h the '•'cighbjuihood ol Carthage, after
tKeir con(|uell of that part of Afric.i.

The iame lady informed me that they had no Gii'ney hens ai Tunis
but what rune from Italy.

° Athen^us, L. IX. p V. 1366. Rho'comagi, 1653.

Jh

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[ 148 ]

loft ill that part of the world. We find alfoi by what hath be-
fore been mentioned from Athenaeus, that Ptolemy Pliiladelphus
was obliged to fend to Ethiopia for them, inflcad of Greece.

There is, however, fo particular a defcriptlon of the Guiney
hen in the 14th book of the fame writer, that there cannot be
the leaft doubt of this bird being referred to, and I fhall therefore
tranflate the whole paiiage:

*'^ Clytus of Miletus % a difclple of Ariftotle, mentions thefe
'* particulars about the meleagris. They are to be found near the
•' temple of Minerva in ^rus " ; and they are fo negligent of
** their young, that it is neceflary for the priefts to look after
" them. They are about the fize of a grown fowl, have a head
'* rather ^mailer than in proportion to their body, which is fmooth
** (or naked), and hath upon it a flefhy hard and round knob,.
*' whicli rifes above tile head like a fmall fl:ake% and- of the
*' colour of wood-. Near the cheeks lies a long piece of flefli
*' like a beard, which begins from the mouth, and is redder
*' than in hens; but it hath not the comb of the latter (or as
*' fome call it the heard), but appears to be mutilated in that part*

The beak is larger and (harper than that of a hen; the neck

i's blacker, thicker, and (horter; the wiiole body is variegated,
*' being black intermixed with white fpots larger *\\iw a wart "^
" which are furroundcd with fmall black circles or rhomboids,
" producing that variety of plumage by a mixture of white and
** black; the wing feathers are diftinguifhed by white and ferrated
** lines, which are parallel. They have no fpur on their legs like
*' cocks ; andthe female can fcarcely be diftinguiflied from the male."

This dcfcription upon the whole cannot be applied to any
other bird but the Guiney hen ; and yet it is very remarkable.

1 The town of Ionia fo called, not that of Calabria.

' Some place near Miletus probably.

' Hoi-floC^iv, ' "SivKoiilig. It is, however, of a red colour, ^ <i?oo{MVt

that

Li

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[ H9 ]

that the comparifon is made tliroughout with tlie common hen,
rather than the partridge or the pheafant"; as allb, that neitlier
Clytus, nor the deipnofophijl himl'elf, takes notice tliat the bird is
good for the table.

I (hould therefore conceive that even amonolt tivc Greeks,
thnv:gh the bird had been feon by them, yet t!iat it was very
rare, and not I'uppoled to be a pah\table food. It confequently
fared the fite of other uncommon animals, which are not con-
lidered as ufeful, and was loon loft.

It requires a conlldcrable time to remove our early ideas with
regard to animals being improper for the table. In many parts
of Ireland they will not eat landrails ; and tlie Highlanders af
Scotland rcje£l both eek and pike.

P. S. After the preceding part of this eftay was printed, I have
happened to meet with authorities, which, perhaps, add fome
confirmation to what I have before contended.

Liebaut publiflied the firft edition of his Maifon Ruillquc in
1582, and hath a particular chapter upon turkies, undir the
name of Poules d'Inde, agalnft the rearing of which he advlles
ivhether they were brought from the ijlands oj' India lately dij'covcred
by the Spaniards or Portuguefe, bccaufe they are more chargeable
than a mule.

It appears by this paflTage, that in 1582, and perhaps fome
years before the actual publication of this work, there were doubts
whether turkies had been Introduced by the Portiigucfc or the
Spaniards, and as it ihould feem, whether from the Phillppuus,
or any of the //lands firft known to the Portugucfe In the Eafl
Indies, for the expreffioii is India;- ami as to America, the firft
fettlements of the lame nation were upon the continent of Braiil.

^ The pciiitade likowilc bath no Ipur, and tlicrcforc differs in ih:it
very elfential particular I'rom the conuiion cock,

I/icbaut

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Llebaut was a Do£lor of Phyfic, and no work hath gone
through more editions, or been tranflated into more languages ;
the authority therefore, as to this doubt, is more confulerable,
than if taken from moft modern publications upon the fubjedt
of rural oeconomy. It is to be remarked alio, that he makes no
mention of the Guiney hen, which proves that bird to have been
as fcarce in France at that time, as I have fuppofed it to be in
England.

"I (hall take tliis fame opportunity of dating from Camoens
what affords feme degree of confirmation with rcgarJ to turkies
being found on the Southern coaft of Africa, at the beginning
of the fixtcenth century, by his mentioning tliat the women of
the Cape brought to the Portuguefe botli /jOcS anJ lhcep>'.

Camoens was born in 151 7; and as he went hinifeif a voyage
to the Eaft Indies, and made Vafco da Gama's expedition the
fubjetSt of an Epic Poem, it is highly probable rp.at hr had re-
ceived the account of this interview from fome of ihofe who
had failed on that famous cnterprize.

But it may be afked, why thcfe galinhas (or hens) mentioned
by the Poet, are conceived to be turkies ? to which I anfwer,
tliat all the Naturalifts have agreed that the common cock came
oripinally from Afia; and there having been no intercourfe be-
tween that vaft continent and the Southern promontory of Africa
before the time of Valco da Gama, it atturds a prefumption that
the birds alluded to are turkies, and not hens'.

y Eftcs, como na vifta prazcntcyros
Foflem, humanamcnte nos trataraon,
Truzcndonos, gaimhasy & carncyros.

Lufiadas, Canto V. St. 64.

* They could not likewifc be pc'mtadcs, bccaufc none of the early
travellers mention thofe birdij being wild in the neighbourhood of the
dCape of Good Hope.

I have

m

mm

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[ 'S' ]

I have in the outfet of this Effay admitted, that turkies were
Tv^und in a wild flate upon the coaft of Virginia at the latter end
of the fixteenth century ; and though I have conceived from many
proofs that they were not indigenous in the neighbourhood of
Mexico, I do not pretend to aflert this with the pofitivcnefs ufcd
by Mr. de BufFon, in relation to their being unknown in Europe
till the difcovery of America, the contrary of which I hope to
have fully evinced. If M. de BufFon had not thus excluded
Afia and Africa, the controrerfy would have turned out, as if
the point to be difcuffed was, whether tobacco and potatoes were
not peculiar to the New World. Now it is certain that both
thefe plants are of American growth, but not exclufively fo, for
in 1584, Cavendifli received potatoes from the inhabitants of
Capul, which is an ifland not far from Manilla " ; and in 161 6,
Schouten was fupplied with tobacco from the coaft of New
Guiney^

» See Calander's Coiledtion of Voyages, Vol. I. p. 4 eg,
" Ibid. Vol. U.

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A Y II.

SI

O N T H E R E I N-D E E R.

IT hath been a generally received opinion, that the rein-
deer ' will not live for any time fouth of Lapland, or that
part of North America which, though of a more fouthern lati-
tude, equals Lapland in the rigour of its climate.

Queen Chriftina of Sweden had procured five and twenty of
thefe quadrupeds, wiiich fhe propofed to fend to Oliver Crom-
well, and which might long fince have proved the contrary, had
they reached this country.

Whitelock was then ambaflador from England at that court,

and endeavoured to prevail upon four Laplanders, who brought

the reins as fiir as Stockholm, to attend them to England,

which they refufed to do, but fald they would take care of

them during the winter. The Laplanders, however, were very

negligent in their charge, for foon afterwards fifteen were killed

by the wolves, and the remaining ten did not long furvive, the

climate of Stockholm being confidered as too warm ^

BufFon,

^ Rcnnthicr (which is ufually pronounced rein-deer) fignifies an animal
formed for running, from the Teutonic word rennen to run. Bufching's
Geography, Vol. I. p. 345.

^ Sec the Journal of Whitelock's Swcdifli embaffy. Vol. I. p. 442.

I fliall here flatc feme other inftances, however, of reins being brought
to more fouthern countries, where they feem to have lived a confiderable
time.

Sir

[

153

]

; ti.'injvrnturc
T pii't o\- the
lis qvrulri'p.cl

Buffbn (wlio is one of the latefl naturalifis that hath clcff^ribcd
the Rein-deer) mentions, that three or four w ^ not lonp; ii;icc
carried to Dantzic, where they foon died, as
of the air was too mild for them'"; and in an.
fame article, he regrets the impofiibility of feein
alive in France, on which account he only engrav 3 the lk"lt.,ton,
having procured a drawing from a fpecimen in the Muijam of
the Royal Society. Pontoppidan alfo fays, that it will alwuvs be
a vain attempt to naturalize this animal in other countries, as no
nourifhment can be found ".ny where elfe which will keep
them alive, fo that they have all perilhed''.

Notwithftanding, however, this mofl prevailing opinion, it is
contradided, by the fa£l of a buck Rein-deer having lived near
three years at Homerton (not far fn^m Hackney), in the clofe
ofMr. Hcyde, a merchant, and which died only in 1773, very
fuddenly, having been the preceding day in perfect health. He
was fent to England from Norway v*'ith a doe, which did not

Sh- Hicroin Bowes, who was amb^flador frnin Queen Elizabeth to the
court of Ruffia, brought over with him certaui faltoiu deer, which being
yoked together drew a man fitting in a fled, which deer I luppole mull-
have been reins. Camden's Annals, A. D. 1584.

Gefncr, indeed, informs us, that the king of SA'cdcn (though fo near
to Lapland) caufcd ten of thcfe deer to be driven con'fantly upon the
highcll: mountains, in the neighbourhood of the place whore they were
kept, becaufe they could not endure the heat of that part of Sweden.
The fame author, however, mentions, that a rein was prefcnted to \.\\z
duke of Saxony in 1561. Scheifer likewife, who was never in I.aplanJ,
and printed his work at Strasburgh, gives us the figure of a rein-deer
which he himfelf had feen. After thefe inftances, and that mentioned
above, I may boldly pronounce the notion, that this fpccies of deer will
not live to the fouthward of Lapland, ro be a vulgar error.

' Buffbn, Tom. XIL p. 98, citing Ivegnard.

•" Pt. n. p. 210.

: m

Mi

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[ >54 ]

live more than a year; and Mr. Heyde liath this autumn [1773]
received a male and female, which were in November laft very
healthy. Lcemius obferves, that in Finmark they are fubjed to
tlie cpilcpfy \

Every written voyage to tlie higlier northern latitudes makes
mention of this very ufeful quadruped, whilft Schefter, Buftbn,
Hoffberg, and Lecmius, have given us its natural hiftory.

Leemius is the laft of thefe, who publifhed at Copenha-
gen his account of Finmark Lapland in 1767, and refided in
that country more than ten years ; he is therefore more to be
depended upon than aiiy of the others, who it is believed
never law the animal alive ; at leaft the upper antlers, as engraved
by Hofn)erg, more refemble thofe of the Elk than of the rein-
deer. There is, however, a very good reprefentation of the rein-
deer in Pennant's Synopfis of Quadrupeds.

As Leemius's work, hath fcarcely found its way yet into the
more fouthern parts of Europe, I fhall make fome extrads from
it, with regard to this animal, with which he had fo frequent
opportunities of being thoroughly acquainted.

It is agreed by all naturalifts to be peculiar to the female Rein-
deer, that thty fliould have horns as well as the male : Ltemius
however remarks, that this is not always the fa<fV, fome having
none at all, as likewil'c that they lofe them entirely after par-
turition *".

The projecting brow antler alfo is not obferved in any other
fpccies of deer, the ufe of which 1 (hould conceive to be a proper
defence againft that arch enemy the wolf; andLeemius accordingly

♦ See alfo Amocn. Acad. Vol. IV. p. 144.

^ V. 142.- Schtlier cites Olaus lor the rein's, having a third horn in
the nutoli ol- their heads, and confirms this on his own authority. Sec
p. 324. c. 28; as alio for their attaining their full fi/e in the fourth
vear.

mentions

ft

f' m

[ >55 ]

mentions an Inftance of one Rein having drove away two of
thefe maroders. When the reins, however, ufc their aaclers
againfl their own fpecies in the rutting time, the horns are
frequently fo entangled, that they cannot be feparated but by
the affiftance of the Rein herd*.

If it be alked why every fpecies of deer hatli not the fame
prote6tion? the anfwer feems to be, that the fwiftnefs of the
other kinds enables them to efcnpe their purfuer.

Though the northern naturalifts fpeak of the expedition alfo,
with wliich the Rein-dccr will draw the traineau ; yet 1 beg
leave to fay, from having fcen three of thefe animals, that they
are rather of a make calculated for the collar, than for extra-
ordinary fwiftnefs; and I have little doubt but that they are the
flowed of their whole genus '', except the Elk, whofe antlers are
alfo of a moll: peculiar form, as well as flrength.

I fliould conceive likewife, tluit the Elk makes ufe of thefe ex-
traordinary horns to remove the thick underwood and briars in
which this quadruped lives, not being fo fleet as the reft of
its genus are : the antlers therefore are exceliively wide, as well
ns (hallow, and the fagged terminations feem not improper to per-
form the office of a law.

I know well that fome natural ifts, not being able to fuid out
the ufe of particular parts in feveral animals, have rather ridi-
culed the attempt to difcover for what purpole they are dc-
ligned : I am perfuadcd, however, that this arifes from igno-
rance of the habits of the animal (which is the interefling part
of Natural Hiiliory) ; nor is It Icfb true, bec;v.ifc it hath been often
advanced, tbat tuiture does nothing in I'ain.

E Leeinlus, c. 9.

'' Ourlner oblVrves, thnt they rnovc but very flowly except the track
is very even. Voyage an Nord, p. 14^.

X 2 Buffon

" .1; \r

II

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■i%

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[ '56 ]

Buflbii makes but one article of the Rein and Elk ; he alfo
ohrervcs, that wlicn the latitude beguis to be too warm for the
former, the Elks are tirft to be difcovered. North America
furnilhcs, however, an exception to this obfervation, becaufe
Reins are found in Newfoundland, 50' N. lat. and the Hudlbn's-
bay Company have a noble fpecimcn of Elk's horns in their
hall, which was lint them from their forts, fome of which are
nine degrees to the northward; at the fame time that the fitu-
ation vi fo much more Inland, and confequently from that circum-
ftance alio the temperature more cold than might be expelled,
merely from tlie fort's being nine degrees nearer to the Pole. On
tlie otlicr hand Ifirand IJes met with a great many Reins not
far from Nczzinlkol, which is only In N. lat. 50. at no great
diftance from the Eaftern Ocean.

I lliall now mention two or three particulars from Ixemius,
vvi;h regard to the Rein, which have not been noticed by other
naturalilb.

Tliey are extravagantly fond of human urine, and lick up the
fnow with the greateft avidity when tlie upper part hath been
llained by it ; poliibly, however, the opening the way to their
favourite lichen may be in part the occafion of their immediately
Ending out fuch fpots.

We have the lame authority for their killing a vaft number
of mice, which are c 'lied in the Lapland language Godde Sacpatv,
and LcDuencv in the Norwegian. As their make, however, is
not deferihed, and as I can find no names wliich bear the leaft
affinity in the Fauna Suecica, it is impoiiible to fettle the fpecies.
Polfibly alfo the Reins only ufe this food when they can pro-
cure no other ; it is for the fame realon that the Lapland gulls are
faid like wife to feed on mite, and ti^e crows to tear the linen which
4 is

k£j.'^'vv

ii_.(i

[

]

rs hung to dry. Lecmliis, in other parts of his work, men-
tions, that they devour the heads of thcfe mice only, with the
greateft avidity; whieh alfo ujay arifc from want of other food,
as it is beHeved that no other quadrupi d (which chews the cud)
deftroys animals for the jmrpofe of I'uftenance.

All defcrihers of the Rein have taken notice of the cracking
nolle which they make when they move their legs, which
Hotfberg attributes to the animals feparating and afterwards
bringing- together tho dlvifions of their hoof; but he does not
all^gn the caufe of the Reins fo doing, which I conceive to
be the fol lowing;''.

The Rein inhabits a country wdfieh is covered with fnow foi
great part of the year; the hoof tjierefore of this quadruped is
moil adii.Uably adapted to the furface which it is moft com-
monly to tread.

Tlic under prrt is entirely covered with hair, in tlie fame man-
ner thar the cl;i\v c-t the Ftarmigaw is witli feathery brilHes,
whii '^ is almolt ti^e only bird that can endure the rigour of tlie
fame .limit .

Tin. hoot, however, is no*" only tints protefted ; the fime
nccv'ilicy which oblig s tie Laplanders to ufe fnow fhoes makes
tiiL extraordinary width of the Rein's hoof to be equally conve-
nient iri palling o\cr liiOM', as it preventa their fmklng too deep,
whlcii t'.iev would be funjecl to eternall} , did the weiglit of their
body reft only o.i a unnll point.

^ !\! Eeffon fuppofes that the Elk makes the faiiic fiiaj-'ping nolle
wirli ;;;e Rem, .vhieh, if tiue, fecins to ari'l' from its liavin;.-; the tame
occ. fion to tKivc !c b.rec ti els of fnow. I c\ i; onl .■ fav that I law a live
I'.ik about rcii years asJO, v.vich belonged to LordRoekingham, and that,
tl.o'igh I p'.i" this a kwarci (iuadrujKtl in irotion, I did nor licar any iV.eh
no'Mc. Sir Jcio;: Bowes, who was ambali'ador frorri Q^ieen ]'!,li/.aln'i-li
to the k^- k'. (! f...,ko\\, breught with him from thence an i'-lk.
Caujbdcn's Annalb, 15B3.

This

-.i<

' ■ k,

ll

Ml

if «i<

[ '58 ]

Till,-- quac^riipcd hath tlieiefore an lnftln£l to iifc a hoof of fucli
a toini ii n Aill more .ulvamageons manner, by fjiar.itiiig it
when the loot is to touch the ground, i'o as to cover a Lirgr-r
farfacc of Inow. The inftant, however, tlie leg of the animal
is railed, th.c width of the foot becomes inconvenient, cfpeciaily
when it i? going againil the wind; the hoof, therefore, is then
immediately contra<flcd, and the collilion of the parts occafions
the lna]^plng, whicli is licard upon every motion of the Rein.

Another rcafon, poflibly, for this noifc, may arifc from Lap-
land's being not only covered with fnow great part of the year,
but alfo for fome time under a perpetual night; the Rein is a
gregarious animal, and often obliged to go a great way for fuf-
tenance, probably therefore the cracking which they perpetually
make, may ferve to keep them together when the w':ather is
remarkably dark. Bells roiuid (heep are known to be very con-
venient for the fime purpofc, when they graze upon a wide
extended down.

Lecmius mentions another very lingular circumftancc with
regard to the Lapland wolves; which is, that, when they have
killed the Rein, they always place the carcafe with the head
towards the Eaft, and that the fkeletons are conftantly found
in fuch pofition. This fa£l, indeed, is fo extraordinary, that it
Ihould not be too lightly credited ; animals, however, have un-
doubtedly their reafon for chooling or declining certain afpefls:
the marthi, for example, fcldom builds its nefl againfl the
fouth.

Though I have ftated fo many particulars from this writer, not
only becaufe he is the lateft Naturalifl: who hath defcribed
the Rein, but becaufe he refided ten years in Finmark ; yet I
cannot but take notice of one paflage in his work, in which I
conceive he muft be entirely miftaken.

Leemius

Ji-j.\\

m

[ 159 J

Leemius affirms, In his ninth chapter, that the Reins lofe
their horns in the Tpring, which is not only contra'.H£lecl by what
Hoffberg and ButTon have advanced, but by tiie fa^V, for Mr.
Heyde's buck dropt his horns for two fuccefhve \\ inters, but
rcfiimcd ih m in the Jpring. In one of thcfc years tliey con-
tinued to be no more than (lumps till tlic 30th of January,
when they bc^an to fhoot; on the i.\t\\ of February they were
five or fix inches high, covered with a deep pile of velvet.

At the fame time Leemius not only aflLits this to haj)pen other-
wife, but the engravings wnich accompany his work reprefent
the deer amongfi: Inow with their horr.s on'.

In juftice to Leemius, however, I Ihould add"", that though
Hoffberg and Buffon tike notice that the Rein lofes his iiorns at
the approach of winter", yet other naturnlirts have luppofed
that tliey were of ufe in removing the fnow which covers the
lichen they are faid to be fo fond of, and which is utterly in-
cenfiftcnt with this quadruped being deprived of them durii^.g
the winter. Leemius indeed exprel'sly informs us, that they
procure the Hchen by means of their feet ^

' Moft of the Roip.s, however, which draw flids, have bc.-n gclr; and
it is o!)lirvablc that oiii *.»,iovv deer, which u;';i!eit^o rlu; luiir operation
for the fake of h .vn- venilu.i, never lofe their bonis after .saiJs.

■" Leemius is alio fupported by LcBrun in this particuhir. Sec his
Travels, Vol. I. p. 11.

" Yet in another part of the fitme difTcrtation, Holl'berg mentions,
that the Reins are fallcned ro the lied in the winter b\- their horns.
S''(' A -.1. Acad. p. i6y. V(^l. IV.

" P. 141. I)e la fJotrayc takes notice of the fame circvur.ftance; and
thu their I'oo.s are foimed like mufele fhclls fet on their etige. and con-
ftqiicntly vcrv convenient for fcooping away the ihow wh'cli covers the
]•' hen, called by the S'a'eeds Si.tnmnjjj, and h\; the J-apl.,n<!ers I'ck /'.
Rems are alfo fond of another mofs which hangs down from 'he l)rine'ies
ot pin^^s [i:i SA'ccdifli Laa, an 1 in the Lap language lyOpp.VJ 'v'lch the/
ill keori"'vii.'i their antlers. W'lih regard to the fi' tlcircunili.nce, IlinLltl-.-t
Iviotrnyc is confirmed by the f;!ecime!i ot a lein's leg in Sir Alliton J,e-
ver's Mufeum, 's the hoofs au" or the form (iefcnbi.(l, ant! at le.at two
inches and a half hir^h, very thin, and tapering in the tonn of a Icoop.

As

i

'Iff!

■-1 i

I'.'

;:.«i7=

Ac 1 have very fivqiiciuly v;!;tccl Mr. Hoydc's Rein, I fhall
iinu' nifiition lomc tew paiticvil irs 1 hrippciicil to olifcrvu niylMf
with rc'^;nnl to thi.'. quailnipcd, whicli i^ i'o kKloni to he Iccn to
tlu' ioutInv;ii-(.l or the B.iltir.

This aiiinial was ke])t it) a clAc of ahrnit ati acre, tlie graf^
of which was rieh; ami ' j Ci)i!iiiiiitly k\l u\yy\ it during the
whole year!", thougli he \v:is much IoikI-t of t!)^ lichen, whicli
was font o\cr ironi Norway : hy holding a lutlj ci' it in my
h.and, I could at any time hring him to me. No animal, liuleeil,
could he hjtter humoured, as he would even |iermit his antlers
to he handled when the hlood vcllMs were moll turgid. lie
likewife permitted mc to meafure ills height, which was three
feet two Inches and a half, hcing la his fixth year, and of full
growth. Now Leemlus ohferves, th;,t the doe is not fo large as
the buck ; and I h.ivc meafured tlie fpeclmen of a Doe-rein,
lately fent to the Royal Society from Hudfon's-hay, which is
about three feet in height. I ftate this comparlfon, becaufe it
makes me doubt with regard to the jurtnels of an obfervatlon
of M. de Buribn, who in his article (Rein-deer) fuppofes that all
American animal.^ are lefs than the lame fpeclcs In other parts of
the globe. Mr. Pennant alfo takes nol' '-, that the American
Klk is larger than the European i.

1 once law this Rein In Mr. Heyde's garden, where there
was a conikleralilc variety of flowering flirubs and foreft-trees,
all of which he browzed upon except the elder; he alfo drank a
great deal of water out of a pond.

1 have therefore little doubt but tiiat this quadruped will live
without the Lapland lichen'', to which It only hath, perhaps,

P I le was fond alfo of bread and oats.
'1 Synopl". Q_i.iad. p. 42.

"■ roncopi)ulan lays, the Rein is very fond of birch catkins, Pr. II.
p. 10.

rccourle.

•r

recourfo, bccaufc there is in thofc latitudes no other luftcuanct
during the winter.

I have, indeed, procured fome of this Uthcn, whirh I have
tailed, and conceive from thence it may be a nourilhinji, loi:J
eltlicr to man or bcafl:; it is, liowcvcr, by no means peculiar t9
Lapland, as we have much of the Himc on our own heaths. la
one relpcift, indeed, the Rein fares better in Eiighuul tiran in
Laphmd, as HofFbcrg and all other naturalifts fpcak. much of its
fuffering from an infe<^, which they term the Ocftrus Tarandi '.
We have, perhaps, the fame gad-fly in England, but they are
not fo numerous, and Mr. Hcyde's Rein did not feem to feel
much inconvenience from this perfecutioii '.

Lc Brun obferves ", that the Rein carries his head fo high, that
tJic horns touch the back; and it is not therefore improbable that
thefe antlers may be given them as a means of removing thcfe
very troublefome infedls.

The fame traveller takes notice, that the chiefs of the Samoieds
have fomctimes fix or elffht of them to draw their traineaus, and
that they never fweat, notwithftanding their being often much
prefled, but pant with their tongues out, juft as grey-hounds do
after a fevere courfe.

Lcemlus alfo informs us, that after being hard driven they
lofe their fight frequently for three or four days".

I have before obferved, that Mr. Heyde's buck rein was very
good humoured ; poffibly, however. If he had been harnefl'cd, I
Ihould not have found him fo tractable, for on account of its

' Thcfe infedts pierce the fkin of the Rein in fuch a manner, that the
Laplanders would have no hopes of felling it, if the)- did not fill up the
holes in order to defraud the purchafer. Leemlus, p. 68.

' That moft able entomologift, Mr. Hudfon, F. R. S. informs me,
that he hath feen the Ocjlrus TaranM in England.

" Vol. III. p. 25.

' P. 52.

Y greater

V /

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in'

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im

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i--;.

^-m

Yn

[ '62 ]

irreater docility, a gelt Rein bears a much better price in Lapland,
and another caufe for the advanced value is, that the operation
being performed but aukwardly, the owners frequently lofe
them : for the fame reafon the poorer Laplanders only harnefs
the doey.

y Leemius, p. 151.

ESSAY

f '«3 ]

ESSAY II.

m
pi

' i:r

ON THE BAT, OR R E R E-M O U S E.

TH E Bat is Co difagrceable an animal, that we are gene-
rally defirous of avoiding it rather than examini ig into
its habits; the confcqucnce of which avcrfion is, that \vc are
more ignorant with regard to its natural hiftory, tlian perhaps
of any other animal of the fame Uzo.

Hideous as it may appear to our eyes, yet, if we are to l:)elievc
Johnfon ^ (who is a writer of merit), there is a perpetual alliance
between them and pigeons, inlomuch, tliat if the head of a Bjt
Is fixed upon the top of a pigeon-houfe, the pigeons will never
leave it. 1 profefs, however, that I cannot hear this animal hath
any other friend or ally, and thev muffc natiu-ally be dreaded
by moths or otlier infects of the night'', as much as hawks are
the terror of our fmaller birds; nature is one perpetual fcene of
warfare, for the lake of food, and Bats again become the prey of
owls.

A friend of mine kept one for ton days, and was mucli
amufed with its manner of taking flies on which it chiefly lived' ;

' Nat. Hift. 1657, *^''*'- Aniftcrdam.

^ Or to Ipcak more accurately ol" the evening and morning twilights,
as Bats arc reUiom lecn ar midnight. I'j.us, however, are alio fond ol'
bacon, and peiha[is other meats: in the Ealt Indies likewile fome ipocies
devour both fruits and K ayes of the trees. Linfchotcn's Voyages. Others
prey on fifli.

' Gcfner fays, that R.if; '.\ill live many days wit-hout any lliftenance.

Y 2 T.innicu",

*i

.¥

t ■ H

f

m

^<^tfe.

[ '64 ]

iW.

Llnnxus hiith claired It with his primates, at the head of which
ftasids Man: a more natural arrangement, perhaps, might have
exalted this animal to the orcAr of an^cls^ as they are depl£led
with wings as well as teats.

I never met with any one who had tailed a Bat; and, indeed,
witli us they are fo diminutive, that the morfel fhould be as
delicate as it is fmall. la the ifland of Mauritius, however,^
where tliey are very large % the feamen confider them as dainties.
*' They are innumerable, and fome as large as gofhawks, and
*' the feamen cafe them as rabbits; they hang in Iwarms on the
*' boughs of the trees, by claws fixed at the extreme part of their
*' wings, and their monkey faces turned downwards ''." h\ the
time of falconry they v/ere given to hawks as a remedy for the
falling-ficknefs.

From its likcncfs to a moufe, the fynonym is formed in
many languages, the French terming \t chauve-foiirh and rat-
pejinaJc. The Dutch, Vleermuys. The Germans, Fleder-maufch.
The Danes, Flaggermuus. The Swedes, Flau:r-mu3. The Spa-
niards, /i/«r-cIelago. As for cur modern name of Bn', I do not
know wlicnce \\c ^pply '^^ to this animal, but it was anciently
called rcrcmoufe, from the Anglo-Saxon hpepcmup Our blafo-
ners alfo ufe this word. In the Greek and Latin, however,
the name is taken from its appearing only during the night
rj«.7;f/f & vclpertlllo.

•' Seroquc trahunt a vcfpere nomen." Ovid.

Dliierent Ipecie^;, or varieties of Bats, are found in moft quarters
both of the Old and New World; but io': an enumeration of thefe

^ A rpccimcn from that iflniKi may b? fecn in Sir Afhton Lever's moll
capital Mukmm. 'Circher, in hi"^ China Il!"ilrata, gives us an engravinj.^
of a Bat of Intloll , whofc head exaClly rcfcmbics in lize and figure that
of a cat, and is therefore called the VlyingCat.

' Herbert's Travels, p. 360. — Le chauvc-fouris eft fort au r'"' dcs
Indlens, ils font fort grandcs ?c font beaucoup tic dcgat uux fruits
& aux arbrc?. Linfchotcn, p. 124.

I fliall

[ ><5 ]

I ihall refer to Mr. Pennant's moft excellent Synopfis ofQuadriipeds,
and after obfcrving, that fome of thofe in America are fuppofed
to fuck the blood of perfons afleep, I fhall confine mylelf to
thofe of our own ifland*".

That moft able naturalift Mr. Ray takes notice of but one
fpcclcs, tiiough Mr. F inant conceives that we have four^.
Nothing can exceed both the diligence and accuracy of Ray, but
the common averfion to thefe animals feems to have prevented both
him and others from either catching or examining many fpecies.

Having but two teats, it is fuppofed that they never produce
more than two young ones, which, according to Pliny '', they fly
about witli on their Ij.ck.

If this is true at all, I fhould fnppofe that it only takes place
when the young are to be taught to fly ', as they may be
more ealily .^aunched from their parent's back into the air, than
from any other place. They cannot rife at all from the ground

f Bclon fays, that thofe which frequent the great pyramid have tails
as long as thofe of mice.

6 Synopfis of Quadrupeds; viz.

lit, Butfon's Chiiuve-fouris a chcval; fo called, bccaufc it hnth a mem-
brane at the end of the nofc, in form of a horfo-lhoc. This fpecies,
however, wants the little internal car, which Mr. Pennant hath obfervcd
in all other Bats, and which is fhut during flcep, whilll: the other ia
open. M. Burton mentions, that this fpccics is not uncommon in Bur-
gundy; and Mr. Pennant hath been informed that they are likewil'e to
be found in Kent.

?.d. La Noc^ltilc of Burton, the extent of whofc wings is thirteen
inches. Numbers of this fccond fpecies have been taken under the
eves of Quec'i's College Cambridge.

3d, The common, or jL^ort-rnrcd BlU.

4th, The Lciig-iiircd Bat, with ears of more than an inch in length,
which are at the fame time fo thin as to be pellucid. The bodv, how-
ever, and tail is but one inch and thri-c quarli is long, whereas thofe of
the preceding fpecies lae two inches and a half in leiigih.

*> Pliny, 1. X. e. 61.

' According to Johnfione the young are quite naked. Thaumatogra-
phia, p. 269.

according

m

[ 166 ]

iiccordlng toLlntiiEUs'' ; and in this fituation therefore they fcem
to be diveftcd of every pretenfion to be deemed birds, if their
being viviparous, and having no beaks, did not fufficiently ex-
clude them, as well as their want of feathers. As to their having
wings, a flying filh, or the flying fquirrel, might for the lame
reafon be confidered as birds.

But the moft intereftlng part in relation to this animal, is its
ftate of torpidity during the winter, to which it is induced pro-
bably from want of flying-infeils for its food ', as feems to be
the cafe with the fwallow tribe.

In this part of the Natural Hiftory of this animal, I am much
indebted to the communication of a moll; ingenisjus corrcfpon-
dent "', who knows where to ilnd them torpid at any time
during the winter, and more particularly in a large cavern near

Torbay ".

The prevailing notion that they hang always ia clufters touching
each other is not true, as this depends entirely upon their having

?; 1 J

^ I conceive, however, BufTon lo be more accurate when he informs
us that, " cllcs s'elcvcnt de tcrrc avec peine," which is alio the cafe with
the 5;c://, on account ot the legs of that bird being lb fliort, that the
Greek A nonym is oct:}^:. Linr.a;us alio Hates two otjfier particulars with
rc<Tav(^ to Bats, of which I lliould n:uch doubt. He lays, that an Aliatie
rpecics (which he ftilcs I'arr.pyrvs) is ph'xbotnmiis fclicijjmms in picuritidc,
and luppoles the common ibrt (named by him vuninus) to be poi-

fonous.

' Sleep tliercfoiT appears to be provideniial, not only for the rcfrefh-
Pient ariiinc- Uova relaxation, but Irom the laving ot lood, bccaule all
animals, whillT: awake, arc very apt to eat, and tliis is the caie with the
Greenland lilhers who have perpetual da\ .

'" Mr. Curnifli, riu-gi.\>n, at Totnels in Devonllilro.

^ Hoiiier had ubiened them in the lame Hate, and afterwards illuing
tVom a e.!vein;

ft

«;,{« -^icTTTfT/J/C,

(x,>ii: n. 1.7.

[ >«7 ]

a properopportunity of adhering to the place from which they are
fufpended ; they fometimcs, therefore, are in contaft, and often at
eonfiderable diftances, but a'twavs fix themfelves bv both their feet.

Martial fays of the dormoufe, that it is fatter during its ftate
of torpidity than when it revives". I therefore begged to know
from Mr. Cornifh, whether this was the cafe with Bats during
the winter, who informs me that the faft does not hold with
legard to the one or the otlier, and that bats mute?, whihl: they
are thus fufpended. Both dormice and bats lofe from five to feveu
grains in weight during a fortnight, whilft in a flatc of torpidity.

Bats on the whole fare better during a hard tlian a mild
winter, for warm weather not only awakens them, but pro-
motes their power of digeftion, wliilft at the fiune time they
eannot procure the food of which they arc in fearch. Tliis holds
likewife with regard to bees, which arc better prefcrved in a
cbrk room than if expofed to the air whilft torpid, becaufe
fometlmes they are awakened by the mild temp>?rature of the
weather, when there are no flowers for their fupport.

As Bats mute whilfl: torpid, there is alfo a circulation of the
blood, for Mr. Cornifli having applied a thermometer to the
body of one perfeftly afleep, wliicii ftood at 36, the heart beat

Tota mibi (fc. gliri) dormitur hvems, 8c pini^uior illo
Tempore fum, quo me nil nifi fonmus tiht.

As the Ronr.ins confidcrcd dormice as a dclicacv for their tables, and
Varro haili made them an article of the farmer's attcncion, I thought
this oblervatlon of the poet migh»" have been relied upon.

1* This evacuation, however, becomes lets and Icfs the longer the
animal flt-cps; and us the inteftinal tube empties, the li'ccs become
harder and harder. The guts alio are very weak after a torpidity of
feme continuance, nor can they be extradled without breaking. The
bi.-od is vivid ar.d black, in proportion to the continuance of the animal
in a llecping {lat.-. A coriefpondcnt of Gefncr's informed him, that he
had feen fuch a (piintity of bats dung in Mijtiia, that carts v.oi.ild have
been necelfary to have carried it off-
do times

i i-
■ I, .

''f*^

W^'i

[ ^6S ]

'X

60 times in a minute t; the Hime Bat being awakened fo as
to fly weakly ; the thermometer appHed in the fame manner
rofc to 38, and the heart beat 100 times in a minute.

They have been, however, obferved to continue in their
torpid ftate when the thermometer, placed in the air, hath been
•at 48 % which is ten degrees warmer than the animal when
awakened according to this experiment.

Molt of the Bats roufed by irritation have not furvived more
than three days, lut then it is ftated that the weather became
colder. Frequent attempts have been made to revive them after
this fecming death, but they have all proved ineffedual.

Having dchred Mr. Cornifli to make fome experiments with
an air-pump on torpid bats, he informs me that his apparatus
for that purpofe is not fo good as it fliould be, but that he is
of opinion from fome imperfect trials, that they are not fo fooii
affe£led by want of air, as other animals, which do not fleep
during the winter.

That diftinguiflied anatomift Mr. John Hunter, having oc-
Cafion to difleifl bats during the winter, applied to me to pro-
cure him fome from Devonfliire, knowing that I had a corre-
fpondence with Mr. Cornifli, who could at any time refort to
their lurking places.

I accordingly requeued Mr. Cornifli to fend up a dozen of
bats in their flate of torpidity, which he was fo obliging as
to do by the next conveyance ; but though he had packed them
with the grcateft care, they died, as Mr. Cornifli apprehended,
before they reached Londnn. The motion of the carriage pro-

1 Mr. Cornifli, however, is not pofitlve that there is any circulation
in the capillaiies. He ruppolcs, indeed, that the animal refpiics, though
nioft flowly and weakly.

■■ Mr. Cornifh hath known inflances of their venturing out when the
thermometer was only at 42 in the open air. The puliation in a Bat,
during the fuiimicr, is from 2 to 300, and the ball of the thermometer
being laid in its bodv, hath fomctimcs rifcn 8 degrees.

6 ■ bably

C ■'59 ]

bably occafioncd this difappointmcnt, as alfo that they did not
hang hi their ufual attitude, nor in the proper temperature of air.
If they had continued to live, Mr. Cornlfla informed me, that
though one could perceive no motion in them, yet if placed in
contail with a proper crevice, they would however fix themfelvcs
by their claws.

Thefe bats were kept for fome time by Mr. Hunter before he
would abfolutely pronounce them to be dead, and afterwards, at
Sir Aihton Lever's, before they were Jet up ; but though they
never fhewed any figns of life, yet their bodies did not putrify.
The fame thing I had occafion to obferve with regard to fome
torpid martins which were fent to me from Somerfetftiire, and
which I wifhed Mr. Hunter to difledl. Thefe birds alfo did not re-
vive, but no (igns likewife of putrefa^flion appeared, though they
were kept a confiderable time.

And here it may be obferved, that a moderate heat, fuch as the
bofom or hand, is the moft likely to bring torpid animals to life,
which are often killed by being placed too near the fire, from the
common prejudice, that one cannot have too much of a good thing.

For a more immediate teft of life in the animal, it will (brink
rither upon the touch, or holding a lighted candle near it.

i

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ESSAY

[ i7<=> 1

.-:;.;.J-Jg

■H'

E S S A Y

III.

ON THE SUDDEN DECAY OF SEVERAL TREES
IN ST. JAMES'S PARK.

SEVERAL years ago I happened to be at a couiitry-lioufo
ui > :e a narrow canal was tilled, on the fides of which grew
fome luncs of about forty yfars growth, and which continued to
be in a ftourifliiug ftate. Tlie next funmier all thefe trees died,
which was fuppofed to arife from the canal's being- filled with
fomc materials of a noxious nature to them : but as I was on
the fpot when the alteration was made, T knew that there was no--
tiling uncommon in the flrata of the foil which had been uied for
this purpofe ; I therefore began to fufpedl the real caufe of this
accident,, and determined to obferve wliat might be the- event
under fimilar eircumftanc.s, it a proper opportunity Ihould'
offer.

It is well known that Rofamond^s Pond, as well as fomc fmaller
ones wirifin tiic illand of St. Jamt.^*s Park, h.ivc !atelv been fiilr J
lip ; and it is as well known ihui i very tiee wliieh grew verv n^ av
to their miitgins hath died within the < nluin;^ }^^i"j ^'•liieii th.ere-
for- fenis to be wwing to t'le tollowing car.ie.

When atiecif pl;-,ntul at a diuance fiom waler, tl^c rcoto f^r'nl
equally In every dircel'.on , ia urtler to recel\c the nioilluie v.'iiie'i

$ u

[ 17'

]

is ,nc(\flary to cnny on its gro\v'Ji and vegetation. When it is
liowxwi' pl^iCL'd v\ry near t > tli- water's cdgv, tlxj roots on 'hat
iuk; arc ciiletly protruded, to meet with the uourilhnicnt lo imme-
diately at hand, and for the fame reafon become vaftly larger tliaii
itlu)li. which ar«; extended in any other dire»5lion.

If therctwe In procefs of time the water is dried up, the tree
is left without any other fupply than that which is commanded
by one which is fiurounded with a dry foil, at the fame time that
the princlp^il roots are only to be found on one fide ; lb that the
tree is deprived of at leaft half the mmriiliment which was nccef-
lary for its fupport. Hut it is not only where ponds or ditches have
been filled, that the trees In St. James's park liavc fuffered, for
many of the limes on the fides of the Mall are decaying very fafl,
,and tliat from year to year, when they were before in a mofl flou-
ri filing ftate. I fhould fuppofe, tliat this alteration arlfcs from the
central walk becoming convex inftead of concave, by a vaft quan-
tity of frc'fli gravel, which hath alfo been laid on the two fide-
walks. The confcquencc of which is, that almofl all tlu raia
which falls never reaches the roots, having fo much a thicker fur-
face to penetrate through than when the limes were originally
planted, as alfo by being carried off immediately to the fide
drains, by the j^roper convexity of the Mall, in its prefent flatc.
Even under the moll favourable circumllances much rain mud
•fall to moiftcn an inch of foil, from which the capillary parts of
the roots are far removed, being probably more than at twelve
times tl>at depth.

It appears alio, by what has happened in St. James's Park, that
ifuch lots of water is ccrt.an death to many forts of trees, which
are not aquatics, and that their age is no {greater protection than
their fpecics. Some of the elms near Rofamond'^ Pond may be
pronounced to have been at leaft two hundred years old; the

. ^-i ^ limes.

1

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limes, horfe-cliefnuts, and birches", which have fliared the fam«
fate, were not hidccd of the iame antiquity, but were in a very
flourilhlng ftatc. I fhould therefore hope that what liarli been
experienced in St. James's Park will prove a warning to thole who
may intend to dry ponds near whicli trees grow that they v ouJd
be forry to lofe ; for though the filling up Rofamond's Pond is in
moft refpeifls a very ftrlklng improvement, as well as the other
alterations which are now carrying on, yet I (hould fuppole that
a landfchape painter would wllh the pond reftored, uitb all Its
inconveniences, provided thofe very capital trees coi Id be re-
placed, which were fo great an ornament from every point of
view in the two parks. As thefe public walks are not only fo or-
namental, but contribute fo much to the health of the inhabi-
tants of the metropolis, I fhall take the ilberty of obje6tlng to
the new trees which have lately been planted there, and which
are almoft entirely elms. It is admitted that thefe young trees
are In a very promifmg condition ; but they ^vant that moft eflen-
tlal requlfite in plantations of

— feris fadlura nepotibus umbram ;

for the roots of elms fpread fo very near to the furface, ihat they
are very apt to be blown down by high winds, when they are
become of a confiderable frze ; nor have I obferved any other tree
which fufFers fo frequently in this refpefl, if the birch be ex-
cepted.

I could wifh therefore that as faft as the limes decay, frefli trees
of the fame fort were introduced, as they grow to an immenfe
lize and age, there being fome in Sir Laurence Dundafs's park, in
Hertfordfhire, which muft have been planted for many centuries,

" I allude to the trees of thefe forts which grew within the
Decoy.

a aiid

,,. .i

I '73 ]

and which, till they are examined at a fmall dlftancc, one fhould
conceive to be ancient beeches. We know alfo that they throve
remarkably well on the fame fpot before the gravel laid upon the
Mall prevented the roots from receiving the proper quantity of
molflurc, whilfl: at the fame time their coming fo early into leaf,
and the fragrance of their flowers, make them peculiarly proper
for the public walks of a metropolis.

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ESSAY

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IMAGE EVALUATION
TiST TARGET (MT-3)

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Photographic

Sciences

Corporation

23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. MSSO

(716) 872-4503

4^

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[ '74 ]

ESSAY

t I » I »■

IV.

On the periodical Appearing and Difappearing of certain
Birds, at different Times of the Year^

To William Watson, M.D. F.R.S.

Dear Sir,

AS 1 know, from fome converfation \vc had on this head, that
yoii conlidor the migration of birds as a very interefting
point in natural liiilory, I fend you the following refledions on
thisfubjed as they have occured to me upon looking into moftof
tlie ornithologiils v. ho have written on tliis qucflion.

It will l-e lirll necelfary in the prefent, as in all other difputes,
to define the terms on which the controvcrfy arifes. I therefore
prcmife that I mean, by the word Migration, a periodical paflage
by a \\hole fpccics of birds acrofs a cc^niiderablc extent of fea.

I do not intLud therefore to deny that a bird, or birds, may
pofTiljly fly now and then from Dover to Calais, from Gibraltar
to I'angier, or any other fucli narrow ib-ait, as thcoppofite coafls
are clearly within the bird's ken, and the pifllage is no more ad-
vcLturousthan aciofs a large frelh-vvater lake.

» This F-ffiiy wa"? fi; ft ]',rintcd in the I.X'Td vol. of the I'Lilnfophical
TranluClions ; but is now reprinted, with eonfulcrable additionb.

I as

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t '75 ]

• T as little mean to deny that there mny be a pcriodicnl Hitting
of certain birds from one part of a con'-inent to anotlicr : lie Roy-
ftou Crow, and Rock Ouzel, furnifh inllances of Inch a rc!;ular
mlgrn^ioii.

What T mean chiefly to contend therefore is, that it fecnis to
be highly improbable, birds fhould, at ccrtnin fcaf;)ns, tr.i.'crfc
large tra61s of fea, or rather ocean, without Icavirig any or the
fame iptcies behind, but the lick or wounded.

As this litigated point can only receive a fatisfaf^ory decifion
from Very accurate ohlervntions, all precec'ing naturalills, from
AfiftothtoRay, havefpoken with much doubt concerning it.

Soon after the anpearancc of Monf Adaulrti's Voyage to Sene-
gal, however, Mr CoUinfon firfl:, mi the Philofopliical Tranf-
ailrions \ ;i!id after him the mod emin Mit ornithologiih of Europe,
feem to have confidered tliis traveller's having caught four Euro-
pean Swallows on tlie 6tli of October, not far from the African
co.'.ft, as a declllve proof,, that the common fwallows, when they
dilappcar in Europe, make for Africa during tlic winter, and re-
turn again to us in tlic fpring.

"It is therefore highly incinnbent upon me, who profcfs that I
am by no means fitisficd with the account given by Monf. Adan-
Ibn of thefe European fwallow, to enter into a verv minute dil-
culiion of what may, or may not, be inferred from liis obfervation
accorJiny; to his own narrative.

I lliall firft however confidcr the general nrguiiiciits, from
v/liicli it is fuppcfed that birds ot paliage periodicallv tivuerlc
oceans, v/hich indtvd v.wy be almoft r>. Juc^d to this (ingle o:ie,
viz. wc fee C'jit in birds in particular leaH-KKs, and afrewards we
1l''„ them not; iVoin which tireunifbinces it is at oner inferred,
tliat the t.iulc ct their difappearance is, tliat they have crofled hirge
tiac.t.5 of ka.

" I'art II. iy6o, p. 450.- cc fa;

The

I

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If

The obvious nnfwer to this is, that no well-attefted inftanccs
can he produced of luch a migration, as I fliall endeavour to fliew
hereafter ; but, befides this convincing negative proof, there are
n t otliers wanting.

Tliey who fend birds periodically acrofs the fea, being prefled
with the very o'ovious anfvver I have before fuggefted, have re-
courfe to two fuppolitions, by which they would account for their
not being obferved by feamen during their pafl'age.

Tlie firft Is, that they rife fo high in the air that they become
invifiblc'; but unfortunately the riling to this extraordinary
height, or the falling from it. Is equally deftltute of any ocular
proof, as the birds being feen whilft eroding an ocean.

I have indeed converfed with fome people, who conceive they
have loft fight of birds by their perpendicular flight ; I mufl:
own, however, that I have always fuppofed them to be (hort-
fighted, as I never loft the fight of a bird myfelf, but from its
horizontal dlftance, and I doubt much whether any bird was ever
feen to rife to a greater height than perhaps twice that of St. Paul's
crofs **.

There

' It is well known that fome ornlthologifts have even fuppofed that
they leave our atmofphde for that of the moon. See Harl. Mifcell.vol.il.
p. 561.

A bird of pafl'age, loft as foon as found ;
Now in the moon perhaps, now under ground.

PorE.

* Wilil geefe fly at the greateft height of any bird I ever happened to
attend to{ and from comparing them with rooks, which I have fre-
quently looked at, when perched on the crofs of St. Paul's, I cannot
think that a wild-goofe was cvcrdlminiflicd, to my fight at Icaft, more
than he would be at twice the height of St. Paul's, or perhaps 300 yards.
Mr. Hunter, F. R. S. informs me, that the bird which hath appeared to
him as the highcft. flier, is a fmall eagle on the confines of Spain and
Portugal, which frequents high rocks. He hath firll feen this

fpecics

[

/ /

]

There fccms to be but one method incleotl, by wlilch the lulght
of a bird in the air may be eftimated ; which is, by comparing its
apparent fize witli its known one, when very near us ; and it need
not be faid that this method of calculating mufl; depend entirely
upon the fight of the obferver, who, if he iiappensnot to feeob-
jctfts well at a diftance, will very foon fuppoic the bird to be loft
in the clouds.

Tiiere is alfo another objedlion to the hypothefis of birds palling
feas at fuch an extraordinary lieight, arifmg from the known rar j-
fa(5lio;i of the air, which may pollibly be inconvenieni forrelpira-
tion, as well as flight ; and if this was not really the cafe, one
fhould fuppofc that birds would frequently rife to fuch uncom-
mon elevations, when they had no occafon to travcrfe oceans.

The Scotch Ptarmigan frequents the higheft ground of any Bri-
tifli bird, and it takes but very ihort flights.

But it is alfo urged by fome, that the reafon why feamen do
not regularly fee the migration of birds, is becaufe they choofe the
night, and not the day, for the pafliige ^

Now though it may be allowed, that pollibly birds may crofs
from the ccall of Holland to tlic Enftern coaft of England (for
example) during a long night, yet it muft be dark nearly as long
as it is within the Ardic circle to alFord time for a bird to pals from

fpocics of eagle from the botroni of a mountain, and followed it to t!ic
top, when the l)ird hath rifen fo high as to appear lefs than he did from
the bottom. Mi". Hunter however adds, that he could ftill hear the cr\^
and diHinguifli the bird.

° Mr. Catc.'liy fupjiofes that they mav tlius pafs in the nij;ht-iii!i'.', to
avoid birtls of pre) . I'hil. Tranf. Ahi. Xv]. II. p. 88 7. But arc not owls
then llirring '

On the other hand, if they migrate in th'" day-time, Iciles, hawks, mid
other birds of prey mult be very biul iportfmcn not to attend (like
Arabf.) thefe large and peilodieai caravanii.

' ^: ril

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[ '78 ]

the Line to many parts of Europe, wliich Moiif. tie Buflbn cal-
culates may he done in about eight or nine clays ^

Jt tiie pafihgc happened in half the nights of the year which
have the benefit of moonlight, the birds would he difcovcrcd by
the failors ahnoll: as well as in the day-time ; to which I mult add
that feveral fupjxjfed birds of paflhge (the Fieldtarc in particular)
always tall when on their fliglit, fo that the fcamen muft be deaf
as well as blind, if fuch flocks of birds elcape their notice.

Other obje^lions however remain to this hypothefis of apaflage
during the night.

Molt birds not only fleep during that time, but arc as much
incapacitated from diftinguifliing obje(fts well as we are in the ab-
fcnce of the fun : it is therefore inconceivable that they fhould
choofe owl-light for fuch a diftant journey.

Befides this, the Eaftern coaft of England, to which birds of
paffage muft necefl'arily firft come from the continent, hath many
light-houfes upon it ; they would therefore, in a dark nig'it, im-
mediately make for fuch an objeCl, and deftroy themfelves by
flying with violence againft it, as is well known to every bat-
fowler.

Having endeavoured toanfwer thefe two fuppofitions, by which
it is contended that birds of paflhge may cfcape obfervation in
their flight ; I fhall now conlidcr all the inftances I have been
able to meet with of any birds being atSlually ieen whilft they
were crofllng any extent of fea, though I might give a very fliort
refutation to them, by infifting, that if this was ever experienced,
it muft happen as conftantly in a fea which is much navigated.

' In the preface to the firft volume of his lately publifhcd Ornitholo-
gy, p. 32. Brown fuppofcs, however, that a hawk had purfucd a
vvcciicock at no greater rate than 30 miles in an hour. Trcatifc on
Falconry, 1608.

AS

II

t '79 ]

as the ictuiU of the fcafons, or the nwtlons of a dated cmi-
lier.

I cannot Jo U?ttcr than to follow thcfe according to chronolo-
gical order.

The Civil in point of time is that which is cited by VVillough-
hy^y from Be Hon, whole words arc thus tranflated, " When we
*' failed from Rhodes to Alexandria, many (juails flying from the
•* North towards the South were taken in our (hip, whence I
♦' am perfuaded that they (hift places ; for formerly, wlien I
" failed out of the Illc of Zant to Morea, or Negropont, in the
" fpring, I liad obfervcd quails flying the contrary way to N.
•' and S. that they might abide there all fummcr, al which time
*' alfo a great many were taken in the fliip."

Let 113 now confider what is to be inferred from tliis citation.

In the firfl: place, Bellon does not particularize the longitude
and latitude of that part of the Mediterranean which he w as then
crofling ; and in his courfe from Rhodes to Alexandria, both the
iflands of Scarpanto and Crete could be at no great diftance :
thcfe quails therefore were probably flitting from one irtand of the
Meditcranean ^ to another.

The fiuue obl'ervation may be made with regard to the quails
which he faw between Zant and Negropont, as the whole pailiige
is crouded with iflands ; they therefore might be pafling from

e 15.11. c. 1 1. § 8.

^ ();ic of rhe ^k■ditcrranoan iil.inds is fuppofcd ro have H)r,'iiricd its
aneient name of Orrygia from the numbers of (]uails. The Mcclitorra-
ncan birds alfo flit from the illands to the eontineiv:.

V.-f)iPiii-jo\) ^i^ioq yjxi(^::, A« At r 3 —

'A ho is known to have artcndcd pmticularly to the flights of birds,
ns they attbrded piognollici of the weather.

A a 2

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i'lniul to Iflaiul, or hcnJlaiul to licaclland, which might very pro
l.;il)ly lie I'^all: am! WcO, io as to occafion the hirds flying in a
dit^creiit dircftion from that in wliicl\they palitd the fhip betbrc.

I liavc thcrcfbro no ohjc»f\ion to this proof of migration, if it is
O'lly inllftcd upon to flicw that a quail fliifts its ftation at certain
kalons of tlic year ; b'lt cannot admit that it is fair from hence to
argiu? tiiat tlicie birds periodically crofs large traces cf Tea.

Rcllon himfelf ftates, tliatwlun the birds fettled upon the fliip,
they were taken by the fuil: perfon who chofc to catch them, and
therefore they muft have been unccpial to the fliort flight which
they were attempting ^h•. Burnaby therefore obferves, that the
wild pigeons in their migration (though a bird diftinguifhed for
tiieir flight) fettle on the trees of Rhode Ifland in fuch numbers
as fometlmes to break the branches ; and that they feem (6 fa-
tigued with their flight, as not to be driven away but by extraor-
dinary nolfes'.

It is very true that quails have been often pitched upon as in-
flances of birds that migrate acrofs feas, becaufe they are fcarcely
ever feen in winter : It is well known, however, to every fportf-
man, that this biid never flies 300 yards at a time, and the tail
being fo fhort, it is highly improbable they (hould be equal to a
paflage of any length.

We find therefore, that quails, which are commonly fuppofed
to leave our ifland in the winter, in reality retire to the feacoafts,
and pick up their food amongft the Tea weeds ''.

I have happened lately to fee a fpcclmen of a particular fpecles

^ Burnaby's Travels in N. America, p. 132.

" See Br. Zoo). Vol. II. p. 210. 2d eJ. odtavo. Thus Bellon alfo in-
forms lis, that the ortygomctre (or raile) is frequently feen in France
during the winter.

4 cf

i^i^

[ >3' ]

of quail, which is defcribccl by Dr. Sliaw ', ami Is diftingulfhed
from the other kinds by wanting the hii\d-c!aw. Dr. Shaw
alio ftatcs tliat it is a bird of paflagc. Now if quails really
migrate from the coaft of Barbary to Italy, as is commt)nIy
fuppofed, whence can it have arifen that this rtmarknhk fpccics
hath cfcaped the notice of Aldrovandus, Ollna, and the olhcr
Italir.n ornithologies ?

When 1 had juft finlflicd what 1 have here fald witli regard to
the migration of quails, I had an opportunity of feeing the Iccond
volume of Monf. de BufFon's ornithology"' ; v.here he contends,
that tliis bird leaves Europe in the winter.

It is incumbent upon me, therefore, either to own I am con-
vinced by what this moft ingenious and able naturalKl hath urged,
or to give my reafons why 1 ftill continue co diflent from the opi-
nion he maintains.

Though M. de Buffon hath dlfcufled this point very much at
large, yet I find only the following fads or arguments to be-
ne w.

He firft cites the Memoirs of the Academy of Sciences ", for an
account given by RI. Godeheu of quails coming to tlie Uland of
Malta in the month of May, and leaving it in S;. ptcmbcr.

The firft anfwer to this obfervation is, that the ifland of Malta
is not only near to the coaft of Africa, but to fcvcral of t!ie Medi-
terranean iflands ; it therefore amounts to no more than the flitting
1 have before taken notice of".

\ BuiTon

e ::ii<.,« an cnp-ravin;^

' Phyf. Ohf. on the kingdom of /Ma;icr?, ch. a. Sl
and defcription ot luch a quail which is ibund in J,i:ctji,i;i, one of thu
Philippine Iflands. Sonncrattc's Vojiige. Paris, 17- (>, 4L0.

»" See p. 450, ^i !c(|.

" Tom. Hi. p- 91 iinil 92.

° Both Monf. dcGodchcu ivm] T.I. df Fjunon fieri to conc-ivc rlmt t!^c

tae wind Imu.s;-,; but bucis on

quail fhouUl fly in t\v: L.iuc dirc«;t;o;-.

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li'.iHo'.i next Ivippolis thnt a cjuail only cjuiti one latitudu for
another, in okKt to meet with a perpctvial crop t>n the groinid.

Now can it he ecMiceived that tliere is fvich iliffercnce between
the liarvefl: on llie eo.sO o*-' Africa, and that of the fniall quantity
of grain which grows on the rocky ifland of Malta, that it becomes
inconvenient to the bird to ftav in Africa a;; foon ai IMav fets in :
and nctvl^iuy, on the other hand, tt) continue in Malta from May
till Sept'. mher.

Kuifon then conje»n;vn-es that quails make their paflage in the
night, as well as conceives them to be of a remarkably warm tem-
peratme P, and fays that " chuud coviine unc cui/la** is in every
one's mouth ^

Now in the firft phicc their migration during the night is

contrary to Belong account, which M. de BufFon fo much relies

upon, and which rather implies that the birds were caught in the

c'ay-ti'Tie.

In the next place I apprehend that *' chauil comme ime co'ille*

alludes to the very remaikalde lalacioufncfs of this bird, and not

to tlic conPnnt heat of its body,

the wing from point to point, which arc at a conficlcrable diftance, flv
againll tlie wind, as their plumage is othervvife nulled. Sec aho Mar-
ten's Vo)age to Spitzbergvii, who obferves the fame, as likewiie with re-
gard to the fwimming ot" whales, for which indeed there is not the fame
realbii.

i' As this is given lor a rcafon why the African (piails pafs North-
ward : Q^V^'hat is to become of the Swedifli ipuiils during the liiinmer?
\'arro gives us a verv particular account of this migration :

" De illo gencre funt turdi adventitii, ac quotannis trans marc in Ita-
" liam advoli'nt circa a.*quinodium autumnale, et eodem revolant ad
** Kfiuinodiujii vt-rnum. Kt alio tcn^porc luitures ac c '.urnicea immani
*< numero. Hoc ira fieri appartC in infulis propinrpiis I'ontia, Palniatia,
'* I'andaiaria; ibi c.nim cum prima vohitura veniunt, inoruHtur pathos i/:es
" requicfccnJi c:r/s.i ; ideiiKpic faeiunt cumcx Italia trans niarc remeant,"
VanodeReRuiViea, l.I 1. e. 5.

1 All birds inde^-d are warmer by four degrees than other animals.
Iv.c fonif ingenious thermoinetrieal experiments by Mr. Martin of Aber-
d'-ui, Etiiab. 1771, izw.o.

Buffon

C '83 ]

Buftbn proceeds to obferve, that it quails are kept in a cage,
they arcrem:iikaL)ly impatient of confinement in the autumn and
fpring, whence he infers that they then want to migrate' ; he
alfo atlds, in the fame period, that this unerf'nws bvojusan hour
before the fun rifes, and that it continues all tlie night.

Thl.s great naturallft does not ftate this obfervatlon as having
been made by himielf, and it feems upon the face of it to be a
very extraordinary one.

No one (at leaft with us) ever keeps quails in a cage except
the poulterers, who always fell them as tafl: as they are fat, and
confequently can give no account of what happens to them
during fo long an imprifonment as this obfervatlon neceflarily im-
plies.

No fuch remarkable uneafniefs hath ever been attended to in
any other fuppofed bird of paflagc during Its confinement : but,
allowing the fa^fl to be as Buffon dates, he himfclf fupplics us
with the real caufe of this impatience.

He aflerts, that quails conftantly moult twice » a year, viz. at
the clofe both of fummer and winter ; whence it follows, that

the

' It may alfo arife from this bird's being of fo quarrclfome a difpo-
fition, and confequently moft llkeh' to fi^ht wiih i^s I'ellow prifoncrs
when they are all in greatell vigour after moulting, and on ihc rctur;i
of the fpring.

Butfon allows that they will fight for a grain of miHct, and acUlr;, "e.'.r
** parmi les animaux 1' faut un fujct reel pour fe batuc." M. {.k Buflon
hath never been in a cockpit.

' I have often hcanl that certain birds nioult twice a year, fomc of
which I have kept myfclf without their clianging their feathers more
than once.

1 fhould fuppofo that this notion arifes from fomc birtls lyit mouUing
regularly in the autumn every year; and v.hcn the change takes place in
the following fpring, they very co:nmo:ilv die : I can fcarccly think, that
many of them arce.pial to twoillnelfes of fo long a continuance, which
arc conllantly to return within twelve months.

I fr.ould

,1

t >8+ ]

i

the bill), ill auhiiiiii ami tlio fprlng, mufl bo in full vigour upon
its recovery from tbis |KiloiIical illntfs : it can tbcrcfbn; as littlo
bm, k conlnicnKiir, as tlic pliylician's patient upon the return of
hcalrh after illncfs.

liius nuicb I iiave thought It nccffi'ary to fa v in aiifwer toM.
dc Buii\)!i, w!u) " (liim errat, docct," who fcarccly ever argues
ill but \\\ku he is niillnformod as tt) fatSls, and who often, from
ftrciigtii of uiuK rriandinp;, dlibelicves luch intelligence as might
impofe upon a n;iruia!ill of lefs acutcntH's and penetratU)n.

The next indancc of a bird being caught at any diftancc from
Inntl, 1' 111 Sir Hans Sloanc's Voyage to Jamaica, who fays, that a
laik was taken in the fhip 40 leagues from the fhore : this therfi^
tore was ecitainly an unfortunate bird, forced out to Tea by a ftrong
>viiui in Hying from iicadland to headland, as no one fiippofes the
l!-_vkirk to !)C a binl of palHage. ... .. . ,

'I'iic fame anfv/tr miiy be given to a yellow-hammer's fettling
upon Hailelqiiift'. (hip in ihe entranceof the Mediterranean, with
tills di!tercnce, that either the European or African coaft mufl
Jiavc been inuch nearer than 40 leagues '.

Tbj no:;t facl to be confidered is what Is mentioned in a letter
of Ah-. Puter Collinfon'D, printed in the Philofophical Tranf-
aclions".

He cliere fay.s, •■'■ That Sir Charles Wager had frequently in-
" ibriiicd him, that la one of his voyages home in the I'pring, as
" he came into foundings in our chanel, that a great flock of

I flioultl therelbri.' railier aecount: for the extraordinary brifki!^ fs of a
(|uail in autunv.j and the fpring, from its recovery after moul'..i:.!.', in the
former, and from the known eti'eds of the I'pring as to moP uiniii.ils in
I he latter.

' Sec HaHelqiiilVs Travels. Grantz mentions that a K.dpuli forced
out by a Corm hath been taken in a Ihip which wus 40 kat^iies fVoni
(Greenland. \'oL I. p. 77.

" I 760. I'art II. p. 46 I.

" f\va.lJo\\3

[ 185 ]

" Avallows rlmofl covered his ngp,ing ; tlint tlry were n \nrlv
*' fpi-'iit ami famllhcd, and ^^crc only feathers aiv! boiuo ; !)iit
*' heiiig recruited by a nij^ht's reft, they took their f.Ij^^ht ifi ti;c
** morning."

Tlie Hrll anfwer to this is, that if thele were hir-.b v/hio!i h.v]
croflcd hirgc traifts of lea in their periodical migrations, the thmo
acciilent muft happen eternally, hotii in the fprin;^ and i.utumn,
which is not however pretended by anyone.

In the next place, the I'w allows are ftated to h: ipent both by
famine and fatigue; and how were thty to inejurc any Hits or
other fullenance on the rigging of the admlraro Ihiit, thougii they
might indeed reft themfelves r

Sir Charles, however, expreifly informs us, tliat lie was in ihe
channel, and within foundings : thefe birds, therefore (like IjcI-
lon's quails) were only pairnig probably from headland to head-
land ; and being forced out by a ftrong wind, were obliged to lit-
tle upon the firft (hip they faw", or otherwife mufl: have dropped
into the fea, which I make no doubt happens to many unfortunate
birds under the f\me circumftances.

As the birds which thus fettled upoia Sir Charles Wager's rig-
ging were fwallows, it very naturally brings me now to conlkler
the celebrated obferxatlon of Monf. Adanfon, under all its cir-

* Mr. Franklin of Tobago informs mc, that being 60 or 70 Icaqtics
from the coaft of Portugal, at the latter end of December, numy biixls
of different forts, blown from the land, fettled on the fhip, and, i'.nK),-,:i;lI:
the reft, a Woodcock and Skylark. The Skylark was taken up b) Mr.
Franklin himfelf, and was fo fatigued that it inllantly Ihewed an ineli.ia-
tion to flcep; after which, being put into a cage, rhe biid not only re-
covered, but became the next d:iy remarkably tame. A hawk which
would not fettle on the fhip w.13 obferved to drop into the lea. " For it
*' oftc.;^ happens, that birds not nativesof our ilLind are, throi;g!i ll.>rin.s,
'* or other accidental caufes (unknown to us), brought over hither,"
Edwards's Gleanings in the article Rofe-colour\i Oufcl,

B b cumftances,

1

1

II

1

4

1

IK

\ .11

■fVpl

[ i86 ]

cumftnnces, as It hath been fo much relied upon, and by natura-
lifts of To giecit eminence.

Monf. Adanfon is a very ingenious writer, and the publlck is
much Indebted to him for many oi' the remarks which he made
wliilft he relided in Senegal. I may, however, I think, prcfumc
to lay, that he had not before iiiri voyage made ornithology his
particular Hudy ; proofs of which are not wanting in other parts
of his work, which do not relate to fwallows. For example, he
fuppofcs, that the Canary birds which are bred in Europe are
white, and that they bee .ne fo by our climate's being iroie cold
than that of Africa.

** J'ai remarque que le ferln qui devient tout blanc en France,
*' eft aTencriffe d'un gris prefque aufli fonce que celui de la li-
" notte ; ce changement de coulcur provient vraifemblablement
•* de lafroidjre de notre climate"

Mr. Adanfon in this paflage feems to have deduced two fsdfe
inferences from ha\ing feen a few white Canary birds in France,
wliich he afterwards compares with thofe of Teneriff, and fup-
pofes the change of colour to arife merely from alteration of cli-
mate : it is known, however, almoft to every one, that there is
an infinite variety in the plumage of the European C'anaiy birds,
which, as in poultry, arlfes from their being pampered with fo
much food, as well as confinement '.

Monf.

> A'oyngc au Senegal, p. 13. Shells fccm to be the part of natural
hillory which chleflv cngag';ed Mr. Ad an Ion's attention.

'• In the {mv.c pallag:, he compares the colour ot* the African C .lary
bird CO that ot'ihe European linnet, and fays it is ifiDi^risprcfqih' (wjj'iforat',
■vucrcas the Euiopcan linnet is well known to be brown, and not grey.
The linnet affords a very dccifive proof that the change of jihinia"-c does
not arife from the difference of climate, but the tuocaufes I have affi,"-n-
ed. The cock biid, whilft at liberty, hath a red breall: )'ct if it is either
bred up in a cage from the nell, or is caught with its red plumage, and
afterwards moults in the houfe, it never recovers the red feathers.

That

[ '8? ]

Monf. Adanfon, in another pjiit of his voyage % (.iLTciibes a
Roller, which lie fuppofcs to migrate fometimes to the Southern
parts of Europe.

This circuniflance (hews that he could not have looked much
Into books of natural hiflory, becaufe the principal lynonym of
this bird is Garrulus Argentoratenjii '' ; and Linnaeus informs us
that it is found even in Sweden '.

The ftrong charafleriftic mark of the Roller is tlie outermoft
feathers of the tail, which able naturalirts deicribe as three fourths
of an Inch longer than the reft''. Monf. Adanfon, however, com-
pares their length, not with the other feathers of the tall, but
with the length of tlie bird's body, which is by no means the
natural or proper ftandard of comparifon.

The reafon of my taking notice of thefe more minute Inaccu-
racies in Monf. Adanfon's account of birds, arlfes from Mr. Col-
linfon's relying upon his obfervations with regard to fwallows
being fo abfolutely decifive, becaufe he is reprefented to be fo able
a natural lit.

1 fhall now ftate (very minutely) under what circumftanccs
thefe fwallows were cauglit, and what feems to be the true infe-
j'ence from his own account.

He informs us, that four fwallows fettled upon the fliip, not
50 leagues from the coaft of Senegal, on the 6th of Odobcr; that

•-'ii

Thiit moil; nble natwralift Monf. dc BiifTon, from having focr ;(>:r.c.
cock linnets which had thus nioulrcd oft', or perhaps fonie hen iiiitu r^
(which have not a red brcall) confiders them as a dillintt Ipccies, vwA
compares their breeding together in an aviary to that of a Canary l:iiil
and Goldfinch, Ornith. p. mxii.

* J'. 16.

'' Or of Strasburgh. Ray's Synopfis.

' F.uin. Suec. 94.

'' WiHoughby, p. 131. Br. Zoo). Vol.11. iriAp,)end.

Bb 2 thc.o

t ^88 ]

thcfc birds were taken, nnd that he knew them to be the true
I'w allow of Europe', which he liippofLs were then returning to
the coall of Africa.

1 ihali now cntleavour to fliew that thcfc birds could not be
Europi^-an fwallows ; nor, if they were, could they have been on
their return from Europe to Africa.

The word hlrojidelle^ in French, is ufcd as a general term for
the four ^ fpccics of thefe birds, as the term fivallow is with us.

Now the four fwallows thus caught and examined by Monf.
AdanfcMi were either all of the fame fpecies, or intermixed in fome
other proportion.

Would not then aiiv naturalifl in flatinc; fo material a fatl fas
he himfclf fuppofts it to be) have particularized of what Ipecjes of
fwallow thefc very intorelling birds were ?

Should not Monf Adanfon alfo have taken care to diflinguifli
thefe fuppofcd European fwallows from a fpecies of the fame tribe,
which bears a general refemblance to thofe of Europe, and is not
only defcribcd, but engraved by BrilVon, under the name of
Hironddle dc Senegal = r

Monf. Adai^fon however concludes his account of the fuppofed
European fwallow, whiliT: it continues on the coaft of Senegal, by

<• I liave bcfc.rc endeavoured to ihcw that Monf. Adanfon docs not
lihvays rocollcdt with accuracy the plumage of the mofl common Euro-
pean birds, by what he favs with regard to the linnet. I need fcarcely
obfervc alfo that the 6th of Odtobcr, when thefe fwallows were caught, is
too early for their migration fo far fouthvvard from any part of Europe.

*" /::. the fwallovv x^y .:^'o%;;", the martin, the fand martin, and the
fwift : I ouiit the goat-fuckcr, bccauf: this bird, though properly clalfed
as a fpecies of ;V.,illow bv oinithologilb, is not fo confukrcd by others.

s See Biilfon, Tom. II. pi. xlv. Sonnerat alfo hatli given a defcrip-
tion and engraving of the fwallow of Antigue [fome iflaud between the
Philijvpines and N.Guinea] which much refembles our martin, except
that the throat is yellow.

2 Ji cir-

[ ^89 ]

a circumflance which feenis to prov^c to demonftratioii of what
l]iecics the four Iwallows caught hi the ihlp really were.

He fays that they rooll: on the fand, either by theinfelvcs, or
at raoft only hi pah-s, and that they frequent the coall much more
than tlic hiland parts ''.

Thcfc fwallows therefore, if they came from Eurojx-, pjuft
have immediately changed at once their known habits : and is it
not confequently mofl clear that they were of that Jpecies which
BrilVon dcfcrlbes under the name of H'lrondcllc tie rhaic ilu ocnc-

But though it fliould be admitted, notwithll-anding what 1
have infilled upon, from ISIonf. Adanibn's own account, that
tliefe were really fwallows of the fame kind with thofe of Europe ;
yet I muft fiill contend that they could not poflibly have been on
their return from Europe to Africa, becaufe the liigli road tor a
bird from the mofl Wcftern point of Europe to Senegal is alonp-
the N. Weft coaft of Africa, which projccls greatly to the Well-
ward of any part of Europe.

What then could be the inducement to thefe four fwallows to
fly 50 leagues to the Weflvvard of the coaft of Senegal, fo much
cut oi' the proper direclion ?

Itfjcmsto me therefore very clear, that thefe fwallows (v.he-
ther of the European kind or not) were flitting from the cape de
Verde '.Linds to tlic coafl: of Africa, to v/hich fliort flighi, jiow-
ever, ilu-. were unequal, and were obliged, from i'atlgi:^., to iall
into tl: . : ;lors hands.

^ Voyrj: Senegal, p. 67. I wifli Monf. Adanfon hud ^^hb l^iformcd

us wh^rhcr > fwallows h.'id the fuvie notes with tholl' of lAUojJe,
which i-" a ver i . ; rial cireumrtance in the nnt.Trl iiifor'.' of l-'rds,
though little att.i: '..■.i to by inert ornitholor^iilj. Julius Pollux, in his
Oroni ilVieon, gives u? the diHeront: terms for the r.u'cs af nuiny birds,
that of the yjA^^^'-' (or martin) is ^l^i'Uv^ic-' !• V. eh. 14.

iMoni:

%;

w

iii

'■J '.

'o^v^^H

P

tiBK

li

^^nH^E^ 4

• s^^^HI'i

'i^Hi

l!

[ »90 ]

Monf. Adanfon likewile mentions ' that the fliip's company
caught a Roller on the 26th of April, which he fuppofes was on
its paflage to Europe, though he was then within light of the
coaft of Senegal : this biril, however, muft be admitted not to
have had fufficlent ftrength to reach the firft ftage of this round-
about journey, and was therefore probably forced out to fea by a
ftrong wind, in pafling from head-land to head-land.

But I niuft not difmifs what hath been obferved with regard to
the fwallovvs feen hv Monf. Adanfon at Senegal ^^ without en-
deavouring alfo to anfwer what M. de Buftbn hath not only in-

"' Voyage au Senegal, p. 15.

^ Since this cflay was printed in the Philofophical Tranfadiions, I have
had an opportunity of examining the Planches Enluniinces, which are
faid to be p\iblifhed under the infpedtion of M. dc BufTon, and which
fecm to afford a demonftration of M. Adanfon's inaccuracy, in fuppofing
cither the Roller or Swallows which were caught in his fhip near the coaft
of Senegal to be the faine with thofe of Europe *.

In the 8th of thefc plates there is a coloured figure of a bird, called
Ic Rollicr d'Angola, which agrees cxadtly with M. Adanfon's defcrip-
tion J but he trulled too much to his memory when he pronounced it
to be the Garrulus Argentoratenfis of Willoughby, and therefore fup-
pofed it to be on its palfage to Europe. This bird hath indeed, in many
refpccts, a very ftrong reicniblance to the European Roller, but it dif-
fers moll materially in the length of the two exterior feathers of the tail,
as well as in the colour of the neck, which in the African Roller is of
.1 mofl bright green, and in the European of rather a dull blue.

In the 310th plate of the fame publication there is likewile a coloured
reprcfentation of the Hirondelle a ventre roux du Si'/h^jI, which very
much refenibles the European fwallow, but the tail differs materially,
as the forks (in the Senegal Ipccimen) taper from the bottom of the
two exterior feathers to the top, at three r..gular divifions or nitchcs,
whereas in the European they are nearly of the fimc width diroughout.

The convincing proof, however, that the Hirondelle a ventre roux
du Senegal differs from our chimney fwallow is, that the rump is entirely
covered with a bright orange orchefnut, which in the European fwallow
** is of a very lovely but dark purplifn colour f."

♦ Voyage au Senega!, p, rj.

I Willoughby, p. 312.

fcrrcd

w

kf^.

[ I9> 1

ferred from it, but hath endeavoured to confirm by an a<5lual
experiment '.

M. de BufFon, from the many inftances of fwallows being
found torpid even under water, very readily admits, that all the
birds of this genus do not migrate, but only that fpccics which
was feen by Monf. Adanfon in Africa, and which he generally
refers to as the chimney fwallow "" ; but, from the outfct, feems
to fhew that he hath himfelf confounded this fpecies with the
martin.

*' Prenons un feul oifeau, par exemple, I'hirondelle, cello que
*' tout le monde connoit, qui paroit au printems, difparoit en
*' automne, & fait fon nid avec de la terre contre les fenctres, ou
*' dans les cheminees," p. 23.

It is very clear that the defign in this period is to fpecify a par-
ticular bird in fuch a manner that no doubt could remain with any
0)\e about the fpecies referred to ; and from other paflages which
fo.low, it is as clear that Monf. de BufFon means to allude to the
fwallow ■HMj i^cx/^iv.

Though this was certainly the Intention of this moft Ingenious
naturalift, it is to me very evident that the martin, and not the

' See the two prefatory difcourfcs on his fixtccnth volume of natural
hiftory.

'" So little do naturalifls know of this very common bird, that I be-
lieve it hath never yet been oblervcd by any writer, that the tail-feathers
are much longer in the cock than hen fwallow, which are confideied as
■its moft dilbnguifhlng marks. I venture to make this remark upon hav-
ing feen the diftercnce in two fwallows which are in Mr. Tunllall's collec-
tion, F. R S. asalfoin two others, which have latclv been prcfented to
the Mufeum of the Royal Society by the directors of the Hudfon's Bay
company.

Thcfe very long feathers would be very inconvenient to the hen during
incubation ; and they are likewife confined to the cock iciJoiv-bird, as,
from their more extraordinary length, they would be (till more fo. The
fiune holds with regard to moft (if not all) of the humming birds.

fwallow.

!

I!

''*;!:

m

f i'l

m

!1

;!i

i

11

:l

[ 192 ]

fwallow, was in Ms contemplation, becaufe he firft fpealcs of tlic
l/irtl'.-; buDci'ng ag.ilnil: wiiuloV',?, before he mentions chimnics,
and therefore llipnoi'e.i tlv;.t cithiir place is indilKfrent ; wiiich is
not tlu- eaic-, becaufe the f\\\;Ilo\v feldom builds on the fides of
wirdo'.v.^, or the martin in cliimnies.

There are perliap;^ three or four martins to one fwallow in all
parts ; ; 'id from thilr h.-ing- the iiiore common bird of the two, as
V. el! a,, iVe.m the cireiiinilariee of their building at the corner of
\viiu!()\v.s (and conil'tjuoiitjy being eternally in our fight) nine-
teen out of twenty, when th.y fpeak of a fwallow, really meaix
a martin ".

I only take notice of this fuppofcd Inaccuracy in Monf. de Buf-
fon, becaufe, if that able naturallfi: does not Ipeak of the different
forts of fwallows with that precifion which is ncccflary upon fuch
an occafion, why fhould he rely fo entirely upon the impoffibllity
of M. Adanfon's bcinj?: miflaken ?

I fliall now ftatc the experiment of jNlonf. de Buffon, to p. )vc
that the fwallow is not torpid in the winter, and muft theretbre
migrate to tiic coaft of Senegal °.

" In the fame manner the gcncrical name in orhcr languages, for this
tribe of birds, always means the martin, and not the fwallow.

Thus Anacreon complains of the 5(,--^'5.x7 for waking him by its twit-

tcruio:.

Now if it be confidercd that there was only the kitchen chimney in a
Grecian houfe, it mull have been the martin which built under the eves
of the bed-chamber window, that waj troublefomc to Anacicon, and
not the fwallow. •;

Ovid alfo fpeaking of the ncft of the binoido, fays,

— luteum fub trabc iigit opus,
by which he necefllirily alludes to the martin, aiul not the fwallow.
Garrula qua; tignis nidum fufpcndit hiruiicio.

ViRG. Gcorg. 1. IV.
? Plan de I'ouvrage, p. 13.

lit

[ 193 ]

He flnit up feme fwallows (^hirondelles) in an icc-houfc, wliicli
were there confined " plus ou nioins de temps ;" and the conle-
qucnce was, that tho{e which remained there the longtft died,
nor could they be revived by expofing them to the fun ; and that
thole, "qui n'avoient ibuftlrt le troid de la glaciere que pendant
*' peu de terns," were very lively when permitted to make their
efcapc.

M. de Buffbn does not, in this account of his experiment, ftate
the time during which the birds were contined ; but as the trial
mufl have been made in France, the fwallows which he procured
could not be expeiSled to be torpid either in an ice-houfePor any
other place, becaufe the feafon for their behig in that ftate was
not yet arrived.

I cannot alfo agree with M. dc Buffon, that thofe birds which
were (hut up the longcil: time died through cold, as he fuppofes,
but for want of food, as he ncitlicr fupplied them with any
flies, nor, if he had, could the fwallows have caught them in
the dark : a very fhort fart kills thefe tender animals, which are
feediiig every inftant when on the wing.

It therefore feems not to follow from this experiment, that
fwallows xTiufl: neceflarily migrate (as M. de Buffon fuppofes) to
the coafl of Senegal.

P The very nnme of an icc-houfe almoft (Iriko'i one '.vith n caill ; I
placed, however, a thennomcter in one near liyc'c I'ar!; Corner on the
23d of November, where it contuiucd 48 hours, and the mercury then
Hood at 43 ; bv Fahrenheit's fcale.

This is therefore a degree of cold which Avallows fonictimes expe-
rience wliilft they continue in fome ]v.rts of Europe, without anv appa-
rent inconvenience ; and it Ihould [\-cm that the cold vajours, which may
arile from the included iet , iink. the thermometer only 7 or 8 degrees,
as the teinperature in approved cellars is commonly from 50 or 51
throughout tiie \ear.

Cc

Swallow;

1

Ai

- m

V

it

'I r

I t

[ '94 ]

Swallows arc (ccn during the fummcr in every part of Europe
from Lapland to the Southc-n coafl: of Spain ; nor is Europe
vartly inferior in point of fizc to Africa.

If fwallows therefore retreat to Africa in tlie winter, fhould
not they he difperfed over tlie whole Continent of Africa during
that feafon, jufl: as tluy ai cover every part of Europe during the
funnner?

But this nioft certainly is not fo : Dr. Shaw, who was a very
good naturalift and attended much to the hirds in the neighbour-
hood of Algiers (as appears hy his account of that country), makes
no mention of any fuch circumftance ; nor have we heard of it
from any other traveller".

It muil: be admitted indeed, that Herodotus, fpeaking of apart
of upper Egypt (which he had never feen), fays, that kites and
fwallows never leave it' ; this, however, totally differs fromMonf^
Adanfon's account, who informs us that they diflippear iu Senegal
on the approach offummer'.

if

i

i

^ It may alfo be obfcrvcd here, th:it credit is in feme meafure given
to M. Adanlbn's eyefight, againll: that of all the Englifh, French, Dutch,
Portugucze, and Danes, who have been I'ettlcd not far from Senegal
for above a century, many of which have fpcnt great part of their
lives there, and whofe notice Eiuopean fwallows feen during the winter
muft have probably attradVcd. I do not mean by this to deny that fuch
fwallows may not be obferved at Senegal; I only doubt their periodical

migration .

' IxJi'-'Oth xai x;Kth','3g ^t fl:cg 5C/7'? tfKKTTcKsir.ao-t. Euterpe, p. 98. ed.
Gale.

' On the contrary they appear, and difappear, at the fame feafons as
with us, both in the tropical parts of America and Afia. With regard
to America, I fhall cite Hughes's Hifiory of Baibadoes, p. y^. and,
with relation to Afia, a gentleman long rcfuknt in Bengal, who informs
me that fwallows are often found in the banks of the Ganges during the
winter, and in their torpid ftate. They alfo conceal thcmfelves in the
rocks of BarbadocSj according to Hughes.

It

L ^95 ]

It feems to follow therefore, from this filciice in others, that
fwallows cannot be accommodated for their winter refidence in
any part of the vaft continent, except in the neighbourhood of
Senegal. But this is not the whole objcdlion to fuch an hy-
pothefis.

If the fwallows of Europe, when they difappcar in thofe parts,
retreat to the coafl: of Senegal, what neccfl'arily follows with re-
gard to a Lapland fwallow ?

I will fuppofe fuch a bird to have arrived fiifely at his winter
quarters upon the approach of that fcafon In Lapland ; but it
muft then, according both to Monf. Adanfon's and dc BufTon's
account, return to Lapland in the fpring, or at leafl fome other
fwallow from Senegal fill its place.

Such a bird immediately upon its arrival on the Southern coafl:
of Spain would hnd the climate and food which it dclired to at-
tain, and all proper conveniences for its ne{]: : what then is to be
its inducement for quitting all thcfe accommodations which it
meets with in fuch profufion, and pufhing on immediately over
fo many degrees of European continent to Lapland, where both
martin and fwallow can procure fo few lioufcs to build upon ?
What alfo is to be the inducement to thefe birds, wlim
they have arrived at that part of the Norwegian co ifi: which is
oppofite to the Ferroe iflauds, to crofs degrees of fca, in order to
build In fuch fmall fpots of land, where there arc flill tower
habitations ?

The next facl I have happened to meet with, of a bird's being
feen at a confiderable dllla?icc froni the fhore, is in Dr. For-
ftcr's lately publilhcd tranllalion of Kalm's account of N. Ame-

rica'.

' Vol. I. p. 24.
C c 2

.?

>m

If"

m

I

•II

w^

[ >9« ]

Wv'
Ik

Wo arc there Informcfl that a hird (which Kahn calls a fwal-
Jow) was It'cn iiuirilic fliip on the 2d of September, and, as he
ftil^pofcs, 20 degrees from the continent of America ".

It appears however, hy what he before llares in his journal,
that ihf. ihip was not above 5 degrL-es fiom theifland of Sable.

Befules, if it is contended that this was an European fwallow on
its pnflage acrofs tlie Atlantic on the 2d of September, it is too
early even for a fwift to have been on Its migration, which dif-
appears with us fooner than the three other i'pecics of European
fvvallows*.

Only three more inftanccs have occurred of birds being feen in
cpefi fea that have been defcribed with any fort of prccilion, which
I fhall juft ftate, as I would not decline giving the befl: anfwer I
am able to every argument and flidl wliich may be relied upon,
by thofe who contend that birds periodically migrate acrofs
oceans. Dr. Shaw mentions, that whllft his fliip was at anchor
under mount Carmel, he obfervcd many ftorks pafling, but as

" It may not be improper here to obfcrvc, that in all inftanccs of birds
being fccn at fca any great di lance from the coaft, it is not improbable
that they may have before fettled on fome other vcflcl, or perhaps
on a piece of wreck. In a paflage from Newfoundland to England
Mr. Thomas Butts fell in with floatinp- ice on which were hawks and
other fowls to rcll thcmfclves, being weary of flying over far from the
main. Hakluyt, part III. p. 131. In and after a ftorm, blackbirds,
llarlings, and all forts of fmall birds, are driven from the Ihorc, and
make for the fhips to favc thcmfclves, whilft others fly about till they
are fpent, fall into the fea, and are drowned. Marten's Voyage to
Spitzbergen, p. 31.

By accidents of this fort even butterflies have fometimes been caught
by the lailors at 40 leagues diflance from any land. Sec Monf. I'Abbe
Courte de la Blanchadiere's Voyage to Brazil, Paris, 1759, i2mo.
p. i6g.

^ The bird mentioned by Kalm was probably an American fwallow,
forced out to fea by fome accidental fl:orm : there arc feveral fpecics of
them, and they feem to bear a general affinity to thofc of Europe.

the

[ ^97 ]

the vcflcl was To near tlic coaft, this feems to be only a flitting
from headland to headland.

On the 30th ot" Marcli, 1751, Ofluck, in his voynre from
Sweden to China % met with :> i'lnnl: houfe-fwalknv near the
Canary Iflands, which was lb tired th;it it was caug!-.v by the
failors : Olbeck alii) ftates, tliat though it had been lin.' wrather
for feveral preceding days, the bird was as wet as if it had juft
emerged from the bottem ol" the lea.

If this inftance proves any thing, it is the fubmcrfion and not
the migration of fwallows ii) generally bcTuvcd in all the northern
parts of Europe. It would fwell this Efliiy to a mofl unreafon-
able (ize, to touch only upon this litigated point ; and I lliall, for
the prefent, fupprefs what hath happened to occur to me on this
controverted queflion.

Olbeck afterwards, in the courfe of his voyage, mentions
that a fwallow (indefinitely) followed the fliip, near Ja\'p., on
the 24th of July, and another on the 14th of Auguft, in the
Chinefe fea, as he terms it.

After what I have obferved before with regard to otiicr in-
ftances of the fame fort, I need fcarcely liiy that this naturalill:
does not ftate of what fpecies thefe fwallows were ; and that,
from the latitudes In which they were feen, they muit have been
fome of the Aliatic kinds.

I cannot, however, difmifs this article of the fwalhnv, witliout
adding fome general reafons, which feem to prove the o-reat im-
probability of this or any other bird's periodic;^llv migrating over
wide tra^Sls of fea; and I tiie rathe*- do it in this p! ce, becaulc
the fwallow is commonly pil ;ned up( n as the inoft notorious in-
flance of fuch a regular pafl'age.

y See the lately publillaed tranllation of this vovago.'

Tl

113

•;!:lil{|i^-|

II'

t\

! !(

ii

i? • . Hf

: :> ? I

i

[ >ys 3

Tills fccms to ai liV tVom Its being focn In fiich numbers diulng
the fummcr, tVo' i its apj'caring alinoft always on the wing, and
from its tcetling in lli.it polUion ; from wliich two latter circiun-
{lances It Id l'iip,5(.!'.J to be the btil adapted tor fvich dlftant mi-
grations

And Uvi\, i(.t us conlukr, from tlie few fi^fls or reafons we have
to guide Us in thcdifeul ;ou, what length or" flight cither a fw allow
oranyo'hcr lird is probably equal to.

A Iwallow, it is true, feems to be always on the wing ; but I
have frequently attended, as much as I could, to the motions of a
particular one ; and it hath appeared to me, that the bird com-
monly returned to its ncll In eight or ten minutes: as for extent
of flight, I bLiicvc I may venture to fay, that thefe birds are fel-
dom a quarter of a mile from their mate or young ones ; they
feed whilfl: on tlic wing, and arc perpetually turning lliort round
to catch the Infeds, who endeavour to lllude them as a hare dues
a greyhound.

1 have fometimcs Ccen fwallows in a church, into which they
had entered through a broken window ; thefe birds Hcd backwards
and forwards fjr perhaps ten minutes ; but then always perched to
reft themfeh'Lo. It therefore fcems to me, that fwallows are
by no n^cans equal to long flights, from their pradlicc during
thci" funimer refidencc with us.

I iiavc long attcndc d to the motions of birds ; and it hath always
r ppearcd to me, th.it tluy are never on the wing fui' amufcment (as
we walk or ride), but merely in fearch of food.

The only bird which I have ever oblerved to flly without any
particular point of dire^lion, is the rook, which will, when
tl)e wind is high,

" Ride In the whirlwind, and enjoy the ftorm."

They

i m

[ 199 ]

Yhcy never pafs, however, at tliis time, from pciiit to point, but
only tumble in the air, merely for their tlivcrlioii.

It feems, therefore, that birds arc by no means calculated for
flights acrofs oceans, for which they have no pievious pra«fllce :
and they are, in favfl, always fo fatlt^ucd, that, when tluy meet
a fliip at fca, they forget all apprehcnfions, and deliver thcmfclvej
up to the failors.

Let us now con fide r another o!)jci5tion to tli.- migration of th.e
fwallow, which Monf de BufFon fuppoks may cwA':, the Atlantic
to the Line in eight days' ; and tliis is not only fi, 1:1 the want of
reft, but of food, during the paflagc.

A fwallow, indeed, feeds on the wing; but where is it to lind
any infe*Ss, whiift it is flying over a wide expanfe of ka ? This
bird, therefore, if it ever attempted fo adventureus a pallagc,
would foon feel a want of food, and return again to land, wlierc
it had met with aconftant fupply from minute to minute.

I am aware It may be here objected, that the fwallow leaves us
on the approach of winter, when foon no flying infecls can be
procured : but I fliall hereafter endeavour to ih.ew, that fome fpj-
cies of tliefe birds are then torpid, and, confeqiajutiy, can want no
fuch food.

Another objet51:ion remains to the hypothcfis of migration, which
is, that birds, when flying from point to point, endeavour always
to have the wind agalnft them % as is periodically experienced by
the London bird-catchers in March and Oi^tobcr, when they lay
their nets for finging birds \

^ Difeours fur la nature des oifeaux, p. 32.

* Kahn, in his voyage to Amer'ca, makes rlic Pinic obferv.ition, with
regard to flying fifh; and Vaicnti ic lays, that \f the wind does not con-
tinue to blow againll the bird of j-aradife, it immcdiatoly drops to the
ground.

^ Thcfc birds, as it fliould iccm, are thc.i in niotion ; becaufe, at 1 hole
feafons, the ground is plowed ciihtr for ihc •vvlntcr er Ivnt cora.

4 I.:t

jt

mi

[

loo

]

II

•flifl

1 xt lis fuppolc, tiKii, a luallow to be cq\ial to a paflagc acrof-;
the .Atlniitic Ml otlur i\'(i\\-'is ; luiw is the bird to be Inlureil of
thi' wiiul's eoiitiiuiiiig \ov d.\\r. In the l.inic quarter; or liow *ii>
lie to Jrpeiul upon its eoiuiiuiiug' to blow agaiul} his flight with
lOileiation ? l'\)r who e/.ii luppole that a Iwallow can make Ills

lion, when buiietcd by a llorm blowing

n

w

IN to the jioin! ot (\\\\\

m the ttitii oi i\\> lutenucd paliage ' r

-l.ailK-, can it be eoneeiveil that tluie, or any other birds, can
1)1' i!n|iellei! bv a prcn iiK'iitial inllinct, regularly to attempt what
iecm, 10 b.- atttiuUd with i'ueh inlliperable difficulties, and what
moil li\(|uen
l>ut if will

tlv leads to certain dvdruclion ?
hill 1

)c ohie

■opc

.;Uil, that, as Iwallows regularly appear
and dilaj-'piar at certain lealbns, it is incumbent \ipon thofe who
tkiu' their migr>itlon to Ihew what becomes ot" them in Eur
during our winter.

Though it might be aniwered, that it is not necellary thofe,
•who tiulcavour to ihew the inipoilibillty of another fyrtcm or hy-
potheiis, fliould iVoni thenci' be obliged to fct up one of their
own ; yet 1 ihall, without any dilliculty, lay, that I at leaft am
convinced i\v.il!o\\s (and perha]is lome other birds) arc torpid

tl

tlurniii' the w niter.

1 have not, 1 mull own, myfelfcver (ecu them in this fbate ;
but, haxinsr luard inllancis of their beiim- thus found from others

o

f undoubted veracity, 1 have fcarcely the leall tloubt with re-
gard to this point.

Ir is, indeed, rather ditTicult to conceive why fonic ornitholo-
tiiils continue to \uthhold their alients to fuch a cloud of wit-

* I have nivfclf attended to fwallows during n high wind, niul h:ivc
obllrved that they (\\ uiil\' in Ihehercd places, whillt ihev alnioll touch
the juriiiee ot" the ground. The IIm-IouI even, on the ujtpro.ich ot a
luii ricane, llv to tlic land for I'heki.T. Vo\ ;igc to the ill.uul of Mauritius,
ill 1 yt)S, p. uSt).

lK'lli.'S.

C ^^i ]

^clViP, except tliat it perhaps contradlds a favourite liypothcfis
\vliich they I i.ivc already maintained.

Wliy in it more extraordinary tliat fwallowr. IhouKl be torpiil
during the winter, than that bats are found in tliis flatc'', and I'c
many Infcdis wliicli are tlie food of fwallows ?

JJut it may be laid, that as the fwallows have crowded rheair
during the fuitimcr in cve^y part of ICurope fince the creation,
;ind as regularly dij'appear in winter, why have net the inf^anccsof
their bving found in a keeping ftatc been more frequ-ni" ?

To this it may be artlwered, that though our globe may have,
been formed f ) many centuries, yet the inhabitants f^f it have
iC;^'*Cely paid any atti-ntion to the ftudy of natund hilbory but
within thefc late yeavs.

As for the anticnt (rreeksand Romans, their drcfs pr vented
their bcin!> fo m\ich in the fields as we are; or, if thev Jieard of
a rather extraordinary I'ird in their neighbourhood, they had not
a gun to (lioot it : the only method of attaining real knowlcilgc
in natural hillory depends almofl entirely upon the having fre-
<]VUMit opportunities of thus killing animals, and examining them
when dead.

If they did not ftir much in their own country, nuich lefs did
they think of travelling into dillant regions ; want of bills of ex-
change, and of that cmiolity which ariles from our being
thoroughly acquainted with what is near us at home, probably
occafioncd this ; to which may alfo be added, the want of a variety

irl

n

■' And vet how ft-w can go to the places where bars nrc (o be found
tlius torpid during the winter; I fpeak this from having been obliged
to (end as f.ir as 'I'ovnel's in IX'vonfliirc lor fonn", nliieh vvci-o wanted in
that Ihue by Mr. Hunter, V. R. S.

T)d

of

[ 202 ]

of languages: fcarcely any Greek feems to have known more than
his own tongue, nor Roman more than two'.

Ariftotle, indeed, began fomething like a fyftem of natural
hiftory ; and Pliny put down, in his common place-book, many
an idle ftory ; but, before the invention of printing, copies of
their works could not be fo generally difpcrfed, as to occafion much
attention to what might be interefting fac'Vs for the ornithologift.

In the fixteenth century, Gefner, Belon, and Aldrovandus,
publiflicd fome materials, which migiit be of ufe to future natu-
ralifts; but, in the fevcntecnth, Ray and Wil'^ughby firft treated
this extenfive branch of ftudy with that clearnefs of method, per-
fpicuity of defcription, and accuracy of obfervation, as hath not,
perhaps, been fince exceeded. The works of thefe great natu-
ralifts were foon difperfed over Europe, and the merit of them
acknowledged ; but it fo happened, that Sir Ifaac Newton's
amazing dlfcoveries in natural philoi'ophy making their appear-
ance about the fame time, engaged entirely the attention of the
learned.

In procefs of time, all controverfy was filenced by the demon-
jftration of the Newtonian fyftem ; and then the philofophical
part of Europe naturally turned their thoughts to other branches
of fcience.

Since this period, therefore, and not before, natural hiftory
hath been ftudied in moft countries of Europe ; and confequently
the finding fwallows in a ftate of torpidity, or on the coafl of

' !t need be fcarcely here mentioned alfo, that their navigation was
confined to the Mediterranean, from the compafs not having been then
dircovs-Tcd.

Q^ Ennius tria corda fc habere diccbat, quod loqui Gra;ce, Ofce, et
Latine Icirct. Aulus Gcllius, LXVII. c. 17.

Lingua dodtus utraque. — Marttal.
Linguas edidicili'c duas, — Ovid.

Senegal^

[ 203 ]

Senegal, during the winter, begins to be an Interefting fa<^, which
is communicated to the world by the perfon who obferves it.

The annual publications of the Royal Society, as Hkcwlfc the
periodical ones of other fcientific academies, have alfo afforded an
immediate and convenient opportunity of laying (uch fadls before
the publick, which would neither have been printed, nor per-
petuated in detached pieces.

To this I may add, that the common labourers, who ha'\- t'-.-
beft chance of finding torpid birds, have fcarcely any o; i';>iv. r.
doubt with regard to this point; and confequent:!'-. -vnc;! tKy
happen to fee them inthisftate, make no nii nrii)-; ■! •: • itlj-u.
becaufe they confider the dlfcovery as ucltli;.: uuonunon ■ i va-
tcrefting to any one.

Molyneux, therefore, in the Philopliic.d T!..ni,; t'-"-.
forms us, that this Is the general belief of the conioinn • ..
Ireland with regard to land-rails ^ ; and I h:\ve rn)i>!f mc -ed
the fiime anfwer from a perfon who, in Decembe!-, found ^;\s.'l •
lows in the ftump of an old tree ^.

Another rcafon why the inftances of torpid fwallows may not
\)C expe*^ed fo frequently is, that the Inftincl of fccretlng tlieni-
fclvcs at the proper feafon of the year likewife fuggefts to them,

' Phil. Tranf, abr. vol. II. p. 853.

' T he Rev. Dr. Dc-Salis (who hath been in moll parts of hi'land) in-
forms me that the following lines arc commonly repeated in many parts of
that country :

*' The bat, the bee, the butterfly, and the fwallo-.v,

" The corn-creak *, and the itonechat, all llecp the winter thorour^h.

ir.-:

'■' Vel qualis gelidls pluma labcntc pruinis
Arboris immoritur trunco brumalis hirundo."

Claudian.

c. Our landrail,

Dd 3

I'l. ■■■; \

. m

Its

m

[ 204 3

Its being neceflary to hide themfclves in fuch holes and caverns as
Ynay not only elude the fearch of man, but of every other animal
which might prey upon them i it is not therefore by any com-
mon accidcjnt that they are ev^r difcovered. in a ilate of tor-
pidity.

Since the fludy of natural hiftory, however, hath become more
general, proofs of this hd: arc frequently communicated, as may
appear in the liritifli Zoology *.

That it may not be fald, however, I do not refer to any in-
ftance which deferves credit, if properly fitted, I beg leave to cite
the letter from Mr. Achard to Mr. Collinfon, printed in the Phi-
lofophical Tranfadions '% from whence it fcems to be a moft ir-
refragable fadt, that fwallows ' are annually difcovered in a torpid
ftate on the banks of the Rhine. I (hall alfo refer to Dr. lirch's
Hiftory of the Royal Society ■", where it is ftated, that the cele-
brated Harvey dilftdled fome, which were found in the winter,
under water, and in which he could not obferve any circulation
of the blood.

Afluming It, therefore, from thefe fads, that fwallows have
been found hi fuch aftate, I would alk the partifans of migration,.

I

• Sec vol. II. p. 250. Brit. Zool. ill. p. 13, 14. As alfo Mr. Pen-
nant's four in Scotland, j>. 199.

^ r/Oj, p. TCI.

* " Swallows or martins," are Mr. Achard's words, which I the rather
inontion, becauic Mr. Collinfon complains that the fpecies is not fpc-
cificd.

Mr Collinfon hinifelf had endeavoured to prove, that fund martins
are not torj.id, Pl-.il.Tranf. 1760, p. 109. and concludes his letter, by
fup;:o<'.v>- il->;;t all the fwallow tribe migrates, therefore the fwlft is the
only Ipccie- ren aininr: ; for his friend JVIr. Achard fliews to dcmonflra-
tior, ihatf'.vT'llowsor martins are torpid ; he dues not, indeed, ])rccifely
ftate which ot them.

:■' Vol. IV. p. 537,

whether

[ 2^5 ]

whether any iuftance can be produced where the fame animal is
calculated for a ftate of torpidity and, at the fame time of the year,
for a fliglit acrofs oceans ?

But it may be urged, poflihly, that if fwallows arc torpid when'
they difappear, the fame thing Ihould happen with regard toother
birds, whicli are not icon in particular parts of the year.

To this I anfwer, that this is by no means a neceflary infe-
rence : if, for example, it fliould be infifted that other birds be-
fides the cuckovv a-e equally carclefs with regard to their eggs, it
would be immediately allowed that the argument arifing fromfuch
ilippofed analogy could by no means be relied upon.

It is pofilble, however, that fome other birds, which arc con-
ceived to migrate, may be really torpid as well as fwallows ; and
if it be aikcd why they are not fomeiimes alio fecn in fuch a ftate
during the uinter, the anfwer feems to be, that perhaps there
may be a hundred fwallows to any other fort of bird, and that
they commonly are found flceping in clufters.

If a lingle bird of any other kind happens to be feen in the win-
ter,, without motion or apparent warmtli, it is immediately con-
ceived that it died by fome common accident.

I fliall, however, without any rcferve, fay, that I rather con-
ceive the notion which prevails with regard to the migration, ot
many birds, may moft commonly arife from the want of obferva-
tion, and ready knowledge of them, when they are feen on the
wing, even by profefled ornithologifts.

It is an old faying, that " a bird in the hand is worth two in
*' thebufli;" and this holds equally with regard to their being
diftinguifhed, when thofe even who ftudy natural hiftery have
but a trauficnt fight of the animal ",

" An ingenious friend of mine m;ikcs always a very proper diftindlion
between what he callij iii-door and out-door naturalilts.

Thomas

4:1

i

41

■■■ 1:

■

■•''||

i

m

.M

m

f !-■ i ■

m\\

% ^' 1'

[ 206 ]

If, therefore, a bird, which is fuppofcd to migrate in tlie win-
ter, pafles almoft under the iiofe of a Linnxan, he pays but little
attention to it, becaufe he cannot examine the beak, by which he
is perhaps to clafs the bird. Thus I conceive, that tlie fuppofing
a nightingale to be a bird of paffigc arifes from not readily dlftin-
guifliing it, when feen in a hedge, or on the wing". This bird
is known to the ear of every one, by its moft ftriking and capital
notes, but to the eye of very few indeed ; bccaufc the plumage is
dull, nor is there any thing peculiar in its make.

The nightingale fings perjiaps for two months'*, and then is never
heard again till the return of the fpring, when it is fuppofed to
migrate to us from the continent, with redftarts, and feveral other
birds.

That it cannot really do fo, feems highly probable, from the
following reafons.

This bird is fcarcely ever feen to fly above twenty yards, but
creeps at the bottom of the hedges, in fearch of maggots, and
other infects, which are found in the ground.

If the fwallow is not fupplied with any food during its paflagc
acrofs oceans, much lefs can the nigiitingale be fo accommodat-
ed ; and I have great reafon to believe, from the death of birds in
a cage, which have had nothing to eat for twenty-four hours,
that thefe delicate and tender animals cannot fupport a longer fiifl-,
tliough ufing no excrcife at all.

Thomas Willifcl, who afliftcd Ray and Willughby much with regard
fotlic natural hiftory of the animals of this ifland, never rtirred anywhere
without his gun and fifhing tackle.

" No two birds fly in the fame manner, if their motions arc accurately
attcnc'.cd to.

1' M'hilll it fings even, the bird can feldom be diftinguifhcd, becaufe it
is then ahnoft perpetually in hedges, when the folidge is thickeft, upon
the firll buril of the fpring, and when no infedts can as yet have dellroycd
confiderab'c parts of the leaves.

z To

in. 1 1

.i

[ 207 ]

To this I may alfo add, that thofe hlrds which feed on infe(5ls
are vaftly more feeble than thofe whofe bills can crack feeds, and
confequently, lefs capable of bearing any extraordinary hardfhips
or fiUigue.

But other proofs are not wanting that this bird cannot migrate
from England.

Nightingales are very common in Denmark, Sweden, and Ruf-
fia 1, as alfo in every other part of Europe, as well as Afia, if the
Arabic name is properly tranflated. Kempfer likewife informs us
that they are found in Japan, and much prized there.

Now, if it is fuppofed that many of thefe birds which are ob-
ferved in the fouthern parts of England, crofs the German-fea,
from the oppofite corft of the continent ; why does not the fame
inftinft drive thofe of Denmark to Scotland, where no fuch bird
was e\er (een or heard ' ?

But thefe are not all the difficulties which attend the hypothefis
of migration ; nightingales are agreed to be fcarcely ever obferved
to the weftward of Dorfetfliire, or in the principality of Wales %
much lefs in Ireland.

I have alfo been informed, that thefe birds are not uncommon
in Worcefterfliire, whereas they are exceffively xare (if found at
all) in the neighbouring county of Hereford.

"5 See Dr. Birch's Hlflory of the Royal Society, vol. III. p. 1 89. Lln-
nasi Fauna Suecica. and Biographia Britannica, art. Fletcher; where it
is faid, that they have in Ruflia a greater variety of notes than elfe-
where.

' Sir Robert Sibbald, indeed, conceives the nightingale to be a bird
of North Britain ; but, if I can depend upon many concurrent tcftimo-
nics, no fuch bird is ever fccn or heard fo far northward at prefcnt, nor
could lever trace them in that direction further than Durham.

" 1 have, however, frequently fccn the nightingale's congener (and
fuppofed fellow-traveller) the rcdftart in Wales.

Whence

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[ 208 ]

Whence therefore can it arife, tliat this bird fliouhl at one time
be equal to the crofling of feas, and at otlicr times not travel a
mile or two into an adjacent county ? Does it not afiurd, on the
other hand, a ftrong proof, that the bird really continues on the
lame fpot during the whole year, but happens not to be attended
to, from the reafons I have before fuj^gcikd ?

I am therefore convinced, that if I was ever to live in the coun-
try during the winter, I ihouid Ice nightingales, becaufe I Ihould
be looking after them ; and I am accordingly informed, by aper-
fon who is well acquainted with this bird, that he hath frequently
obferved tuem during this fcafon ^

If it be alked, why the nightingales arc all this time mute ? the
anfwer is, that the fame fiJence is cxjKrienccd in inany other
birds, and this very mutencls is, in part, the caufe why the bird
is not attended to in winter.

Imuft now alk tliofe who contend for the migration of a nigh-
tingale, what is to be its inducement for eroding from the con-
tinent to us ? A fwallow, indeed, may want flici in winter, if it
flays in England; but a nightingale is jull as well fupplied: with
inlibdls on the continent, as it can be with us after its pafljige ".

I mufl.

* I find rhcy have alio been feen in France d\iring the winter. See
a trcatile, intitlcil, Aedoiogic, Paris, i 751. p. 23.,

" I have omitted the iiiention of a more minute proof, that this bird
cannot migrate /rom the eontincnt, from the having kept them for fome
years in a cage, and having been very attentive to their fono-.

Kirchcr (in his Mufurgia) hath given us the nightingale's notes in
mufical charad:ers, from which it iippcars that the fong of a German
nightingale differs \ery materially from that ot an Lnj^liih one : now, if
there was a communication by migration between the com inent and Eng-
land, the long of thefe birds would nor fo materially differ, as I ma)-,
perhaps, Ihew, by fome experiments I have mode, in relation to the
notes of birds.

I have

[ 209 ]

I muil alio alk, In what other part of tlie world this birJ i^ Teen
during the winter: mull; It migrate to Senegal with the {'wal-
low ?

I am pcrfuaded likcwife, that the cuckow never leaves tliis
iHand any more than the nightingale : this bird is either pro-
bably torpid in the winter, or otherwlfe is miftakcn for one of
th ■ Imaller kind of hawks''; which it would be likcwife in the
Ipring, was it not for its very particular note at that time, and
which only lads during courtflilp, as it does with the quail.

If there is tine weather in February, this bird forrietimes makes
this fort of call to its mate, whilil it is fuppofed to continue ftill
on the continent.

An inflance is mentioned by Mr. Bradly y, of not only a finglc
cuckow, but fevcral, which were heard in Lincolnfliire during
the month of February; and that able naturalift Mr. Pennant in-
forms me, another was heard near Hatcham in Shropflilre, on the
^th of February'. I have received a fimilar account from
Welfhpooi, in Montgomcrylhlre, but of the laft week of the
lame montli, 1779, as ulfo from Argylefhire.

I have before mcnfioncd, that. Mr. Fletcher, who was cmbaffador
frotn England to Ruflia in the time of Queen i^lizabctli, ol)fcrvcd that:
she long of the RulTian nightingale differed from that of the Englifli.

* Mr. Huiitor, F. R. S. informs me, that he hath Iccn cuekows in the
iiland of Belleille during the winter, which is not lituatcd fo much to
the fouthvvard, xj to make it improbable that they may equally continue

'vVith U'.:.

y \Vorks of Nature, p. 77.

'■ Mr. Pennant received this account from Mr. Plimly, of Longnor in
>hropfhire; and Amis the I'oultcier in Bond- ftrcct hath told me that he
hath procured cuekows during the winter. See likcwife Willughb} ,
arr. CucKew.

Thus likewifc Mr. Ed.vards itiforms us, that the fea fowls near the
Needles, which are commonly fuppofed to migrate in winter, appear
upon the weather's being very mild. Eflays, p. 107.

' Ec It

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It is amazing how much the being interefted to difcover parti-
cular objedls contributes to our readily diftinguiftiing them.

I remember the being much furprized that a greyheaded game-
keeper always favv the partridge on the ground before they rofe,
when I could not do the fame ; he told me, however, that the
realbn was, I lived in a time when the Ihooter had no occafion
to give himfelf that trouble.

He then further explained himfelf, by faying, that when he
was young, no one ever thought of aiming at a bird on the wing,
and confequently they were obliged to fee the game before
it was fprung. He added, that from this ncceflity he could not
only diftinguifh partridges, but fnipes and woodcocks, on the
ground.

Another inftance of the fame kind, is the great readlnefs with
which a perfon who is fond of courfmg finds a hare fitting in her
form : thofe, however, who are not anxious about fuch fport,
can fcarcely fee the hare when it is under their nofe, and pointed
out to them.

But more apparent objects efcape our notice, when we are not
interefted about them.

Alk any one, who hath not a botanical turn, what he hath
feen in paffing through a rich meadow, at the time it is moft ena-
melled with plants in flower ; and he wi"l tell you, that he hath
obferved nothing but grafs and daifies. If moft gardeners even
are in like manner afked whether the flowers of a bean grow on
every fide of the ftalk, they will fuppofe that they do ; whereas
they, in reality, are only to be found on one fide.

The mouths of flounders are often turned diflTerent ways, which
one would think could not well efcape the obfervation of the
London fiflimongers ; yet, upon alking feveral of them whether
they had attended to this particular, I found they had not, till B
fhewed them the proof in their own fhops.

Afifli^

t »'■ ]

A filhmongcr, however, knows immediately whether a lilh i ■.
in good eathig order or not, on the full; inrpeinioii : bccaulc thii
is a circumflancc wliich Interefts him.

I fhall, however, by no means fupprefs two arguments in fa-
vour of migration, which fee m to require the fullcll aulwcr that
can be given to them.

The fnfl: is, that there are certain birds, which appear during
the winter, but difappear during the fummer ; and it may be
alked, where fuch birds can be fuppofed to breed, if they do not
migrate from this ifland* Thefe birds are in number four ; viz. the
fnipe, woodcock, red-wing, and fieldfare.

As for the fnipe, I have a very fliort anfwer to give to tlie ob-
jection, as far as it relates to this bird ; bccaufe it conftantly
breeds in the fens of Lincolnfhire, Wolmar forcft, and Bodmyn
downs ; it is therefore highly probable that it docs the fame in
almoft every county of England.

I muft own, however, that, till within thefe few years, t
conceived the neft of a fnipe was as rarely feen in England as that
of a woodcock or fieldfare ; and that able ornithologifi: Mr. Ed-
wards fuppofes this to be the fadl, in the late publication of his
ingenious Effays on Natural Hiftory '*

Woodcocks likewifc are known to build in fome parts of Eng-
land every year ; but, as the inftances are commonly thofe of a
fingle neft, I would by no means pretend to draw the lame proof
flgahift the fummer migration of this bird, as in the former cafe of
the fnipe* It is remarkable, however^ that Belon aflerts, without
the leaft doubt of the fa^SV, that in France the woodcocks leave the
plains for the mountains, in order to make their nefts '' ; and Wil-
lughby flulh'd them in the months of June and July on mount Jura.

I

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» P. 72.

^ Belon, p. 273-
Ee 2

I will

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212

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• -i.i

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I will moft readily admit, that thcfe accidental (aOlS are rather
to be accounted for, perhaps, from the whlmfy or filllnefs of a
few birds, which occafions their laying their eggs in a place where
they are cafily difcovered, and contrary to what is ufual with the
bulk of the fpccies.

I remember to have Cccn a duck's ncil: once on the top of a
pollard willow, near the decoy in St. James's Park; it would not
1)0, however, fair to infer from fuch an inftance that all ducks
would pitch upon the lame very improper fitUi tion for a neft, upon
which it is difficult to conceive how a wcb-tboted bird could fettle.
Some liJly birds likewifc now and tlien choofe a place for build-
ing, whicii cannot efeape the obfervation of either man or beafl,
as they pafs by'.

I therefore fuppofe that tlie few inflances of woodcocks nefts
having been found In England, arlfe either from one or other of
thefe two caufcs ; and all which they feem to prove is, that our
climate in fummer is not abfolutely improper for them.

It Is to be obl'ervod, however, that Mr. Catefby confiders fucli
inftances as of equal force againil: the migration of the woodcock
as of the fnipe''. Willughby ahb fays, that Mr. Jeflbp faw
young woodcocks fold at Sheffield (which rather Implies a certain
number being brought to market), and that others had oblerved
tlie fame elfcwhere '.

We are, indeed, informed by Scopoli i", that they breed con-
flantly in Carniola, which is confiderably to the fouthwaid of

■^ See alfo other inflances of nefts imprudently j)laced by birds, Phil.
Trnnf. vol. I<XIV. parti, p. 199. as alfo vol. LXV, parti, p. 263.

- Phil. Tranf. Abr vol.11, p. H89.

• li. III. c. I. The fame able ornirhologifl: obfervcd Woodcocks-
which were brought, ro market during the month of Auguft at Nurem-
berg ; from whence he conckules, that they continue in that part of Ger-
niany throughout the year, which is only in 49^ North Latitude.

' Ornlth. Leipfig, 1769.

any

[ 213 ]

any part of England : our country therefore Is certainly not too
hot for them.

Woodcocks appear and difappear almofl: exa*5lly ahout tlic fame
time In every part of Europe, and perhaps Africa' : heat and cold,
therefore, feem not to have any operation whatfocvcr with regard
to the fuppofed migration of this bird.

But it may be faid, what fignifies proving the probahlllty of
woodcocks breeding in England, if it is not a known fliit that
they do fo ?

To this It fhould feem. there are feveral anfwcrs, as It is equal-
ly incumbent upon thofe who contend for migration, to fhew
that thefc birds were ever fcen on fuch pafllige.

Another anfwer is, aflc ninety-nine people out of a hundred,
whether fnipes ever make a ncft in England ; and they will im-
mediately fiiy, that they do not ; fo little arc facts or obfervatio.ij
of this fort attended to^.

But

s Shaw's Travels, Phyf. Obf. cK.li.

•' I have fcarccly ever been in company when this fubjcdt hath been
ftarted but that feme of thofe who were prcicnt have nuntioneci inlhince>
ofwooiicocks ncfts being found in diftereni: parts of ]',ngland j and :i
Suflex farmer near Cuckfield hath kept feveral, feeding tlum on worms.
A pair of fuch woodcockswerc given by this tanner to T.ord Montague
in December 1778. They were cock and hen, being called by the name
of Derby and Joan ; but one of them, after having furvived the journey
to London, and continued there a few days, died before it could b^ ftnt
to Cowdry.

In an aviary of the Infant Don Lewis's at St. Ildelfonfo, there were
many woodcocks ■ chocas] which had been kept there feveral \ears. In
this aviary there was a fountain, as aiio a pine tree, and fomc fhrubs, to
keep the ground always molil:, whilit the woodcockswerc Ihkev.ifc fre-
tjucntly fupplied with frcfh foils from the neighbouring foreft, as full of
worms \_cGmiiyiccs \ as they could be procured. Though thefc worms hid
rhemfclves in the fods, yet the woodcocks, by their fmell, foon found
ihcm out, darting their bills into the fods only as far as the noftrils;

after.

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[ 2H ]

But I fliall HOW endeavour to give fome other reafons why
woodcocks amy not only continue with us during the lummer,
but alio breed in large tradls of wood or bog, without being ob-
il-rved.

In the othe • parts of Europe all birds almoft are confidered as
game, or, at leait, are eaten as wholelbme food ; Ray therefore
mentions, that hawks and owls are fold by the poulterers at
Rome ; every fort of fmall bird alfo is equally the foreign fowler's
objcd '.

aAcr which, holding up their heads quite perpendicular, they fwallowed
the worm without the leail: perceptible motion in the throat. Hiftoria
Natural deEfpana por Guliermo Bowles. Madrid, quarto, 1775. p. 454.
A Aiend of mine alfo Taw feveral woodcocks in the menagery of Ver-
I'ailles during the month of Auguft, 1 748. Gifner likewife cites Longolins,
V ho had often fccn woodcocks fattened with n?eal, dried figs, and water,
which, *' roftris longilTimis hauriunt potius quam ducunt."

I fliould by no means defpair of having a breed of woodcocks in an
aviary if they were taken young from the neft, and brought up by hand ;
for, if there is no awe of man, why Ihould we expe<ft this only from Ca-
nary birds ? On this idea I prevailed upon a bird-catcher, who reared
young robins in the houfe, to put the next year a cock and hen of fuch
a brood into a breeding cage. In this experiment I prevailed with fonic
difficulty; but, to the bird-catcher's great furprife (though not fo to
mine), fivc ncftlings were not only hatched, but grew to be of their full
fize.

When birds are thus brought up, they not only have no dread of man,
but confuier him as their parent and bencfadtor, of which I have feen the
following proof.

Mr. Morifettc (a French Gentleman who had traded fewral years in
the Eaft Indies) took a houfe in Lambeth Marlli, where he raifed many
chickens by ovens. Thefe chickens not only rejoiced upon feeing any
one come into their little garden, but would frequently run up one's
legs ; and Mr. Morifettc was obliged to make an old woman frequently
fit amongftthem, as otherwife they pined, and did not feed heartily,

' In one of Boccace's Novels, a lover, who lives at Florence, drcfles a
falcon for the dinner of his miftrefs. Glornata V. Novel. IX. Ariftotle
likewife informs us that young hawks arc very fat and fweet. DeHifl.
An. 1. vi. c. 7.

2 An

L ^

[ ^<S ]

An Engllftiman does not confider, on the other hand, perhaps,
twelve kinds of birds worthy his attention, or expence of powder,
none of which arc ever (hot in our woods during the fummer,
nor are birds then difturbed by felling either coppice or timber.

But it will be faid, why are not woodcocks fometimes feen,
however, as they may be fuppofed to leave their cover in fearch of
food?

To this I anfwer, that woodcocks deep in the day-time,
whilft with us in the winter, and feed during the night''.
Whenever a woodcock, therefore, is flufhed, he is roufed from
his ileep by the fpaniel or fportfman, and then takes wing,
becaufe there are no leaves on the trees to conceal the bird."'

Whoever hath looked attentively at a woodcock's cvc, muft fee
that, from the appearance of it, the fight muft be more calculated
to diftinguifti objefts by night than by day'.

The fa£l therefore is notorious to thofe who cut glades in their
woods, and fix nets for catching thefe birds, that they never ftir
but as it begins to be dark, after which they return again by day-
break, when iheir fight even then is fo indifferent that they ftrike
againft the net, and thus become entangled.

No one with us ever thinks of fixing or attenduig fueh nets in
fummer for woodcocks, becaufe it is not then fuppofed that there

I

-m

I

I

" Almofl: all the wild fowl of the duck kirxl alfo fleep in thedav
and feed at night. Virgil therefore is millnken when he luppok-
aquatic birds fleep at the fame time with thofe of the land ;

pl<Sl':?.que volucrcs

Quneque facus late liquidos, oax<\uc afpcra dumis
Riira tcnent, Jd?nno pojit^e fu'j noCte filenti
Lenibant curas, &c.
' I conceive alfo. it is from the eve's looking fo dull that this I
generally confidered as being fo foolifli : hence the Africans c;
■woodcock /jammar el /jad^if, or the partridge's afs. Shaw's Thy
«h< ii.

■-tiir,c,

s I hat

)ird is
11 the

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[ 2^6 ]

is ;;iiy fuch binl in the ifl.ind ; if they tried this experiment, how-
ever, I muft own that I boHevc they would have fport *".

Dr. Reinhold Forftcr, F. R. S. who is an able naturalift, in-
formed mo, that the fowlers in the neighbourhood of Dantxick
kill many woodcocks about St. John's day (or Midfummer) in
the following manner, and that they continue to do fo till the
ifjonth of Auguft.

They wait on the fide of fome of the extenfive woods in that
neighbourhood, before day-break, for the return of the woodcock
from his feeding in the night-time, and always depend upon
having a very good chance of thus fliooting many of them.

The Dantzlckers, however, might be employed the whole
fummcr near thefc woods in the day-time, without ever feeing
fuch a bird ; and it feems therefore not improbable, that it arifes
from our not waiting for them at twilight or day-break, that
they arc ni\er obferved by Englilhmen in the fummer. If this
bird ihould, however, be feen in the night, it is immediately
fuppofed to be an owl, w hich a woodcock does not differ much
from in its f/ight.

" I would afk thofe -.vho will probably laugh at the verv idea of fuch
fport (which I do not, however, abfohitely infure), whether., if I was to
fend them to any j^art of the Britifh coaft to catch the true anchovy, or
tunny fifh, they would not fuppofe equally that it was a fool's errand.

Notwithlhmding, however, this inercdulity, I can produce the autho-
rity of both Ray (Syn. Pifc. p. 107.) and Mr. Pennant (Brit. Zool. ill,
p. 34. 36.) that the true anchovy is caught in the fca not far from Chef-
tcr, and aic tunny filli on the coall: of Argylelhire, together with the her-
rings, where they are called mackreljhirc.

Is It not ania/ing, however, that a fifh of fuch a fize as the tunny
fhould ncvLi- have been heard of, even by the Scotch naturalill SirRobert
Sibbald ?

Few will fuppofe, that the largcfl of the Britifli Groufe (commonly
called Black Game) arc to be tound but at a great dillance from London ;
\ct I have niyfeU'\yithin the fpace of two hours feen two different broods
of thefc birds in the neighbourhood of the New Forcft in Hamplhire.

To

[ 2^7 ]

To thefe reafons for woodcocks not being obferved, it may be
added, that the bird is commonly mute, and confequently feldom
dlfcovers itfelf by its call.

If It be ftill contended, that the neft or young muft Ibmetimes
be ftumbled upon, though in the centre of exteniive woods, or
large bogs, the filkin (or aberdavlne ") is a much more extraor-
dinary inftance of concealing its neft and young.

The plumage of this bird is rather bright than otherwife, and,
the fong, tliough not very pleafing, yet is very audible, both
which circumftanccs fliould difcover it at all times ; yet "Kramer
informs us, that, though immenfe numbers breed annually oiv
the banks of the Danube, no one ever obferved the neft.

This bird is rather uncommon in England ; fo that if I afk
when the neft was ever found within the verge of the ifland, it
may be confidered as rather an unfair challenge.

There is another bird, however, called a redpoll i", which is
taken in numbers during the Michaelmas and March flights by
the London bird-catchers, whofe neft, I believe, hath feldom
been feen in the fouthern parts of England, though I have
fecn tliem in pairs during the ftnnmer, both in the mountainous
parts of Wales and highlands of Scotland ''.

But I iliall now mention another proof that woodcocks breed in
England.

The Reverend Mr. Wlilteof Sclborn, who Is not only a wcU-
rcad naturallft, but an adivc fportfman, informs me, that he

" Brit. Zool, p. 309.

° Elenchus Animallum per Auftriam, p. 261. Vicnnte, 1756.

P Brit. Zool, p. 312.

■J This elegant little bird is very common in Hudfon's Bay, where It
feeds chiefly on the birch trees ; which being more common in the nor-
thern than fouthern parts of Great Britain, may account for the bird's
being more often fecn northward.

Ff hath

^■i;;

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hath frequently killed woodcocks in March, which, upon being
opened, had the rudiments of eg^s in them, and that it is
iifual at that time to fiufti them in pairs; Willughby alfo obfevves
the fanne'. '*

This bird, therefore, certainly pairs before its fuppofcd migra-
tion ; and cati it be conceived that this ftri£l union (which birds
in a wild flate i'o faithfully adhere to ') fhould take place before
they traverfe oceans, and when they cannot as yet have pitched
upon a proper place for concealing their neft and neftlings ?

Let us examine if this intercourfe before migration takes place
ill other birds, which are fuppofed to crofs wide extents of fea :
and a quail affords fuch proof.

I have been prefent when thefe birds have bcf n caught in the
fpring, which always turn out to be males, and are enticed to the
nets by the call of the hen ; quails therefore pair after they appear
in England.

But 1 (hall now confider the other two inftances of birds which
are feen with us in the winter, ;\nd are not obfervcd in the fuin-
mer ; I mean the fieldfare and redwing.

And, firft, let us examine, where thefe birds are aftually
known to breed : the northern naturalifts fay, in Sweden ; Klein,
in the neighbourhood of Dantzick, which is only in lat. 54." 30' '?
and Willughby, in Bohemia.

As

w

' B. HI. c. i.

^ It is believed that no nnilc-bird was ever fccn in a wild flate, not-
withllanding M. do Buffon fufpedls nianv an intrigue in the roccUls of
the wooJs (Hift. Nat. dcsOifeaux, torn. I.) Such irregular intcrcourlc i»
only obferved in cages and aviaries, where birds are not only confined^
bur jiampered with food.

' SeeKU'n, dc Avibus Erraticis, }. 178. Klein, however, cites Zor-

nius, wlio livet! in the fame part of Germany, and who alierts that the

I Mini us

[ 219 ]

As they therefore bulkl their ncfts la more Southern parts of
Europe, there Is ccrtauily no natural impofribility of their doing
{o with us ; though I mufl: own I never yet heard of but one in-«
ftance, which was a fieldfare's neft found near Paddington ".

I cannot, however, but think it is only from want of obferva-
tion, that more of fuch nefts have not been difcovered, which
arc only looked after by very young cixildrcn ; and the chief
objc«5t is the eggs, or neftlings, not the bird which lays them '.

The plumage tlicrefore and flight of the fieldfare or redwing
being neither of them very remarkable, it is not at all improba-
ble they niiy remain in fummer, without being attended to; and
particularly the redwing, which fcarcely differs at all in appear-
ance from thruflies. It is not alfo improbable, that the young
fieldfares, before they have moulted, may much refemble the
common thrufli. Thus the chough is by no means peculiar to
Cornwall, as is commonly fuppofed, but is miftaken for the jack-;
daw or rook.

i i

■f

',!■ If

iitrdus Hiaciis (or red vinj^) leaves thole parts in the fpring. The cir-

cumltaiicc thcrdbiL' or' the redwing's breeding in nuiiibcrs (per multilu-
di/ies) had erca[KHl the notice of Zornius, though he hath written a diller-
tiuioa on this lU'.ellion.

Is it at all Unpri/.ing, after this, that fuch dilcoverlcs, if made atal!,,
fliould not be comnionly heard ot ?

I have nut before referred to Klein, who hath written a very able
treatile, in which he argues againll the pulTibility of migration in birds ;
liccaulc, though Ilhou'.d be very hapjjy to fupport m\- poor opinion Ijy
his authority, yet I thought it right neither to repeat his fads, or ar*
giunents.

" See alio Hurl. Mifc. Vol II. p. 561.

^ Man)' birds alfu build in places of fuch difficult acccfs that boy^
cannot clinib to; birJs-aelling is confined aUnolt entirely to hedges and
low •llirubs.

F f 2 But

i ir

'Mi

i 1

BMBBiiii

ms&meam

[

220

]

^!i

i f!

iil

HI

But it mny be fa'ul, that tliefe birds fly in flocks during tlie
winter, and if" they remain here during the funimer, we fhoukl
fee them equally congregate.

This circumftance, however, is by no means peculiar to tha
fieldfare and redwing ; mofl: of the hard-billed flnging birds do
the fame in winter, but feparatc in fummer, as it is indeed necef-
fary all birds fhould durhig the time of breeding.

I (liall now confider another argument in favour of migration,
which I do not know hath been ever infilled upon by thofe writers
who have contended for it, and which at fn{\. appearance feems
to carry great weight with it.

There are certain birds which are fuppofed to vifit this ifland'
only at diflant intervals of 3'ears ; the Bohemian chatterer and
crofs-bill y (for example) once perhaps in twenty.

The fi6l is not difputed, tb.at fuch birds are not commonly
obferved in particular fpots from year to year ; but this may arife
from two caufes, either a partial migration within the verge of
our ifland, or perhaps more frequently from want of a ready know-
ledge of birds on the wing, when they happen to be feen indeed,
but cannot be examined.

I never have difputed fuch a partial migration ; and indeed 1
have received' a mofl irrefragable proof of fuch a flitting, from
Mr. White, whofe accurate obfervatlons I have before had occa-
fion to argue from.

y This bird varies much in the colour of its phimnge, and is fome>
times red.

The firfl account we have of their being feen, is in the Ph. Tr. abr. .
Vol. V. p. 33. where Mr. Edward Lhwyd fufpcfts them to be Virginia
nightingales, from their feathers being red, and had no difficulty ot at-
once fuppofing that they had crofTcd the Athintic.

The

[ 221 ]

The rock (or ring-ouzel) hatli always hitherto been confidered'
as frequenting only the more mountainous parts of this ifland :
Mr. White, however. Informs me that there is a regular migra-
tion ofthefe birds, which flock in numbers, and regularly viiit
the neighbourhood of Selborn, in Hampihire '.

1 therefore have little doubt but tiiat they equally appear in
others of our Southern counties; though it cfcapes common
obfervation, as they bear a fort of general refemblance to the
black-bird, at leafl to the hen of that fpecies.

I own alfo, that I always conceived the Bohemian chatterer
was not obferved in Great Britain but at very diftant intervals of
years, and then perhaps only a fingle bird, , whereas Dr. Ramfey
(proteflbr of natural hlftory at Edlnburgli) informs Mr. Pennant,
that flocks of thefe birds appear conftantly every year in the neigh-
bourhood of that city \

As for crofs-bills, they are fecn more and more In different
parts of England, fiace there have been fo many plantations
of firs : this bird is renwrkably fond of the feeds of thefe trees,
and therefore changes its place to thofe parts w-herc it can pro-
cure the greateft plentv of fuch food*".

This

wM

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I.:-,.!

^ See alfo Br. Zool. 111. p. 5^.

* Thefe birds are faid to be particularly fond of the berries of the
movintain-afh, which is an iinconimontree in the Southern parts of Great
Britain, but by no means fo in the North.

'' This bird fliould alfo, for the fame rcafon, be found from year to
year in the cyder counties, if it was true (as is commonly fuppofcd) thac
he is particularly fond of the kernels of apples, which it is conceived he
can inllantly extract with his very lingular bill.

Mr. Tuniftall, F. R. S. however, at my dcfire, once placed an apple
in the cage of a crofs-bill, which he had kept for fome time in his very
valuable and capital collection of live birds. Upon examining the apple
a fortnight afterwards, it remained untouched. The notion of this bud,
however, feeding on apple-kernels, is verv an'lenr. A. I). 1251, quiecliun
a.vcs mirabilcs <|UiC nunc^uam in Anji^lia antea \'dx crant, in pomeriis

mu\iaie

. ,1

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I'l.i if..

i 3 1

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This flitting therefore by no means amounts to a total and peri-
odical migration over leas ; but is no more than what is experienced
with regard to fevcral birds.

For example, the Brititli Zoology informs us % that, at an
average 40,000 dozen of larks are fent up from the ncighbo»rUood
of Dunftable to fupply the London-markets ; nor do I hear, upon
inquiry, that there is any complaint of the numbers decreafing
from year to year, notwithftandingthis great confumption.

1 fliould not fuppole that 500 dozen of fkyiarks are cauglit in
any other county of England ; and it fliouId therefore leem that
the larks from the more adjacent parts croud in to fupply the
vacuum occafioned by the London epicures, which may be the
caufe poflibly of a partial migration throughout the whole
idand.

I begin now to approach to fomctliing like a conclufion of this
(I fear) tedious diflcrtation : .1 think, however, that I fhould not
omit what a])pears to meat leaftas a dcmonftration, that one bird,
w liich is commonly fuppolcd to migrate acrofs feas, canLot poflibly
do To.

A landrail'', when put up by the fliooter, never flies 1 00 yards;
its motion is eKcefiivcly flcnv, whllll: the legs hang down like
thofe of the water-fowls whicli have not web feet, and wlilch arc
known never to take longer flights.

This bird is not very common ^\ 1th us in England, but is ex-
ccducly fo in IrtLind, where they are called corn-creaks.

Now thofe who coiUend tliat the landrail, becaufe it liappcns
to dlfappear in winter, muil: migrate acrofs oceans, are reduced to
the following dilemma.

ma\imc apparucrunt, pomorum grana & non aliud dc ciulcm pomis
comodcntes. Habcbant autcm partes roftric ancellatas, per f|uas ponia
(juafi forcipc dividerunr. Matthew Paris, p. 825. &c additamcnta,
p. a6.>

■= r. 2',^. ^ I?r. Zool. p. 3S7.

They

H li

[ 223 ]

They muft firft either fuppofe that it reaches Ireland periodically
from America ; which is impoflible, not only becaufe the paflhge
of the Atlantic includes fo many degrees of longitude, butbecaufe
there is no fuch bird in that part of the globe.

If the landrail therefore migrates from the continent of Europe
to Ireland, which it muft othervvife do, theneccflary confequcncc
is, that many muft pafs over England in their way Weftward to
Ireland ; and why do not more of thefe birds continue with U3 ;
but, on the contrary, immediately proceed acrofs the St. George's
channel ?

Whence Ihould it arife alfb, If they pafs over this Ifland peri-
odically in the fprlng and autumn, that they arc never obfervcd
in fuch paflhge, as I have already ftatcd their rate in flying to be
exccffively flow? To which I may add, that I never faw tliem rife
tx) the height of twenty yards from the ground, norexcefd the
pitch of a quail.

I have now fubmitted the beftanfwers that have occurred, not
only to the general arguments for the migration of birds acrofs
oceans, but alfo to the particular fitfls, which arc relied upon as
adual proofs of fuch a regular and periodical paflhge.

Though 1 may be poHibly mlftalcen in many of the coi\jc(51:ures I
have made, yet I think I cannot be confuted but by new fafts,
and to fuch frefla evidence, proper!" authenticated, I fliall moft
readily give up every point, which I have froni prcient conviitioik
been contending for.

I may tlicn perhaps alfo Ratter myfelf, that the having cxpreflrcl
my doubts with regard to the proofs liltherto relied upon, in fup-
port of migration, may have coutrlbiiled to lucli new and more
accurate obfervations.

It Is to be wlihtd, however, that thcfc more convincing and
ilecifive facts may be received from lllaudcrs (the more dilhuxt

from

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[ 224 ]

from any land the better') and not from the Inliabltants of a
continent ; as it does not fcem to be a fair inference, becaufe cer-
tain birds leave certain fpots at particular times, that they there-
fore migrate ncrofs a wide extent of fca.

For example, florks difappear in Holland during the winter,
and they have not a very wide tra^t of fca between them and Eng-
land ; and yet this bird never frequents our coafts ♦".

Tlic ftork, however, may be truly confidered as a bird of
paflage by the inhabitants of thofe parts of Europe (wherever
lituated) to which it may be fuppofed to refort dining the winter,
and where it is not fecn during the fummer.

I am, &c.

»■ \

• I would particularly propofc the iflands of Madera and St. Helena ;
to thcfe, I would alio add the ifland of Afcenfion (had it any inhabitants),
as likewifc Juan Fernandez, for the Pacifick ocean.

^ Kenipfcr however mentions that ftorks continue throughout tlvc
whole year at Japan,, vol.1, p. 129.

■ ! 1;

ESSAY

'k

J!

|. V;,

ESSAY

V.

ON THE TORPIDITY OF THE SWALLOW TRIBE,
WHEN THEY DISAPPEAR.

IN the foregoing treatife upon the migration of birds, the
appearance and dlfappearancc of the fwallow-trihe hath nc-
ceffarily been touched upon ; but I think It better to referve,
for a feparate difl'ertatlon, what more particularly relates to their
being during the winter in a ftate of torpidity.

I have for many years attended carefully to the motions of thefc
birds from the latter end of March to the latter end of April,
at which time I have travelled into, or returned from, North
Wales.

For the laft: twelve years the fpring feafons in that part of
Great Britain have been generally dry, the call winds prevailing
during the month of April.

The confequence hath been, that on my journey towards
Wales, or upon my arrival in the principality, I have perhaps
fccn a n:ra;;gling fwallow or fwallows ' ; but upon tlie wcatlier

growing

" As often mnrlins. I fliall here fubjoi 1 a letter which I receive, i
iVoin that inp;eiiious nnd oblervant nuturalilc the Rev. Mr. White, d'
Selbonie in llampdiire.

" Dr.AR SiH, S.-il'Gmc, Nov. 22, 1/77.

You cannot but romemlKM- that the 26th and 27Lh of hiil M.irch weic
very hot days; fo fuluy that every body conipiained, and \\ere niiiers

G

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I -rill

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[ 22rt ]

growing more fevcro, thc\ iiavc diuippcarcJ perhaps for a fort-
i)ight or more, (o tliat I ntvcr liavc been able to procure any,

thovigli

niulcr thofc k'nr»tions to which thc\ hud not been reconciled by gradual
approaches.

This fuddcn ruinnicr-like hear was attended by fvimmer coincidences;
for on thofe two d.i\ s the ihermometcr role to 66 iu the lliade ; many
fpecics of infeds revived and came forth ; fome bees fwarmcd in this
neighbourhuod ; the old fortoifc near LL'v^•es in SuHex awakened ami
came forth out of his dormitory ; and, what is moft to my prefeiit jnir-
pofe, many hoiile-fwallows appeared, and were very alert in many
places, and particularly at Cobham in Surry.

But as that Ihort warm period was fuccecdcd, as well as preceded,
by harfh fcverc weather with frecpitnt frofts and ice, and cutting winds,
the infedts withdrew, the tortoife retired again into the ground, and
the fwallows were feen no more until the loth of April, when the rigour
of the fpring abated, and a foftcr fcafon began to obtain.

Again: it appears by my journals for many years paft, that houfe-
martins retire, to a bird, about the beginning of October; fo that a per-
lon not very obfcrvant of fuch matters would conclude, that they had
taken their laft farewell ; but then it may be feen in my diaries alio that
confiderable flocks difcover themfelves again in the firft week of No-
vember, and often on the 4th day of that month, only for otic day ; and
that not as if in aftual migration, but playing about at their leifurc,
und fi.edinp; calmly as if no entcrprizc of moment at all agitated their
fpirits : and this was the cafe in the beginning of this very month ; for
*>n November the 4th more than twenty houfe-martins, which in ap-
pearance had all departed about the 7th of 0«5lober, were feen again for
that o?ie mottling only fporting in my fields, and feafting on infedts which
f.varmed in that flieltered diftridf. The preceding day was wet and
bkillering ; but the fourth was dark and mild and foft, the wind at
S. W. and the thermometer at 58^, a pitch not common at that feafon
of the year. Moreover, it may not be amifs to add in this place, that
whenever the thermometer is above 50 the Bat comes flitting out in
every auturan and winter-month.

From all thcfe circumftanccs laid together it is obvious, that torpid in-
feds, reptiles, and quadrupeds, are awakened from their profoundeft
ilymbers by a little untimely warmth : and therefore, that nothing fo
much promotes this death-like ftupor as a defcdt of heat. And farther
it is reafonable to fuppofe, that two whole fpccies, or at leail many in-
dividuals

[ «7 ]

though I have fent people out with guns to flioot them. My in-
ducement was to examine them upon their firft appearance, and
to fee in what phght they might be, both as to cafe and plu-
mage '' ; as alfb what tliey might feed upon before many winged
iufe(5ls are to be found.

Upon my return towards IL,ondon I liave commonly fcen five
or fix ikimming over the river Clwyd % near the g;itc of the town
of Ruthin, which is called Porthydwr.

After this, it hath commonly happened, that I have not ob-
ferved any of this tribe of birds but at the diftance of 20, 30, or
40 miles, and this always depending upon the approacii to rivers
or ponds, fo that I could be tolerably certain where I might ex-
pe£l to obfervc them.

Thefe clrcumftanccs fcem to me very dccifive, tliat fwalloWs
are concealed near the place where tliey begin to appear ; and on
firft: confideration of thefe fa&s it may be perhaps inferred, that
rhefe birds are all to be found under the water ; it muft however

dlviduals of thofc two fpecies of Brltlfh hirundines, do never leave this
illand at all, but partake of the fame benumb'-d rtatc ; for we cannot
hippofe that, after a month's abfence, houfe-martins can return from
font hern regions to appear for one vioriiinj^ in Novemher, or that houfe-
fwallows flioukl leave the diftridts of Africa to enjoy in March the tran-
fienr fummcr of a couple of days.

I am, with great eftcem.

Your obliged and humble fervant,

GiL. White.

'' 1 have been informed however by Mr. Cornilh, an ingenious natu-
rallll and Uirgcon at Totnefs, that he hath been more fortunate, and rli ir.
the ptunvjge of the birds look as uiual, but that their bodies are nuwli
emaciated.

" 1 need fearcely remind the reader of the old Greek proverb, trunll.itci"
into fo many languages, " that one fvvallow does not make in^ Ji>}in. ,"

G

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m\

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lariiiMiii

fcS'J I

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[ "3 ]

he lecol'ic^'^ecl, that the y probably procure more food m fuch fltiia-
tions v>licn on the whig, whatever may have bci.n thch* winter
r*. I'lK :ic<'. By the latter end of April the fwallow-trlbe appears in

I fJinll row ftate fuch fa^ls as I liave myfelf obfervcd, or re-
ceived troin Ingenious correfpondents, in relation to eaeh fpecles
of fwallow, aiui wltliout hefitatlon make my own inferences,
leaving them to be corrected by tliofe who maybe more fortunate
In collecling more declllve inflances.

I (hall bcrin with the Swallow, as Mr. Pennant does in his
Britifh Zoology ^ ; and premife that I mean the fpecles whofe tail is
moil: fork'd, and which is mark'd with a red ipot on the forehead
■and chin*". . •■ '

This bird appears the firfl: of its tribe, and (as I conceive at
Icafi) iiidcs Itfclf under water during the winter, becaufe, in the
few inflanccs where the relator hath been able to particularize
the fpecles thus found, it hath happened to be a fwallow.

There is fcareely a treatlfe on ornithology, written in the
Nortliern parts of Europe, which docs not allude to the fubmer-
fion of fwallows during the winter, as a fitft almoft as well
known as their peopling tb.e air during the fummer ; and becaufe
tlie name of Linn;eus Is rcipetfled by mofh of the Incredulous on
this head, 1 copy from him the following words in the defcrip-
tion of the bird.

" nirundo [_Ri,J]'cir, liabitat in £urop;v domlbus Intra tectum,

unaque cum urrica demorgltur, vereque emergit'."

t(

«> Vol.11, p. 282.

' This diilinguiihts t!ic bird at once to every reader ; huf, if I was to
call it the Hiruiuio Ruibea of Liniv.fus, few would comprehend what
bird I meant, as the continuing in the country is much more applicable
10 tlie fund martin.

* Syllema Naiurie, 1766. This authority indeed extends alio to
Martins

It

( 229 ]

It Is alfo clear from the cxpreflion of demcrgilur (though per-
haps not clalfical) that this naturahfl conceived thcfe hiids hid
•themfelvcs under water during the winter ; and it is to he oh-
fervcd, that he leems to have ftated It after a proper examina-
tion, hecaufe In the Fauna Sueclca, puhhlhed five years hefore,
he omils the mention of thiscircumftance R.

As the Inftances of iinding fwallows under water are mofl: com-
mon in the Northern parts of Europe, I fliall begin with the tef-
timonyof the inhabitants of that part of the globe.

Mr. PeterBrown, a Norwegian and Ingenious pnluter '', informs
me, hat from the age of 6 to 17, whilfl he was at fcliool near
Sheen ', he with his companions hath conftantly found f\\ allows
in numbers torpid under the ice, which covered bogs, and that
they have often revived upon being brought into a warm
room ^.

Baron Rudbeck, a Swedllh gentleman, who was not long fincc
in England, hath afllired me that this fi>5l was fo well known in
Sweden as to leave no doubt with any one.

m

c Ifaac Bibcrg, in his Diflertation on the Occonomy of Nature, read
before the Aeademy of Upfal, ftatcs the fubmerfion of f\vallo'.\s as a
known fad: in that jiart of the world.

Mr. Boyle took notice that fwallows live under frozen water in the
B:iltic. Birch's Hilh R. S. Vol. 1. p. [;'o.

The fwallows, bctbre they fink uinler water, fmsv xhc'n/iniL'oiijJb/jg, as
it is called, and cveyy o,ie knoic's. Bonioppidan, part II. p. 9S.

See many wcU-nttcftcd inftances of fwallows being lb found in the
Northern Parts of Germany. Klein.

'' Author of tb.e New Zoology. Me lives at N" 85. C;^ecn Ann
Street, Eail.

' N. Lat. 59.

•^ The belt wav, however, of awakening th.eni from rheir t(M-pid (late
is, to put them into one's bolom, or hold them in one's haiul, as Mr.
Cornilh, an ingenious Ivn-geon of Totnefs, in Devoniliiie, haih inforiiietl
me, who hath made nur.y curious experiments upcn bats in that
it ate.

i

iWHS

1

i

[

230

3

li'

Mr, Stephens, A. S. S. ini'orms me, that when he was 14 years
of age, a pond of liis father's (who was vicar of Shrivenham in
13c'rk(hire) was cleaned during the month of February, that he
picked upliimlclf a cluftcr of three or four fwallows (or martins)
which were caked together in the mud, that the birds were
carried into the kitchen, on which they foon aftTwards flew
about the room, in the prefence of his father, inothf r, and
others, particularly the Rev. Dr. Pye. Mr. Stephens alfo told
me that his father obferved at the time, he had read of funllar
inftanccs in the Northern writers. Though I have ftatec] thcfe
birds to have been either fwallows (or martins) I rather iuppole
them to have been die former, from their being found under
water.

The compilers of the Encyclopedic (art. Mort.) have inferted
the following obfervation and fa(5l in relation to fwallows dif-
covered in the fame fituatlon.

" Phifieurs olfeaux paflent aufli tout I'hyver fous les eaux, telles
" lont Ics b/rofhlt'I/es, qui loin d'aller fuivant I'errctir popuLiirc fort
*' accreditee, dans les cllmats plus chauds, fe precipitent au fond
" de la mer, des lacs, & des rivieres, &c."

It is tliere alfo ftated, that ^h•. Falconet, a phyficlan, living at
Paris, had feen in one of the provinces, " unemafledc terrequc
" les pecheurs avoient tlree de I'caue ; apres avoir lavee & debro-
" nillee, il appercut que ce n'etoit autre chofe qu'un amas d'hi-
*' rondelles," which, on being brought to the fire, revived, the
filhers declaring that this was not uncommon.

The late ingenious Mr. Stlllingfleet informs us, that one fwal-
low's being found at the bottom of a pond in winter, and brought
to life by warmth, was attefted to him by a gentleman of character '.

Some years ago the moat of Aix-la-Chapelle was cleaned during
the month of Odober, and the water let out for that purpole,

' Mifc. Tr. p. 106.

when

^i i|

t 23» ]

when on the iides of the moat, and much below the parts which
had been covered with water, a great number of Iwallows were
feen to all appearance dead, but their plumage not impaired.

DuTertre mentions, that a Ruffian of credit had told him,
that, a piece of ice in a village of Mufcovy having been brought
into a houfe with fwallows in it, they all revived "'.

There are feveral reafons why fwallows fliould not be fre-
quently thus found ; ponds are feldom cleaned in the winter, as
it is fuch cold work for the labourers, and the fame inftin^t
which prompts the bird thus to conceal itfelf, inftruds it to
choofe fuch a place of fccurity, that common accidents will not
dlfcover it.

But the ftrongeft reafon for fuch accounts not being more nu-
merous, is, that fadts of this fort are {o little attended to ; for
though I was born within half a mile of the pond near Shriven-
ham, and have always had much curiofity with regard to the
natural hiftory of animals, yet 1 never heard a fyllable about tins
very material and interefting intelligence till very lately.

Tothefe inftanceslmuftalfo add, that fwallows maybe conftantly
taken in the month of Oftober, during the dark nights, whilfl
they fit on the willows in the Thames ; and that one may almoft
inftantaneoufly fill a large lack with them, becaufe at this time
they will not ftir from the twigs, when you lay your hands upon
them. Tills looks very much like their begitming to be torpid
before they hide themfelves under the water.

A man near Brentford fays, that he hath caught them in this
ftate in the eyt oppofite to that town, even lb late as November.

I Ihall conclude the proofs on this firft head by the dignilled
tcftimony of Slgifmond King of Poland, who affirmed, on hlr.

•" Vol.11, p. 260. Paris, 1667.

oath,

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11

[ 23J ]

oath, to Cai-cliiiiir Commeiulon % that he had fiequently fcen
fwallows which were found at the hottom of l-akcs.

I (hall now proceed to the fecond fpecies of the fwallow-tribe,
called a nuirttn, which hath no colours but black and white, hath
a flioiter tail than the preceding, and builds commonly under
the eaves of houfes.

1 may be miftaken, but I fiiall here again hazard a conjedurc
that this fpecies does not hide itfelf under water during the win-
ter, but rather in the crevices of rocks or other proper lurking-
places above ground, as moil of "hofe which have been difcovered
in fuch fituations have been martins.

The inftances of this fort are fo numerous from all parts, that
to bring them within a moderate compafs I mull only felcd: a few
of them ; promifing thofe who are incredulous, that I can mort
readily furnifli many more than I Hiall now produce.

1 fliall begin with a letter dated at Towyn in Merionethfhire,
dated March 22 1773.

Extract from a Letter relative to torpid Martins.

" Sir, Towyn, Mericnethfljire^ March 22^ ^773i

I received yours ; nnJ according to your defire I made asmucii
enquiry as I could concerning the fv/allows. Richard Hugh, :>
boatman at Aberdyfyny, tells me, that he lived with Mr. Anwil
ahoiir twenty years ago, when they were found by Mr. Anwil
hiniklf, who ordered him, with fome others of his lervadts, to
go along with him to L-c them ; and the fiiid Richai>l Hugh
really believes that there were fome thoufands of them ; and Mr.
Anwil, with his oun hand, put fome of them into a part of the

" Sec t'.ic l<ifc of -.hat Cardinal, p. 21 1. Paris, 167 1, 4to.

clift

it!^

[ 233 ]

-clltF which remained i;ithc rock, they couKl at fail: fcaicely per-
ceive life ill them, but fooii they began to crawl a little, then
they carried fume into the houfe, and held them near the hre,
when they became pretty lively. Richard Ikigh cannot rccoUcifl
who was the perfon that faw them befide himlclf and Mr. Anwil,
neither can he remember exailly what month it was ; but ]ic is
ready to make oath, that it was a very uncommon time of year
to fee fwallows, and to the bell of his memory it was either the
latter end of January or the beginning of February. I went to
Mr. Cn-ifvith Evans at Tymaur, to alk whether he liad heard any
thing of them ; and he told me, that he now well remembers to
have heard Mr. An will tclHng a deal about tliem, how remaric-
able it was to fee them at fuch time of the year, and he believes
it was about twenty years ago ; and Mr. GrilFith Evans fays he is
pofitive that it is true. Alfo one Hugh Richard,' a very credible
old man in this town, fays, that he really heard Mr. Aiiwil
mentioning; their.."

I liavc another account of the fame fort with regard to fwal-
lows (or martin;^) being difcovered, about i6 years ago, at Yew-
..Law Caftle, near Ilawarden, in Flintlhire.

I have received alfo the fame kind of information relative to
torpid fwallows, in Carnarvondiirc, and Caftleton in Derby-
ihhc.

Sir William Beilers told the late Dr. Chauncey that he happened
to ll:t)p at a Fiihcrman's ho\ilc in Cornwall, whofe net had been
much torn by a large clod of earth, which, upon being examin-
ed, was very full of fwallows, that awaked from their torpidity
upon being brought near the fire. I Ihould rather fuppofe how-
ever that they were martins, from the clrcumftance of their being
found in a large clod of earth, which had probably chopt ftom
rhc bank a little wliilc before.

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[ 234 ]

By a letter from Dr. Finley, Provoft of the college of New
Jerfey, dated May i, 1765, to the late Dr. Chandler, and fooii
afterwards communicated to the Royal Society, it appears that
the fame notion prevails in America, with regard at leafl: to fome
fjpecies of their fwallows. Kahn alfo mentions their being found
torpid in holes and clefts of rocks near Albai\y °.

Dr. Pallas gives an account that on the i Pth of March a fwallow
(perhaps marthi) was brought to him, near Ufi, w'hich had
been found in a field, to all appearance lifdefs, but having re-
mained a quarter of an hour in a warm room, it flew about, and
Jived fome days, till killed by accident p.

Mr. Cornifh, an ingenious furgeon, who rcfidcs at Totnefs in
Devonfhire, was fifliing in the rivTr Dart, at the beginning of
November, 1774, and on a very warm day obferved fevera-1
martins ifluing from fome large rocks, overgrown with ivy and
thicket. On this appearance, at fuch a time of the year, he dt"
lifted from his amufement, tliat he might more attend to the
j-notions of thefe birds, which had been brought out of their
winter-quarters by the finencfs of the weather, the fun at that
time fliining ftrong on the rocks. They continuctJ to flit bach-
wards and forwards for almoft lialf an hour, keeping very near
together, and never flying in a direO- line, nor when at the far-
rheft above a hundred yards diftant from the rocks, clofcr to
which they now (as the fun lowered) begati to gather very fail.
Their numbers were then leffened confiderably, and in a very
Ihort time they all returned to the fifiures of the rocks, from
whence they had been induced to venture out by tlie warmth of
the evening. Mr. Cornifli concludes this account by aiierting
vt:ry pofitl\ely, tiiat there was not one fwallow amongft thefe
mnrtins "i.

" Vol. II. p. 146.

P P;illas's 'fravcls through the Ruffian Territories, part II. bookL
p. 13. Pctafburg, 1773.

"i Phil. Tranf. vol. L.XV. parti, p. 34^.

The

The faixio ingenious iiatutAlill: afterwards mentions, that hft
hath icon martins at Tutncfs in the months of December ' and
January, though he never obferved a fwallow at that feafon ; in
wliicli fi\d: he is confirmed by a perfon wliofe name is Didham,
and who {aw two martins on the 26th of December at a
place called SyfFerton '.

I fliall here fubjoin other fix5s of the flime kind, whicli I have
received from the llime good authority.

Mr. Manning, a furgcon of reputation in Kinglbridgc, when a
boy, and in fearch of fparrows nefts, on a headland called the
Hope, pulled out from under the tliatch of an uninhabited houfe
great numbers of fwallows (or martins) which he confidered as
dead, but they afterwards revived; and their number amounted to
more than 40. Mr. Manning recollects the fatfl at prefent as if
it had been more recent, and likewife remembers, that the
plumage was in perfcvSt order ; which was the cafe alfo with
fomc martins, which I received myfelf during the winter, from
Camerton in Somerfetfhirc, in which there was not the leafl mark
of put re fuel ion.

Another perfon drew out a great number of martins from the
wall of an old caillc in Wales during winter, and tlis heat of his
hands recovered fomc of them fo as to liy.

Agaiii, a plumber in Mr. Coniirti's neighbourhood hath made
a folemu dcpofition, that being at work on the leads of Foraby-
houfd (fituatedon the fea-coafl in Torbay) early in the fpring, he
found in fome of the cifterns fcveral martins : that he at firfl:
believed them to be dead ; but as they looked not at all decayed,
he began to fuppofe they miglit be only afleep, and that in con-
fequeuce of this idea, curiofity tempting him to hold one of them

' He obferved fome fo recently as the 7th of December, 1778.
^ Phil. Tranf. vol. LXV. part I. p. 346 and 349.

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[ 236 ]

in his hand for a few minutes, the bird became ftrono; enoiia:!i to-
fly two or three yards.

Kyrcher fpcaks of a deep cavern high up tiieTeverone, which
the mountaineers told him was never left hv the fwallows lu
winter '.

The Rev. Dr. Bofworth obfervcd five fwallows (or martins)
crerp out of the wall of Merton College, Oxford, during the
montli of January, which returned again to their dormitories on
the weather becoming colder.

Mr, Hooper, F. R. S. hath informed me, that martins were
{ci:\\ at Chrillchurch in Hampfhire folate as Chridmas, in 1772,.
when the flies alfo began to be troubkfomc. I f}\all here fubjoin
the words of a letter on this fubjeft from an cyc-witnefs, ** As my
*' neighbours and felf were ftanding in the churchyard", we told
" fourteen on the wing at one time, near the Eaft end of the
"church, and could fee others flying about over my houfe, and
" different parts of the town." Mr. Rickman went home, and im-
mediately wrote the following memorandum in his almanack :
" Dec. 9, 1772. Tills day a confiderable number of martins or
" fwallows were feen round the church. They were In indelinlte
" numibers (as during the fummer), and flew with as much ve-
" luclty as at that time of the year. They dtcrcr.lcd dally till
" the 23d of December, after which I have not heard of one being
" feen."

I have alfo received an account of two fwallows or martins ap-
pearing on the 2 1 ft of December, in this fame year, -o'rz. 1772,
at or jiear the town of Pool, in Dorlerfhire.

1 am lafHy Informed, by an inteliigent fervant of the I\iglit
Hon. Mr. Mdckenzie, that being with his mafler at Ix^rd Strafford's

' Latium Vctus.

" Sc. of Chrlllchurch.

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in Yorkfliire, feven or eight years ago, the latter end of October,
a converratlon began with the game-keeper about fwalknvj crofl-
ing the leas; which the game-keeper dllhcHcved, becaufc he faid
he could then carry any one to Tome neighbouring coalworks,
where he was fure of finding them by that time. On this many
of the fervants attended lum to the coalpits, where feveral mar-
tins were obferved in a torpid flate, but (hewed motions of life
upon their being- brought near to the fire.

Moft of thefe inflanecs arc fo well attcfted, that I conceive it
cannot be di/jiuted by any one, that martins at leaft appear occa-
fionally throughout the winter, whenever the w'eather is remark-
ably mild, and which agrees with what Sir William Ilamiltuu
hath informed me, in relation to his fcarcely ever pafiing between
Naples and Pozzuoll without feeing fome of thefe birds, when the
feafon at that time of the year was temperate.

With regard to the tiiird fpecies of fwallows,'the.fand martin,
1 have never been able to colledt a decifive inflance of their being
obferved at all during the winter, though polfibly fometimes not
dirtinguiihed from the more common martin ; I will not there-
fore pretend to conjc£lure what may be their peculiar lurking
places, though I conceive tjiat they undoubtedly have fucii. I
have however been negatively Informed that they are not found in
the holes where they make their nefts. This bird is commonly
fo diftant fiom the habitation of man, and is fo much in the dark,
that its habits are not eafily attended to.

As for the fourtli fpecies, called the -S'ttv//*, vvlileh is well
know^n by its fuperior fize, and being almoll: entirely black,
Linnaeus aflcrts, that it winters in the holes of churches''..

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' Hlruiulo Apus.

-' Tcmplurum foraminibus.

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I have however thp followhig luftanco of tlielr romctimcs chooluig
other places of coticeahiient.

The Rev. Mr. Willmnis of Blfliop's W'altham in iranipnihe
found three Swifts in tlie battlements of an old flint tower be-
longing to that town dining the winter, which being brought
into a warm room fliewed figns of life, hut afterwards hanging
them up in a paper bag clofe to the kitchen fire they were either
jliflcd by the clofenefs of the bag, or killed by the too great
heat. See alio an inlhince of three Swifts being found in an old
oak during the winter, which, on being laid before the fire, fooii
recovered Itrength enough to fly about the room, though they
died ioon after '. AriOotle indeed aflerts, that in Greece the Swift
never dil'appcars, 'paiy^roci ^o jj.^v uung ttutk:' UQm^.

I fhall now endeavour to corroborate thefe fatfls with recrard to
mofi: of the fpccies of fwallows being obferved during the winter
either in a torpid fi:ate, or on the wing, by feme other proofs,
which fcem to make flrongly againll the periodical migration of
iiich birds acrofs oceans.

Tliey who maintain this opinion, always fuppofe that thefe
birds pais to the northward uj^on the approach of fpring, in great
flocks; of which however I have not been able to find any in-
ftance in what hath been printed on this fubjeift, except what is
ihited in the Piiilofophical TranfatSlions, of a number having
lighted upon the lailsor Sir Charles Wager's fleet in the Channel.
I flatter myfelf alfo, that I have (In a previous ellay) fully an-
fwered any inferences to be drawn from this relation in fujijxnt
of migration; and mufl; likewiie repe-at, that fuch inlhiuces mufl:
happen as regularly as the return of the feafons, did fwallows
then pafs to the northward.

'■ Phil. Tranf. Vol. LXV. p. 347. and anotlicr inllance, p. 349.
^ Arill. de Hill. Aniai. L.I. c. i.

Bat

C -39 ]

But this is not all, as if I can depend upon my own obferva-
tlons, as well as thofe of others, fwallows fhould, according to
this fuppofition, always firfl: appear in flocks on the Southern coafl
of liiis ifland ; whereas tiiey are fcen but in fmall numbers, dif-
perfed almofl equally over all parts of it, and if any cold weather
'liappens they then immediately difappear, being obferved in the
fame numbers again when the mild weather is more confirmed,
and are afterwards joined by myriads from every lurking place
and retreat-
All animals are endowed witli a providential inftiniSt to avoid
what may be prejudicial to them, and therefore it lliould feem
that the fwallow tribe would never leave the coaft of Africa in
their fpring migration to the Northward till a month later than
they generally appear, as then there would be no occafion for a
fudden retreat on the frofts, whicli are fo frequently experienced
in the early parts of our fpring. Lving however in their torpid
ftate they cannot refiit the mild influence of the firft genial
weather, but know wliere to fccure thcmfeives when it becomes
fevere.

That the fwallow-trlbe are concealed during the winter, not
far from tlie place where they have been hatched, may be inferr§<l
from the following hS.s.

Mr. Stephens, F. S. A. hath Informed nic that martins con-
tinued to have a ncil for 16 years together in the hall of an old-
houfe which belongs to him at Camerton in Somerfetfliire,
tliough the door was conftantly fliut during the night, and fomc-
timcs for a few liours during day-light, when the parent birds
mufl: have been not a little impatient to feed their nedlings.

The fame fa6l hatli been attefted to me by Mr. S;\nxay, with
tscgard to the porch of a gentleman's Uoufe in Derbyfhire '', though

^ John Burrows, Elq> of Overftoin-, near Derby.

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the birds dkl not continue to build for fo many years a :> in tin. pre-
ceding inftance.

The following fa^H: relates to a fwallow which biiill for two
years tog tiier on the handles of a pair of garden fliocrs, that
were fluck up againfl: the boartls in an outhouic ; and, what is
flranger Hill, another bird of the liime ipeci(.'S made its nd\ on the
wings and body of an owl that happjneil by accident to hang-
dead, and dry, from the rafter of a barn. This owl, with the
ncfl: on its wings and eggs, was brought to Sir Afhton Lever, who
delircd the pcrlon that iurniihed him with this curiofity to fix a
large fhell where the body of the owl had hung. Thcpcrfon did as
he was ordered, and the following year a ncft was made and eggs
laid in the fhell by a pair of fwallows%

Now it is clear, from thefe wcll-atteftcd iiiflanccs, that both mar-
tins atid fwallows choofc to build, for a fucceflion of years, in tin:
fame place'', though an inconvenient one, and is it to be fup-

' The ncft, eggs, and fhell, arc now alio to 1)C fccn in Sir Allitoii
Lever's Mu!li.;iv..

'' K;ilin, in his aeeount of N. AnuMica, infoniis I's, that J)r. Frank-
lin's father lived near two rivers, in the one ol whieh herrings conlTiinily
were obferved, but not in the o;her. Mr. Fr.-.nklin thLnlore ni.idc an
experiment, by rttnoving ibnie of the fpawn, whicli oeeafioniiig a breed
in the fecond river, herrings were afterwards obferved at tlie pro]>er
feafon, as fretjviently as in the other, the grown herrings ck^politing
their fpawn vvhcrj they had been liatehetl themfelves. Ivahn, vok I.
p. 294. This fadt feems to prove that lilh, as uell as birds, al\va\«
l)reed in the fame places; and it ninv be therelore aiked wliv a hlnl ever
buikls a new ncft. To this I anfwcr, that ihc materials of fonje are
dcrtroyed by the winter; bur where ihey are not thus rendered ufelels,
and are out of the rcaeh of ni:.n, it is commonly obferved that tluj
fame neft, with fome trifling repairs, ferves for feveral years. M'itnefs
thofe of herons, kites, antl rooks, all of which I have iccn in the fame
field at SirNlehok'.s Haily's, in the iiland of Anglefey, and wlueh were
conftaniiy upon the hmc trees,

pofcd

[ =4' 1

pofcJ that they conflantly return to tlu; f;imo fpot from the court
ot AtVica, rather tluui they Ihuuld l)c torpid durinjy the whiter, hi
no very dirtant phicc ot concealment.

But they who mnintahi that Iwallows periodically leave Kurops
and proceed to Africa, rely much upon their being icen to
congregate not long before they dlfappear, which happens how-
ever with regard to many other birds, and the aiieml)lage conlilh
of the firfl: brood, wiio are left by their parents to ihift for them-
ll'lves, Iwallows and martins uniting.

I'his therefore fecms to arifc from fuch birds coufidering
thcmfelves as rather in a defencelcfs flute, unlefs

Defendit numerus.

That this is the flitft, particularly with the fwallow tribe, ap-
pears by the repeated obfervations of that attentive and ingenious
naturalift the Rev. Mr. White ^

It is well known that the fwallow and martin have two broods
every year, and confequently that their firft neftlings muft: be
abandoned by the parents : how therefore are the produce of the
firft nert to be condu(5led over the Atlantic from Great Britain and
Ireland, to Africa ?

How alfo can it be cxpcclcd, that tlie fccond brood, wiiich I
have known myfelf to be hatched in Oilobt-r, Ihnuld he equal to
fuch a paliaof, in which tlicy have no infev^s to feed upon, and
In whicli they never f(.cm to Jiave been obfcrved by any (hip at a
confidirable diftancc from land, or by any pcrfon on ftiorc, who
cati properly afl'rt tliat tliey were bent on inch periodical migra-
tion r

1 will here add an obfervation wluch relates to the Swift only.
This bird, by the Inigth of its wings, is certainly better calculated

m

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Of Sclboin;^, in H.inipfliiro. Soc Phil.Tranf. vol. I.XV. p. 261.

I 1 for

[ 242 ]

for a long flight than any of the fwallow-trlbe, ami yet it is the
latcft comer, and dhappears the earlieft of this whole genus ',
long before the infe*5ls on which It feeds are wanting.

But this is liot r.ii. When this bird is firft feen in the fpring it
is all over of a glofly dark foot colour (except their chins, which
are white) ; but by being for a confiderable time in the fun and
air, they become weather-beaten and !)leached before they dif-
appear « ?

Now would tiot this alteration in the colour be oct-aiioned by their
pafliige over the Atlantic, and do we not know that the quicker
the motion is, and the longer continued without intermifiioi>,
the more our own ikins and hair are changed ; and are we not to
fuppofe that the fame effetfts will be produced on the feathers and
hairs of other animals?

I will now beg leave to ftate another objedion to the migra-
tion of fwallows from Europe to Africa, which is, that if this
conjedure is true, the fame thing mull: hold with regard to the
Northern and Southern parts of Afin. On the contrary, I am in-
formed, that fwallows hide thcmfelvcs In the banks of the Ganges
during what are called the winter months in that part of lie
world. Du Tcrtre likewlfe mentions, that the few fwallows
feen in the Carlbbee Iflands are only obferved in the fummer, as
in France.

Now we are afllired, by Dr. Pallas, that they have not only
fwallows in Ruflia and Siberia, but that on the banks of the Okka,
which empties itfelf into the Wolga, in N. Lat. ^y^ on froft
taking place about the 4th of Auguft, they dlfippearcd for that
year ''.

f Viz. At the latter end of April and Auguft, Phii. Tranf. vol. LXV.
p. 264, ct fcq.

E Phil. Tranf. vol. LXV. p. 269.

'' Pallas's Account of his Travels through Ruflia,

I Thefc

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[ ^43 ]

Thcfc birds therefore (hould, according to the hypothefis of
migration, have been pafling to the more Southern parts of Afia,
but I do not find it obfcrved by any Afiatic traveller that they have
the Hime fpccies of hirundines with us, or that they are only ieea
in thofe parts during our winter.

Between what hath been advanced in the preceding and prefent
difl'ertations, the arguments againft the periodical migration of
fwallows have filled many pages, and it may be right to bring
them to a conclufion, by anfwcring an objedion which is mucii
relied upon by thofe who maintain the contrary opinion.

It is frequently alkcd by thefc, where and when the fwallow
inoults, if this does not happen in parts of the globe to the South-
ward of Europe.

To this I do not pretend to anfwer by informing them where or
when thefe birds change their featliers ; but I may equally alk
the queftion with regard to nine of the birds out of te<i which
have been defcribed by naturalifts, becaufe we are entirely un-
informed about this matter, except in relation to riiofc which
we ufually eat, or keep in cages.

It is true, that moft, if not all of thcfc, commonly moult with
great regularity ; but it is alfo known that there are often excep*
tions to every general obfervation or rule ; nor do I foe why it is
more neceflary that every bird ftiould moult, than that every fifli
Ihould not have wings, which would have been mofl confidently
maintained by the old naturaliils who were unacquainted with
the flying fifli.

Again, it is part of the known definition of a bird to be an
animal covered with feathers, and yet thofe of the Calibwary and
the Silky fowl of the Eaft Indies rather refemble hairs than plu-
iiiage ; and this is the cafe Co ftrongly with the latter, that it hatli

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[ 244 ]

given occafion to the impofition at Bruffels, where they are fhewn
as the mix'd breed of a fowl and rabbit.

I therefore do not conceive it to be abfblutely neceflary that
this tribe of birds Ihould change their feathers at all, or perhaps
tliey may do fo only the fecond or third year, and at a time
different from that in which other birds moult.

But I will now alk the dire£l queftion of the partifans of migra-
tion, whether the feathers are renewed whllil: the fwallow tribe
are in Africa during the winter ?

Now in all the birds which we are well acquainted with,
moulting begins in the autumn ; and therefore if fwallows drop
their plumage in Africa during the winter, it is nearly as much
contrary to what happens in relation to the change of feathers in
other birds, as the not being liable to any change at all.

It Is not nlfo abfolutely impoflible that thefe birds may moult
during the time of their concealment, to which the fa£t already
tnentloned of the Swift's plumage being moft bright and glofly,
when It full: appears in the fpring, feems to give fome coun-
tenance, and Ariflotlc aflerts, that thib happens to thcTfjvyujv (com-
monly rendered the turtle-dove) whllfl: it Is liid "'.

How little do we know, with accuracy, in relation to the re-
in wal of our own hair; which I rather believe to be brought
;ibout by fuch degrees as to be almoft imperceptible, nor are the
jialr-cutters, or frlfeurs, perhaps capable of gi\ing us any mate-
iial information on this head.

WliatLvxr weight, however, thefe anfweramay be thought to
cr.rry with them, it h ;is nuich incumbent upon thole who main-
t-ii: the migration of fwallows from Europe to Africa, to inform
v:S where and wlun thcv nioult, as it is ui-on tli^i)fe who deny

- 1 0

that thev pall from one continent to another.

' ?•;<?.■;, An.(l. Nat. Hill. L. vjii. c.iC:,

ESSAY

VI.

ON THE PREVAILING NOTIONS WITH REGARD

TO THE CUCKOW.

THOUGH it hath been fo impUcItly believed for centuries^
that the cuckoVv neither hatches nor rears its young, I
hope to be permitted to exprefs my doubts, with regard to this
moft unnatural ncgledt in the parent bird being general.

I find that this moft prevailing opinion takes its rife from what
is faid by Ariftotle, in the ninth book, and twenty-ninth chapter,
of his Natural Hlflory, who there aflerts, thas the cuckow does
not build a neft itfelf, but makes ufe moft commonly of thofe of
the wood-pigeon, hedge-fparrow, lark, (whicli he adds are on
the ground) as well as that of the x^pi? % which is in trees.

Now if we take the whole of this account together, it is cer-
tainly rict to be depended upon ; for the wood-pigeon '' and hedge

" The yj-c-jng is rendered Iti'eola', but, as there is nodcfcription, it is
dirTieuk to fay what Liird Ariftotle here alludes to ; Zinannl ft-ippoles it to
be the greenfinch.

'' The wood -pigeon, from its fi?,c, feenis to be the only bird which is
capable of hatcliing, or feeding, the young cuckow ; yet, if it is recoU-
ledhd that this bird lives on feeds, it is probable that the cuckow, whofe
nouriftimcnt is infeds, would either be foon ftarvtd, or incapable of di-
goiting what was brought by the fofter-parcnt. This objedtloa is equally
ijp])lic:ibic to the ^V'^-'i't? i^" i^' i- ^ur grccnlineh.

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i])airow do not biiUil ujjou the ground, and it is believed that
no one ever pretended to h.ive found a cuckow's egg- In the ncfl: of
a hirk, which, indeed, is fo placed. It is likewifc to be ob-
Icrved, that the witnefles often vary with regard to the bird in
whofc nell the cuckow's egg Is depolited "^ ; and Arlrtotle lunifelf,
in the feventh chapter of his fixth book, confines the fofter-
parents to the wood-pigeon and hcdgc-lparrow, but chiefly the
former.

In the age '^ of Arlftotle i? confidered, when he began to colletlj
the materials for his Natural Hlftory, by the encouragement of
Alexander after his conquefts in India % it is highly improbable
hciliould have written from his own obfervations. He therefore
fcems to have halHly put down the accounts of the pcrfons who
brought him the diltei-ent fpecimens from moft parts of the theu
known workL

Inaccurate, however, and contradictory as thefe reports often
turn out, it was the belt compilation which the ancients could
have recourfe to ; and Pliny therefore profefles only to abridge
Jilm, in which he often does not do juftice to the original.

Whatever was aflerted bv Ariftotle, is well known to have been
moft implicitly believed, till the laft century ; and I am convinced

' Thus LiniKEUs fuppofes it (in the Fauna Suecica) to be the white
l^•agtail, which bird builds in the banks of rivers, or roofs of houfea,
(See Zinanni, p. 51.) where it is believed no young cuckow was ever
found.

'' He did not leave the fciiool of Plato till the age of thirty-eight (or,
as fome fay, forty) ; after which, fomc )ears palled before he became
Alexander's preceptor, who was ^hcn but fourteen : nor could he have
written his Natural Hiftory, probably, till twelve years after this, as
Plin)' dates that fpecimens were fcnt to him by Alexander, from his
conqucfts in India. Ariftotle therefore muft have been nearly fvxty when
he began this great work, and confequently mull have defcribcd from
the obfervations of others.

f Pliny, L. viii. c. i6.

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that many of the learned In Europe would, before that time, not
have credited their own eyefight againft what lie had delivered.

There cannot be a ftronger proof that the general notion about
the ciickow arifes from what is laid down by Ariftotle, than the
chapter which immediately follows, as it relates to the goatfucker,
and ftates that this bird fucks the teats of that quadruped.

From thir. circumftance, the goatfucker hath obtained a fimilar
name in moft languages, though it is believed no one (who thinks
at all about matters of this fort) continues to believe that this
bird fucks the goat *", any more than the hedgehog does the
cow.

I beg leave, however, to explain myfclf, that I give thefe
reafons only for my doubting with regard to this moft pre-
vailing opinion in relation to tlie cuckow ; becaufe 1 am truly
fenfiblc that many things happen in nature, wh.ich contradi*ft
all arguments from analogy, and I am perfuaded, therefore, that
the firft perfon who gave an account of the flying fiih, was not
credited by any one, though the exiftence of this animal is not
now to be difputed. All that I mean to contend for is, that
the inftances of fuch extraordinary peculiarities In animals, fhoul J
be proportionably well atteftcd, in all the ncceflary circumftances.

I muft own, for example, that nothing (hort of the following,
particulars will thoroughly fatisfy me on this head..

^ Sec Zinnnni, p. 95. who took great pains to- dctcd: this vulgar error,.
Though it now is iigiccd both by Ray Biiffon and Pennant, that the por-
cupine docs not fhoot its quills, yet this notion will continue to be be-
lieved perhaps for centuries, and Linnanis h;ith ftated in the 12th edit.
of" his Svllema Natura;, " quod fpinas in hoffcm jacularc valet non extra-
hcndas." Bolman alio in his voyage to Guinea aflcrts, that the animal
really does fo. We are always ready to fuppofc that vvc fee wliat \vc have
no doubt with regard to. How long was the poifonous cffcdt of the
Tarantula, and Ants hoarding for winter, credited .'

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The hedge-fparro\v''s ncft muft: be found with tlie prnjier eggs
in it, which fhnuld be dcitroycd by the cuckow, at tlie time fhe
introduces Iier lingle egg p. Arillotle afl'erts this to be the t\\ti ;
but Phny lliys, all the eggs are hatclied.

The neft fliould then be examined, at a proper distance, from
,day to day, during the hedge-fparrow's incubation, as aho the
motions of the fbfter- parent attended to, particularly in feeding
tlic you4ig cuckow, tlil it is able to ihift foritlclf ''.

As I have Httlc doubt that the Jafl:-mentioned clrcum (lance will
appear decifn'e to many, without the others which I have required,.
it may be proper to ftate my rcafo!is, why I cannot confider it alone
•as fufficicnt ; though Willougliby gives it as hi? chief argument
for believing the popular notion.

There is fomething In the cry of a neftling for food, which af-
fects all kinds of birds, almoll: as nnich as that of an infant, for
the fame purpofe, excites the compailion of every human
liearcr.

I have taken four young ones from a hen flcylark, and placed in
their room five neftllng nightingales, as well as five wrens, the
greater partof Vv'hich were reared by the fofter parent',

s I could alfo wjfli that the follov.'ing experiment was tried. When a
hcdgc-lparrow hath hud all her eggs, a fingle one of any other bird, as
large as a cuckow, might be innoduced, after which if cither the ncft
was dclcrted, or the egg too large to be hatched, it w ould afford a ftrong
prclumption againft this general opinion : and would alfo fliew whether
the cuckow throws out the five eggs of the hedgc-lparrow, and whether
the finglc cuckow egg is depofited upon removing the firft or all of them ?

'' A notion prevails in many parts, that the hcdge-fparrow is at laft
fwallowcd by the cuckow.

' I am perfuaded that a cuckow is oftener an orphan than any other
neftling, bccaulc, from the curiofity which prevails with regard to this
bird, the parents are etenvally ihot.

It

'[ 249 ]

It can hardly in i\m experiment -be contended, that the flcyl.irk
nilftook tlicm for her own nefliiugs, becaufe they dlfK?rcd greatly,
not only in number andfize, but in their habits, for nightingales
and wrens perch, which afkylarkis almoft incapable of, though,
by great aifiduity, fhe at laft taught herfelf the proper equilibre of
the body. If ducks are turned over to a hen turkey flie will gene-
rally take as much care of them as of her own brood, and I have
been moft credibly informed, that a rabbit' hath been rear'd by a
cat. Lucretius is therefore miftaken when he afligris the follow-
ing reafon for each fpecies of birds not varying from tlie proto-
type":

Nee ratione aliA proles cognofcere matrem.
Nee mater poflet prolem. ..'

I have likewife been witnefs of tlie following experiment : two
robins hatched five young ones in a breeding cage, to which five
others were added ; and the old birds brought up the whole num-
ber, making no diftintillon between them.

The Aedoldgie alfo mentions (which is a very fenfible treatife
on the nightingale ^) that nefllings of all forts may be reared in
the fame manner, by introducing them to a caged bird, which is
fupplied with the proper food. In the fame manner the duck-
lings hatch'd by artificial heat in China, are immediately put under
old ones, who nurture them '.

Not only grown birds, however, attend to this cry ofdiftrefs from
nefllings, but young ones alfo which are able to fliift for tliem-
felves.

I have feen a chicken, not above two months old, take as rnuch
careof younger chickens as the parent would have fhewn to tliem
which they had loft, not only by fcratchingto procure them food,

" Paris, 1 77 1.

^ Mandcflo's Travels, p. 225.

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but by covering them with her wings ; and I have little doubt but
that fhe would have done the f ime by young ducks.

I have llkewife been witncfs of neftling thruflies of a later brooJ

being fed by a young bird which was hatched carlief, and which
indeed rather over-crammed the orphans intrufted to her care ; if
the bird however erred in judgement, (he was certr.inly not de-
ficient in tcndernefs, wliich I am perfuaded flie would have
equally extended to a neftling cuckow.

An inftance moreover is recorded by Dr. Birch of two pi-
geons (not more than feven weeks old) fitting on fuppolititious
eggs, and not only hatching, but rearing them ">.

If it is confidefed, that with regard to the nurture of young birds
there can be no difficulty but on the part of the darh, half the
wonder of many of the foregoing inftances muft immediately
ceafe, when it is recollc£led, that if neftlings perfedly fledged
are taken, they are as ready to receive their food from man as
from the parent bird, and are as clamorous for it. As thefe ad-
vances are therefore conftantly made on the part of the infant
brood, there can be but one reafon for withholding the food that
is implored, which is the fofter-bird's being a hen, with a large
brood of her own, under which circumflanccs even it hath been
proved that fhe is .villing to rear them, for there feems to be a
pleafiKe and perhaps pride in other animals, as Well as man, to
have their dependents. Nor is aflidulty wanting on the part of
the neftlings to prefcrve the continuance of this protedtion by
every coaxing endearment on their part, which, if man becomes
the foflcr parent, is equally (licwn to him. Nor is this
merely diHimiilation, in order to procure food and nurture,
for they are enlivened by his prefcnce after a hearty meal, and

Sec a letter from Dr. Wallis, ITiflory R. S. vol, I. p. 313.
I pine

[ '-5' 1

piiic during his abfcncc. A French gentleman, vvljofe n.imo l.s
^To^lfctte, hath (hewn me frequent proofs of this In hi^ young
chickcna, which were hatched in ovens. Thefe of courfe were
fed hy his fcrvant till they were of an age to be turned Into.a little
garden, when they would not run about, and- feed kinJjy, unlefs
the old woman was prcfent who had reared them, and who there-
fore had a particular feat, in wliich fhe continued the grcateft part
of the day, whilft the chickens played round her, and eadeavoufad
to jump into her lap.

The young cuckow therefore being fed by a hqdge-fparrow or
other bird feenis to atibrd no irrefragable proof of having hatched
the cuckow's egg, bccaufe, if (he hath young ones of her own, it
appears from fome of the preceding fafts, IhewlU probably tak.:
to this large foundling, and much more fo if fhe hath, loft her
own brood, or perhaps they hav^e forfaken her, on being com-
pletely fledged.

A cuckow is certainly a gigantic orphan to be nourifhed and
protc61ed by a hedge-fparrow ; but all animals love fociety, let the
diiparity in fize be what it may.

I (hall here, on this head, fubjoin part of a letter which I have
received from my often -mentioned correfpondent the Rev. Mr.
Wiiite, of Selborn, in Ilampfhire.

" There is a wonderful fpirit of Ibciality in the brute creation
independent of fexunl attachment. The congregating of grega-
rious birds in the winter is a remarkable inftancc. Many horfey,
though quiet with company, will not ftay one minute in a field
by themfeJves ; the ftrongeil fences cannot reftrain them. My
neighbour's horfe will not only not ftay by himfelf abroad, but
he will !iot bear to be left alone in a ftrange ftable, wlrhout dif-
covering the utmoft impatience, and endeavouring to break the
rack and manger with his forc-fixt: lie has been known to leap

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cut at a ftable-wlnclow after company ; and yet, In other rerpe(fls,
is remarkably quiet. Oxen and cows will not become fat by them-
felvcs, but will negle£l the fincft pafture tiiat Is not recommended
by foclety. It would be needlefs to inflance in fheep, which
conftantly flock together.

But this propenfity fecms not to be confined to animals of
the fame fpecies ; for we know a doe, ftill alive, that has lived
ever fince it was a little fawn, with a dairy of cows; with them
it goes a-ficld, and with them it returns to the yard. The dogs
of the houfc take no notice of this deer, being ufcd to her ; but if
fiirange dogs come by, a chace enfues ; while the maftcr fmiles to
fee his favourite fecurcly leading her purfuers over hedge, gate,
K)r flile, till (he returns to the cows, who with fierce lowlngs and
menacing horns drive the afliiilants quite out of thepafairc.

Even great dlfparity of kind and fize does not ahvays prevent
focial advances, and mutual fellowflilp ; for a very intelligent
perfon aflured me, that In the former part of his life keeping
but one horfe, he happened alfo on a time to have but one folitary
iicn : thefe two incongruous animals fpcnt much of their time
together in a lonely orchard, where they faw no creature but
each other. By degrees apparent regard began to take place?
between thefe two fequtflred individuals. The fowl would ap-
proach the quadruped with notes of complacency, rubbing her-
felf gently agalnfl his legs ; while the horfe would look down
with fatisfidion, and move with the grcatcfl: caution and cir-
cumfp.ftlon, left he fliould trample on his diminutive companion.
Thus by mutual good offices each fcenu.'d to confole the vacant
hours of the other. So that Milton, when he puts the folJowinjr
fcntlmcnt In the mouth of Adam, ilcms to be fonicwhat mif-

taken :

*' Much lefs can bird withbcaft, or fifli wi'.h fowl,
*' So \^M couvcri't ; nor \\'\'.]\ the on the ape"

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[ ^53 1

The bare fa£l therefore that a hedge-fparrow, or other fmall
bird, being obferved to feed a young cuckow, is by no means
fatisfadlory proof that the cuckow's egg was liatcheJ by lucli a
dam, cfpecially as Ihe muft have continued to fit after her own
five eggs liad been removed ; nor can we fuppofc that the cuc-
kow could have depofited her fingle egg, without having per-
ceived the intr'.iion of fo large a ftranger.

Can we prefumc again, that hedge-fparrows are not like other
birds created to propagate their own fpecies ; but, on the con-
trary, chiefly for the purpofe of hatching and feeding young
cuckows ?

That diftinguiflied anatomlfl: Mr. Hunter hath difle£ted feveral
hen cuckows ", and found that they are as well formed for incu-
bation as other birds " ; but fuppofing that they were not fo, why
does not the cuckow pitch upon the neft of a thrufli or black-
bird, rather than that of a hedge-fparrow, as both neft and dam
of the former are fo much nearer to the proper fize, and the
young cuckow therefore muft have an infinitely better chance of
being reared ?

But other objedions remain to the popular opinion, as, till all
the proper circumftances are proved to. eftablifli the fad, wc muft
reafoii from analogy.

If the hedge-fparrow (or other fmall bird) is a complete
mother to the young cuckow, ftie muft not only dlfregard the
removal of her own five eggs, but the colour of them, for the

" Which wcreflaot ia the ifland of Benifle during the winter.

" This is not the cafe with the o(h-ich, which leaves her eggs in the
land, the legs of that bird being fo long as not to be dii'pofed of under
lier body, which woukl be fcorched by the burning foil, as likcvvlfc
the cy.clufion of the young too much accelerated by the united warmth
of the fands and the dam. It need fcarcely be obferved, that an oftrich's
neft muft be on the ground..

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(•u^;ko\v*j t^g is htjt ofiJy mitcii larj»\'r, but' is of a cllity yellow
Ipottcil \\\tl\ l)l;iel<, wlieicas her ov\ii iirc -of a Htic. pale blue.

Again, all other lu-ftlings, whiUl callow, want to be covdrcd
by the pluinagc of the clam ; but how can this gigantic orpiiau
receive ruch warmth rVom a hri^ge-lj;>Trrow?

^'hc timt', moreover, of the egg being hatched, is conimonly
in proportion to its lize, the hcdgc-fparrow therefore would pro-
bably atlandon it, fuppoling it to be addled. I mull alfo alk \viiiit
"is to become of the hen cuckow during the time that the ••dp,«^
fpnrrovv is pertbrming its parental functions ; is fhe em])]oyetl
from day to day in dropping her fuiglo; egg into other ntlls, in
which circumifance likewil'o Hie dirters from almoft every other
bird, as I do not recolletft an inllancc of lel"s than two, and the
greater part lay five ?

It will undoubtedly be urged, however, that all rcafons from
analogy are of little weight againlf politivc fads, to which I moil:
readily attent ; but though I have made many inquiries about this
extraordinary notion, I never could hear evidence of any other clr-
cumlhnce to fupport it, except that the young cuckow had been
fed by a fmall bird ; which I hope to have fhewn is by no means
fufficicnt to prove that it was alio hatched by the hedge-fpar-
row. Of this latter circumftance nothiiv lefs than the hcdge-
Iparrow's eggs being removed by the cuckow, her own fmgle egg
ilibftltutcd in the place, and afterwards hatched, will convince
me, as the proof of what contradldts the general laws of nature
mufl be proportionally ftrong.

On the contrary, I have received feveral well-attefted inftancc^?
of cuckows hatching and feeding their own neflllngs, which I (hall
here ftatc.

I have been favoured by that eminent naturallfl Mr. Pennant
with the following, from a MS diflertation of Dr. Dcrham's :

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"The Rev. Mr. StafTbrJ was v/aiking in Bloffop-daleP, and
** faw a cuckow rife from its ncft, which was on the ftump of
" a tree that liad been fome time felled, fo as to refemblc the
*• colour of the bird. In this ncft were two young cuckows ;
** one of which he fliftened to the ground by means of a peg and
** line ; and very frequently, for many days, beheld the old
** cuckow feed tlicfe her young ones."

I have been alfo furnifhed with two other inftances of cuc-
kow*s nefts, and the propi^r parents feeding their young, within
four miles of London, and likewife on the S. Weflern coaft of
Merionethftiire.

I remember myfelf having been in Hcreforilfliire, not many
years ago, when a girl brought a young cuckow to the houle
where I happened to be ; and on my aiking what fort of bird it
was fed by, the girl anuvered, by fuch another, only fomewhat
larger.

From thefe fa£ls it muft be allowed, that all cuckows at leaft
are not the unnatural parents they are commonly fuppofed to
be.

I muft liowever here repeat, that though T cannot hut diftruft
the commonly received opinion from the time of Ariftotlc to the
prelcnt, that 1 by jio means take upon myfelf peremptorily to
deny it, as I do not want to be convinced, that the general
rules and inftindl by vvhicli animals are aduated, may fometimes
be broken through, notwithftanding the reafon for fuch c>:ccp-
tion may not be very obvious.

I muft however dcfu'c thofe who may perhaps be rather afto-
iilHied tliat any one ftiouUl prcfumi; to doubt what is Co generally
credited, to recollcift whfit hath happened with Regard to the

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goat- fucker's fuppofed fucking the teats of quadrupeds, tlic
hlte of the Calabriau tarantuhi, the porcupine (hooting its quill?,
or the effecls of the moon upon madmen, though they are called
lunatics.

The true philofophical temper is neither to credit nor diil)e-
lieve extraordinary fads too haftily :

Nil fpernat auris, ncc tamen credat ftatim.

Ph^-edrus.

Another notion with regard to the cuckow prevails, that dur-
ing the winte:- it conceals itfelf in the flumps of trees, and which
perhaps is as well attefled, as the young cuckow's being hatched
by the hedge-fparrow.

" Certuin eit cuculum hyeme latere in concavis arborum et
" lapidum"!/'

" Cuculus hyeme in terrifi lapidum et arborum cavis fe abdit,
*' in iil'que per totam hyemem latet '."

*' Cuculus hyeme occultatur '."

" Cuculus hyeme in cavcrnis arborum latet, muta procedit
'« vere, &c. '.

Willoughby relates, from Jo. Faber, a cuckow's being found
in the winter which lived the two following years. He alfb cites
Aldrovandus for the fame notion ; as likewife accounts he had
heard from his countrymen, though upon the whole he rather
fuppofes this bird to migrate during the winter.

Though many of thefe citations are from men of learning, and
pofitively affert cuckows being thus found, I (hall leave them to

1 Gcfncr citing Albert.

f Johnfon's Nat. Hlft. Amflcrdam, 1659, fol.
'' Raczynlky Nat. Hirt, of Poland, p. 277. Sandomlria;, 1721.
Sell wcnfcJJ's Hifloria Avium Silefue. Lipfiic, i6oo.

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[ "SI ]

the rc.iJcr's iuJooineiit, the fa£l is as ci'ccllblc as that the ynuno

is hutclicd and rcai\:d by the hcdge-fparrow, and pcrhnp.; iK'ttcr

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Aiiotiicr iiDtioii is very i^ircvalcnt, that a _yourig ciKko\v never
lives long enough to make its call in th.e llicceeding Ipring.

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nave uiqun-Ltl mucl) with regard to the truth i)f this opinion,
anil never could heai ot but one inlhince ", in addition to th:it
before cited from Geliier, which was from a Ihopkteper in II, il-
born, who informed me, that he had known this bird to h;ive
lived more than two years in a cage. I have myfcif indeed leen
two cuckows, which having been reared by hand, did notdic tii]
the latter end of March, and appeared a few days before to be
in perfeifl health.

'I'here feems to be little doubt therefore, that cuckows having
lived ten or eleven months may il:ill I'urvive tins critical period
of the fuccceding fpring, and I fhould conceive that the oc-
cafion of their ulually dving about that time is the following-.

WlUougliby informs us, that he difl'etled the Aomach of a
cuckovv, and found in it caterpillars, with other infeets ; when
a young bird of this kind therefore happens to be caught, the
fuccedaneum is commonly raw meat, cut into fmall pie:cs,

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" I have mofl recently indeed been furniflicd with another in-
ftancc :

A very creditable old woman, who fupplicd Newgate-market '.vith
live poultry, hath frecjuently informed her eufto.mers, that having reared
A young euekow, it difappeared during the whole winter, ami was con-
cluded to have been killed ; but in the fpring it crejit out of its lurking-
place, and was afterwards very lively- This old woman died abouL
lo vears ago, aged 90, and was known by the name of Mother Bent-
ham.

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[ 258 ]

vvJuch equally anfwcrs for other neftilngs who live on the famt
food '.

All animal,^ tliroughout the creation eat as long as they can
fwallow, if they have plenty of food before them ; and man only
forbears what is equally pleafant to his palate, from the confi-
deration of the bad confequences to his health, as alfo from the
convenience and good fociet^'^ which attends Hated meals.

Thole animals winch arc granivorous feem to thus fatiate
tlicmlelves with impunity ; fome of thefe however chew the
cud afterwards ; and in thofe which do not, grafs is certainly a
food of very light digeflion.

Carnivorous animals, on the other hand, have not their prey
always lying before them, and are on that account calculated for
long fafts. If you conftantly fupply them therefore with what they
are at all times reuuy to devour, nature is counteradled, and the
animal is fhort-liv'd.

Now I confider birds which live on infe<51:s as carnivorous, and
Linnaeus indeed aflerts, that cuckows devour fmall uirds in the
autumn ^ ; I am for this reafon pe: fuadcd, that the neitlings reared
in a cage die by over cramming themfelves, when the bad effefts
of repletion are more likely to be experienced, as tlie ipring
approaches.

It is much to be wiflied indeed, for the illuflration of Zoology,
that many birds were not only reared, but kept for years in cages ;
nor is this i'o difficult a feat to accomplifh as many may fup-
pofc.

" Robins, for example ; but as they ^row up it is commonly changed
for vegetable, 01 t leall great part of their food.

y 1 have fomt oubts with regard to the truth of this obfcrvation, as
alfo wh;U the ftimc natunillft alfcrts about its devouring the folter water-
wagtail.

I have

'1' i

[ 259 ]

I have before obferved, that raw meat cut uito flicos propor-
tionable to the fize of the neftHng is a good fucccdaneiim for in-
fects, as is the common fubftitute given to young canary birds.

for thofe nefth

<'lnch \'i

the prod I

:tabk

note neitlmgs wnicn nveon tne proauce or vegetables.

When the young ones are properly fledgM the dam fhouIJ be
taken with them ^ ; aft. which Ihc will Imnudla^ely feed them,
at leaft I have feen frequent inftances of ^his iu rol/ins and fl<v-
larks ; nor can I conceive that tlie parental u". :('y>i can be ccnfmcd
merely to thefe birds only. If the dam l;o\vev,r cannot be
caught, they who mean to rear the nelUings by hand Hiould
Imitate her, in not cramming tliem too much, for flie does not
feed her young oftner than in five minutes, and then with a very
fmall portion. If the neftlings alfo are hung in a cage near tlic fjiot
where the reft was found, the dam will generally feed them ; but
fuch young birds are often deftroyed by vermin, and are feldom
very tan\e, though they may indeed be rendered fo with no great
trouble ".

I once prevailed upon a bird-catcher to try whether he could
not rear fome young martins by the promite of a guinea, if any
one of them lived till Chrillmas ; he did not catch the dam,
however, as I wilhed him to do ; and having fed the nefllings

'• By birdlime, properly difjinfcd nonr the nrft, or in fcvTie fir.iations
bv a net being pur over her. The cock bird will alio ice>.i the _\'oung
bi!i" U not lb much to be d-'pcndcd npo.i as the hen.

■' The bell means for effecting this is, to fiic-v the animal thi'.t it is
ahfolutely 'n your power, and that \ou nie;in n'j'-Aiihibntding !o ulc it
i:ir,dlv. lake ihcrvtbrc a bird which hath been jult e;inght, and tarry
it into a d;.rk place, letting it perch upon your tingrr. The bird, in
this fituation, docs noi ftir, and lliould be Ih'oakcd with I'nc other hand,
whiUl occafionally it is permittcil lo pcrcli upon anot'ncr finger, placed
iinUer its breaib In nine or ten minutes introdi^rc 'onie lig'nt b) de-
grees, and many luiall birds will inibmtanunillv t..-.:d out ot your
hand.

TJ 2 for

■if.
■' , *

-.t

m

l>>iWjriftBiifai*

. -JJ'^n^.

amrttwymiwiiiii"" tth'^'iii

i

[ 260 ]

lor ten oiiys, vAicn tliey co-akl fly, tlic whole brood died, by
\\iiich he was io dilcoi-ragcd as never to have repeated the ex-
jieiinienr, tluvagli it Ihoiild Cccm, that having lived ten days
t!;cy n)ig!:t have lurvived as many months, and perliaps years.

As thtle birds were martins, it perhaps might have been ex-
jX'dcd that they fliould have been torpid during the winter; but
thi? (IccrijiP' date does rot take place with Ibme other animals

JO ■*■

of the lame h.alits, when they are iupplied with food and warmth,
wltncfs the bear, the viper, and the common fly, which under
thefc circumftances are not only awake, but chearful and alert.

It is fcarcly neceflary to refute another vulgar error, which feems
to have taken its rile from what is mentioned by Pliny, as he fup-
pofes the cuckowto become a hawk at 'the approach of autumn'',
and which pofllbly is alfo the occafion of the notion that it preys
upon fmall birds at the fame time of the year ; this aflertion being
likcAvife advanced by the flime authority.

Befidcs other material dlllindlions, the cuckow hath two claws
before and two behind, whereas every hawk hath three before
and only one behind. It is indeed rather furprifmg that this
difference fhould have cfcaped Linnaeus, when he gravely aflerts,
that this metamorphofis does not take place ; but it is remark-
able that the Swcdifli ornithologifl confiders the touraco " as a
cuckow, which hath three claws before, and only one behind.

Another notion prevails, that the froth feen on many plants
is occafioned by this bird, and it is therefore termed cuckow /pit ;

•' There is likevvife a prevailing notion, equally ill founded, that a
land rail becomes a water-rail, which is at once refuted by the great
diticrencc between the bills of thefe two birds.

' A moft beautiful bird of Africa, of which there are two fpccimens
in Sir Alhton Lever's Mufcum,

this

[ 26l ]

this however is now known to be the receptacle for the eggs of
grafshoppers ; nor docs the cuckow ever fcarcely light upon the
ground ; it therefore can as little depofit this froth, as feed upon
the plant arum, which with us is called cuckow pint. Perhaps it
is more probable both the one and the other may have obtained
this name from their being feen at the fame time that the cuc-
kow appears, than that the bird occafions the former, or feeds
upon the latter '', which is an early plant of the fpring.

'' Arum is too acrid to be eaten by a cuckow, or probably any other
animal ; nor did I ever fee the leall appearance of its ha/ing been
touched.

4>ij^:

I ' >

f ^* .■ ■ ■ r gi .?^i'

ESSAT

I

ESSAY

VII.

ON THE LINNv^AN SYSTEM.

AFTER the tleath of our llluftrlous countryman Ray,
the ftudy of Natural Hiflory fecms to liave flcpt, not
only in England, but in moft parts of Europe ; which may
perhaps be attributed to the Newtonian Pliilofophy's affording a
more interefting fubje£l of difcufion, till by the force of truth it
was thoroughly eftablifhed.

In the Northern part of Sweden, however, a man of very un-
common abilities, and great penetration in cx.uuining fpecimens,
nrofc, who publilhcd his firfl edition of a Syftema Naturs In
1725 ; I need fcarcely fay that I mean the celebrated Linnaeis*

The firfl: perfop who Introduced the knowledge of this com-
prehenfive work to the EnglKh reader is believed to have been
Sir John Hill ; and it was afterwards much commended by the
late Mr Stillingflect, who tranflated fome eflays of the Unlverfity
of Upfiil, written under the infpedion of their prefident Lin-

nxus,

1 am truly fenfiule of his merit in clalling the ditTerent king-
doms of nature ; and moft readily allow, that it is perhaps tlie
beft dictionary and gramm.ar whlcii the naturaJifl: can v,(c, when
he goes into a mufcum, or m-janb to travel into diftant regions.

I am

[ ^h ]

I am fenfible alfo of the great convenience in conforming to
jiny general nomenclature, and that much confufion is tlicrcby
avoided, from the fame reafon that it fignifies little to geographers
whence the firft meridian is taken, if any particular one is but
univerfally adopted.

Thefe advantages, however, fhould not make us blind toLln-
naeus's defe(5ls, and the bad confequences which perhaps are to
be apprehended from his fyflem prevailing to the cxclufion of
others, to whom the naturalifi: muft for ever be fo much in-
debted.

I have feen feveral letters written by Lhmsus, the latinity of
which a young fchool boy with us would be afhamed of, and in-
deed in many periods the common rules of grammar were
broken ".

Lord Kaims therefore expreffes himfelf moil: juftly on this
head, ** a language as barbarous as the German Mctaphyfics of
" Leibnitz, or the Swedifh Natural Hiftory of Linnaeus, which
*' are not even intelligible, except to thofe who have made a par-
" ticular ftudy of their lingo's ^"

This is really a moft material defe£l In any one who treats on
fubjeils of Natural Hiftory ; for the defcriptlon fhould be couched
in terms that can leave no doubt about the author's meaning, and
by fach accuracy make the cxpence of engraving unneceflary.

It may, however, be now expeded, that I fhould furnifh fome
inftances of defcriptions which cannot be eafily comprehended

' I fhould almofl fufpeCl likewilcthat he did not underiland French or
Engliih, as In the i2th edition of his Syflcma Naturte, he refers only to
Gelhcr, Aldrovandus, Johnftone, Ray, Brllfon *, and Houtlnus, with-
out any mention of Bulibn, or Pennant.

*" Preface to Lord Kiiiins's 3d vol. Cii language.

* Briflbii's licfcriplions .ue both ia Latin nnJ French,

a by

[ ^H ]

hv the rcuKf, on accou'.it of the term^ cmnhn-eil ; wliilfl: I prc-
miic Llrat I do iiot require elegance, bi'.t only that the c\-
prelfions fliould be clear, and ncit liable to be tnlfunderflood.
But though I i\o uot inliil upon clailical latlnity, yet every
reader liath a right to expert, that in a dead language nu new
word-; ihould be introJuctd, or eilablifned terms ufed, in a man-
ner for which proper authority cannot be produced.

I Ihall not have mueli trouble in citing luch inftances from
the SvAema Naturcr, and Fauna Succica, as every page almofl
where there are two lines of defcription, aftords them.

Linn;cus thus fpeaks of the woodcock :

" Scolopax [r;////r:A7] habitat in cif^propricUis loch, volitans per
" nodes quafi \hm Jin'ffiffif/ja/ii in ipfo acre, &c."

The fpecilic dltlerence aliigncd to this bird is ru/lIcoU, wiilch
can only mean, that it frequents the country ; but is not this ap-
plicable to ninety-n.inc birds out of a hundred r I .inniT?us therefore
intends to convey fome other idea to his reader ; but what that
may be I muft own I cannot comprehend.

Gefncr indeed conceives the woodcock to be the Perdix ruflica
of the antients ; but very erroneoufly, his authority being probably
the following lines from Martial :

Rufrica fim, an perdix, quid refert, fifapor hkm ejl?
Carior eft perdix, fic fapit ilia magis.

Now by another epigram of Martial's it appears that the perdix
was a very fcarce bird in Italy :

Ponitur Aufoniis avis luce ■" rarifiima menfis,
Hanc In lautorum muudere, ficpe foles.

But without entering into a critical difcuHion what birds were
termed by the antients perdix, and rujVica, it is plain by this

*• Sc. the perdix.

citation,

[ ^^3 1

citation, liu'it a wonJcotk wn ; not alluded fo \>y ti,r 1 iltcr n i:r.'> ;
for cai\ nny (.nc fay ."hr.t llu' fla\-oui of tlic two hiiJs'' hath tin
Icafl r.!c:n!.l;ince :

«' Qul'l rcf^jit,//:,/?;- AA/;; ^;'"

The troth of the matter is, that as the woodcock hath hccii
called fcol'jpax from the time of Ariilotlc, aiui as Liiuurus hath
made it a diiVmdl genus by that name, the ^voodccck fhould havo
taken the lead, and the others of the fiime genus be diftlngulflud
by fpecific appellations.

The next cxpreflion in this fhort citation from Linnaeus, that
I fliall take notice of, is " in appropriatis locis ;" which I conceive
to be no w'ord of claflical Latinity ; but fuppofing it to be fo,
what Is the reader to underftand by it ? Can the ornithologirt;
mean that it frequents peculiar places ? or if he does mean fo, ii
not this applicable to almoft every other bird ?

But the citation proceeds, " volitans per nofles quafi viam
''^ ^jlrl&ijjimam hi ipfo aere." What is again to be inferred from
thcfc expreffions, and more ^^vX\c\\\:{x\y viam Jlrictijimam? if a
J^mit road is intended, was the term Jlritla ever ufed in that
fenfe r and do not many other birds fly in a dire*St line from point
to point ?

For another example of the fame fort I ihall here fubjoln part
of what Linnaeus obferves with regard to the horfe, " animal
'' gcnerofum, fupcrbum, nptiirunurii equitando, curfu furens,
'• fyivls delevftatur, pojlcr'iora cwva.'l, caudd conopcs tabanosque abi-
" git, iiltenunfcalplt, pullum iiijurix obnoxlum reponit^ ^c."

.til

^ The reading, in fomc cdilions of Martial

'' }lurtieay?w; perdix,"
i-i cuarly enoneous.

IVI m

Though

[ 266 ]

Though there is a wide field of obje£tion to the matter of this
dcfcriptlon, 1 fhall confine myl'clf to the lathiity and obfcurity
of it.

And firfl: wliat is intended hy po/leriora curat? for though per-
haps a meaning iviay fuggefl: itfelf to fomc readers, yet it is not
true in fafl that t!ie horfe is more cleanly than many other qua-
drupeds in that circumfiancc, by any care or trouble which he takes
hlnii'tlf

What is the reader to underftand again by allerum fcalpit ? does
this (Ignify that one horfe rubs itfelf againlT: another? and, if it
docs, is this circumflance peculiar to this quadruped ?

The next unintelligible expreffion is, " pullum injuriae ob-
*' noxium reponit ;" to which, for a confiderable time, I could
affix no fenfe whatfocver, but have a diilant guefs that it means,
" 'wbeK the foal is in danger, the dam places it behind her ;" but is
this circumflance again peculiar to the horfe ?

Having produced thefe proofs of defcriptions unintelligible, or
at leaft obfcure, by the ufe of improper terms ; I fliall not dwell
upon the difagreeablc (but mofl eafy) talk of flating multitudes
of other pafl'ages equally obje£tionable ; and may truly fay, that
I fcarcely ever examined, with attention, an article in the Syftema
Natura?, with regard to the terms of which 1 have not continued
to have my difficulties, though I have confulted fomc of LInnasus's
moft zealous admirers.

There Is fcarcely any naturalift who hath publlfhed fince the
Llnna^an iydtm began to have a vogue, who hath not condemned
many parts of it ; fo that I am not fingular in fuppofmg that it
hath its defeds.

Rut I conceive, that there is not only foundation for many of
ihcfc objcftions ; but that it hath, in many inftances, been pre-
judicial

m

I =«7 ]

ivKHcial to the knowledge of that very iuhjc^ wiilch ir is iiitciulcd
chiefly to Inculcate.

LHina:us hath comprircd the annual kingdom ot the whole
globe, except uiil^ts, (viz. Beafts, IJlrds, Reptiles, ;!nd Kilh,) in
532 pages, odlavo : and what can this pofllhly amount to more
than a vocabulary, grammar, or didllonary, he it as excellent livS
it may ?

jJut it may polTibly be faid, that the cheapncfs of fo t^uich in-
ilrutflion, as well as its being fo portable, are great recommen-
dations of this ufeful publication, which I am very ready to al-
low : fo are Cole's Latin DiOionary and Hedericus's Lexicon de-
fervedly in great rcqueft ; but though thefe will anfwer my p\ir-
pofe very well vhilft I am at fcliool, I fliall want better aihflance
when I have left it.

Again, it will be urged, that they who fliidy the Linnaean
Syftem are not debarred from pcrufnig the works of other natu-
ralifts ; but I appeal to experience, whether tliofc who are zea-
lous admirers of the Swedifh profcflbr often go beyond the ele-
ment,uy knowledge of their InftrucTor, or contribute any ufeful
additions to anv article of natural hiftorv.

In other words, fo much time is taken up in mafterlng the
Llnmcan elements, that we grow old before we can apply to any
}\irtlcular brancii of this comprehenfive ftudy.

1 may therefore perhaps. In iome jncalure, compare this 10 a
pcrfon's perufing with great care trcatifes on inilbandry in every
latitude; and quarter of the globe, xshlKl no particular ;}.tt^!Jtion
is paid to the culture of Jii.s own eihite, w here alone he can make
any improvement either in knowledge or profit.

1 ha\e already ;iJni tted, tliat io ul>',riil a ri.ncitorv c;mnot be
rariicd into any mufeun^, or uprw ..;i cNteiiiixi; \oyage, a:> l-iii-
luvus's Syft-<nia N'atura', but attwi ,ill, when \\'o h-ivc found fome

.M in z .iC'.-ouiit

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[ 268 ]

•account ot tlic unknown animal in this cclehratccl work, wliat
furrlicr inftruifiion do wc really procure, but that Linnirus hath
eitlK.r feen or lieard of" it? Surelv this amounts to verv little,
whilll the habits of the animal, the ulcs for which its limbs
are peculiatly adapted, with other fuch circumftances, dcferve
only tlic name oi' natural hiftory, or can be really Intereflilng.

The celebrated Mr. Gray therefore thus fpeaks of the Lin-
nacan fyflem , *' not much to my edification ; for though he is
** pretty well acquainted with their perfons, he is not lb with
*' their manners '."

Wliat Mr. Gray thus requires from the naturalift, is only to
be attained by attending to the animals of our own country, or
rather diftridt. And to give an idea of what I conceive at leaft to
be the proper articles of obfervation, I will beg leave to refer to
four letters of the Rev. Mr. White on the four fpecles of Britifli
fwallows ^ Rut perhaps the admirers of Linnaeus may fuggeft,
that fuch an account of the animals of Sweden is to be found
in his Fauna Suecica, and it is tiue that the defcriptions in this
liis later work are rather more full, but they by no means anfwer
what one (hould expert from a zoologift of fo diftinguiflicd pre-
eminence, and fmell of the lamp, rather than the country ex-
curfion.

The great ufc in publications like thofe of Linnaeus, is to find
out the animal or plant which one happens to fee to the right or
left, for how few mufcums can be relbrted to in moft jiarts, even
of this fcientific country ? I will fuppofe therefore, tiiat the
common brown linnet is what 1 have feen either on the wing, or
lies dead before me.

' Gray's Letters, who had employed the latter part of his life chiefly
in I he lludv of natural hiftory,
» Phil. Tranf.

The

[ 269 3

The firft clrcumftance I want to know is its fex, with regard to
which Linnseus is filent in the 1 2th edition of his Syftema Natu-
rae, tliough puhUfhed five years after his Fauna Siiccica, where
the difference is indeed noticed. But my fpccimcMi hath a red head
and hreaft, and hy having heard it fuig, I ratlier fuppofe it to he
a cock ; and how can I reconcile this to the pkimage of a male
bird kept for fome years in a cage, which liatli no red on eitlier of
thelc parts ? Here again Linnaeus fails me, wlio did not know,
that the common linnet, when he moults in captivity, never rc-
aflumes his red plumage.

In my walks I happen to find adefcrted neft of this bird, as to
the component parts of which Linnasus gives me no information ;
as alfo with regard to the eggs, cither hi colour or number, nor
how long the hen fits upon them.

I hear again the moft pleafing and mellow notes of this bird,
which being unnoticed by Linnaeus, my didrufl: is again raifcd
whether I may fuppofe the bird to be a linnet.

I fee thefe birds alfo during the autumn and fpring flying in
large flocks, whilft fome of them have a different motion from
the reft, as likewlfe have a peculiar call : Linnaeus however Is
fdent r.j to this flock, confifting of linnets and ticiles, which at
thofe feafons often aflemble together, as fieldfares and redwings
accompany each other during the winter.

In fadt, the only circumftance which he adds to the dry de-
fcrlption feems rather to mlflead the reader, bccaufe he mentions
that the linnet chiefly lives on alder-feeds, which it is believed this
bird never touches In England, or certainly does not make its prin-
cipal fubfiftence.

After all, tlierefore, what inftrudlon have I reaped by con-
fultlng Linnaeus, but that the common linnet is one fpecies of
fringiila noticed by him, which is about as much knowledge as

is

I

'

J 1

wa

!«!'

[ ^;o ] .

is piv-kcil up funn a couiinou .llclionary, with regard to the im-
port ot' a word, when I want to find whether it hath not hcen
ufod in a dirTcrcnt fignification.

I adnii":, indeed, that tlic name alone, together with its clafli-
tacllon, nearly conipleats the natural hiftory of a ibflil, hut lurely
the clreuniftances omitted hy Linnaeus arc the moft interelling
parts ol' /.oology.

If 1 wa;> to refer again to .Linna;us's defcription and account of
another well-known hird (the goldfinch) I (hould not find any
more material circumlhmces, whilft, as I conceive, he would
niillead me hy laying, tliat the tips of the wings and tail-feathers
are white in the autumn, and hlack in the fpring, which with us
continue of the fame colour throughout the year. To this I muft
add, that the goldfinch in England does not particularly frequent
juiipers, nor do I underfland what part of this (hruh tins bird is
to feed upon during the furnmer ; the fadt being, that all the finch
tiibe live during that feafon upongroundfel, chickwccd, and other
plants, hothtlie ftaiks, flowers, and leaves of which afford them
plentiful nourinmient.

It may be however aiked, if Linnaeus is not to be confulted, to
whom I would refer the naturalift for information ? to which my
anfwer is, thrt he (hould have recourfe to the ornithologift who
hath lived in, and obferved the animals of, the country where the
bird may be found in its wild ftate, and if that country be Eng-
h'.nd, he will find fatisfa<flion as to many of thefe particulars
from Willoughby and Pennant. Doing otherwiii; may be com-
pared to t!ie looking into a Polyglot di£tionary for the fignification
of a word in a particular language, inftead of a capital compilation
confined to the terras of that fingle country.

I have hitherto confined myfelf to Linnaeus's zoology, but have
allomy apprehenfions with regard to the ufe of the botanical part

of

[ 271 ]

of his fyftem, which in general are nearly the fame with lac fup-
pofed defeats in his Zoology.

As this fyftem, however, comprehends the plants of the whole
glohe, it is a mod ufeful repertory for a large botanical garden,
provided the plants are in flower, and the bctaniit i.ath tlie pro-
per apparatus for difle£<:ing and examining them. If the collec-
tion on the other hand confifts of dried plants, the fyflcm is almofl:
entirely ufclefs, as thofe minute parts (the ciiives " and pointals) arc
commonly deranged or loft ^a fuch Ipecimens. The fame holds
with regard to all engravings of plants before tlils lyftem waa in-
troduced, where t' e fame minute parts are not attended to.

But as the chief amulement in botany is the finding a j^ant in
its wild ftate (for the feeing it in a confervatory is like ihooting
in a farm yard, or filhing in a ftew) I will fdppofe the wiU-ccirof
to be ftum.bled upon ; of which the botanift is ignorant, till he
can cojifiilt his Linnaeus.

For what the ftudent is to wade through before he can procure
this information I fhall refer to Dr. Withering's arrangement of
the vegetables of Great Britain •".

If the botanift therefore hath recourfe to Linnaeus he muft turn
to the fecond order [Digynia] of his clafs [Pentandria] and to
the fecond fubdivifion, which confifts of thirty plants, where he
will at length find the Daucus Carota of the Swedifti botanift, If
the plant happens fortunately to be in flower, and is nlcelv ex-
amined Willi tlie proper apparatus.

I will now fuppofe this plant to be vifitcd a month afterwnrds,
when the flowers have fallen, and when fuch a mctamorpholi*-.
hath taken place, that it cannot be fuppofed to be the fame ; foi
tlie flowering part, which was before horizontal, is now become

E Thcfe likcwife often vary in number.
*" Introd. p. XXV,

4 dariv

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deeply conca\e, and the lulcs ap]-)roar!i each othor to nc.irly as to
tbnn a rtTDnsi; julcniblaiicc to a InwW iicll.

Should tlicrutbrc fucli a remarkable chani^c in th.' appcaranc*
of a j)lant be omltrcd in tlic dclcrijition ot it by any bjtaiulT: ?
and if It is omitted, will not the llndent be often niilled ?

I will now fuppoie the lame botaniil: to bo fiirniihed oidy with
Ray's Synopfis of Brltifh plants, and to confult it on the iamc
occafion.

Ray divides the psrfccl plant-' oi our llland (and fuch is the
wild caret') into twenty-tbree genera, the iith of wbicb conlirts
of the herbce umbeUifeya\ to which, if I am not blind, 1 mull
immediately know, at nhnoll any feafon, that this plant mufl
belong, though I am at fome dillance from it. This clafs (or
genus) again contains but 25 principal plants, which are alio
divided into feven clear and dillin£l fubdivifions, and which re-
duces my trouble probably to the examination of not more than
live Ipecies, whereas if I confult Linnaeus, I muft: pore over thirty;
nor then can receive any information, except when the plant is
in full flower. Notwithflanding this fuperlor facility of procur-
ing the more perfpicuous and interefting account from Ray, many
anEnglilb botanifl; liath oceu deterred from profecuting this branch
of lUuly by the dlffieultics of the Linnxan iyflcm, which he is
told perhaps is the only one that delcrves to be confulted.

After this comparlfon can tlicre be a doubt whether the Eng-
lilh botanill Ihoi.Ul conliilt Ray or Linnxus for an Engllfli plant,
the former not only being the more compendious guide, butpoint-
ing out the road at moil kafons, wbiift the other only gives ra-
ther obfcure diredions for a fingle month of the year? I have
before allowed, that there is a great advantage in adopting any

' Having a rundlc fupportcd by fruit-ftalks or fpokcs.

iyftcin

[ ^73 ]

Yvftem whatfocver, Co that coiifufioii may not be created by re-
ferring to different fynonyms ; but till this becomes the uiiiverfal
pra£licc amongrt naturalifts, the new iyftemoccations the greateft
confufion, and muft do (o for perhaps half a century.

Is it to be expe(5led, for example, that an EngliHi botaniil, who
is well acquainted with the plants of his own country, by the
afliftancc of Ray, Ihall immediately drop the name of a plant,
now become familiar to him, in order to new-chriften it by the
JLinna^an appellation ? • ' ' • '

One of the great pleafures in botany Is, to produce a ratiier
uncommon plant to thofe who know it to be curious ; but the
Englifti botanlft will not have much fatlsfadlion in fhcA-ing it to a
fimplcr, who is not acquainted with it under the name given I)v
Gerard or Rav.

I remember to have once met an elderly gentleman, ncarTen*
terdcn, who had in his hand a very fine fpeciinen of the Tnucb-
menot, or Balfamme lufea of Ray ; and wlicn I had congratu-
lated him upon iiaving found this rare plant, he Immedlud^
told me, that he would not but have met me for five |>ounds, aj
it fignif ed little to have made the difcovery in his nelghbouiliooJ,
wlicre no one had the leaft tincture of botany.

If I !iad upon accolVing hlni, however, referred tins Ravi.m
hot.inill to the Syngenefia Monogamia of Llnnious, there would
have been an end of our conference, and lie would have only
ftared, confiderlng me as either i^^iiorant, or an affccler of unin-
telligible tcrm^. I mull add, tluit I think he had a good nght To
to do; for in England the iynonyms of Gerard and Ray (hould
be referred to, with which moll Linuivans are cntirelv unac-
quainted, whllft: by this confufion of names the difciplcs of
Ray and Linnicus arc perpetually at crofs purpofgg. If I mention

N n i\ir

'Tt

■\ \

i;'.

[ J74 ]

i

i

the plant alfo by Gerard's Engllfh fynonym, I may poflibly Ly
inquiries either confirm or refute the popular notions witli reganl
to the virtues and ufes of the plant, which is certainly the moft
material part of botany. • : .. ,,. ,?" ;•' •;

Andliere I will take the liberty to fliy that plants nny be dif-
tingullhed by Tome circumftances wiiich none of the writers on
that part of natural hlftory liave attended to. ,

If the tafte or fmell indeed is very remarkable, it is often no-
ticed ; but the leaves, flowers, feeds, and roots, often ditFer ia
thefe particulars.

The form of the root is again totally ncglc£Vcd if it is not bul-
bous, whereas the fuperficies above ground does not vary more
than what is under ground. The colour alfo of the leaves, when
tliey fade in the autumn, is a material circumftance in the natural
hirtory of the plant.

Their medicinal ufc indeed is generally mentioned ; but the
culinary too much neglefled, as in the inftance of water-creflcs^
whicli, when boiled, are an excellent fuccedaneum for fpinnage,
and are of a more beautiful green when ferved on table than any
f)f the products of the kitchen-garden.

Some botanifts have, in a few inftances, taken notice of the
iufctft which feeds upon particular plants ; tiiis however fhould be
general, as well as mention made of the bird, or other animal,
which chiefly fubfifts upon them.

Having thus profumcd to recommend fome particulars to the
attention of the writers on botany, I Ihall conclude by repeating,
that I do not deny tiie great merit of LInnitus's Syflema Naturie,
.iS a general repertory, though it feems to me tliat the naturalift
who dcfcribes the production of the country which he inhabits
Ihould always be preferred, as atJbrding more complete and more

intcrefliiig

n

Interefling Information. In other word?, let theSyftcma Naturx
be rcftrved for the Mufeum, or botanical garden, rather than be
the Naturalift's companion, on excurfions within his own neigh-
bourhood. .... i. ./*::.

The chief merit of the Linnrcan fyilem confifts undoubtedly in
the having paid greater attention to the parts of fruftificatlon in
plants than was (hewn by preceding writers on the fame fubjefl: ;
but it muft never be forgotten, that the chives and poi tals are
too minute, too uncertain in their number, and "too leldom in a
ftate proper to be examined, to afFord very interefling criteria in
diftinguifhing plants.

I will conclude with an extract from the late Sir John Hill :
" Sucli Is the fyftcm of Linnaeus : novelty fnade it pleafe, and its
" obfcurity rendered it admired ; but it cannot be lafllng''."

" Britifh Herbal ; in the introduftion to his fecond clafs. Sir John
Hill was himfclf captured with the novelty, and had much commended
this new fyftcm; this opinion therefore was given as to the merits, after
thorough cxaminatipn, with the ftrongeft prejudice in its favour. ,

.l:-

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'3m. 28, 1780.

A S it appears from fomc of tlic foregoing efliiys that I liave paid
attention to Tome particular ;:rticles of Natural Hiftory, I take this
opportunity of laying before tlie public my poor endeavours, as an
unworthy member of the Royal Society, for the promotion of
knowledge in this branch of fcience, as it chiefly relates to an
agreement with the prefent King of Spain for that purpofe ; wliich
is ftill unnccompliflied on tlw partof his Catholic Majcrty*

The Royal Society hath almoft from its firft inftitution colle6kcd
fpecimens for a mufcum ; which, fo far back as the year i68r,
had become fo confiderable,- that Dr. Grew published a hnndfome
catalogue, in folio, of the feveral articles, togethtw with ciigrav«.
ings ; and that great architcil Sir Chriftopher VViren gave a well-
confidered plan for the building a repofitory to receive thefe na-
tural produdions, which was not only approved of by the focietv,
but carried into execution, ' .1

This elegant room, together with the fpecimens, were almoft
totally neglciled ; and I had the good fortune to prevail upon the
council of the foclety (about nine years ago) to lay out fome money
in ncceflary repairs and alterations.

Having been the occafion of this expence, 1 then thought it
was incumbent upon me to do what lay in my power to add to
the colledlion of fpecimens ; when it occurred, that our forts in
Hudfon's Bay would probably fupply thofe which were moft rare,
as this is the moft Northern part of America iniiabitcd by Euro-
peans, and was never vifited by any naturallil.

I accordingly applied to Mr. Wegg, V. Pr. and Treafurer of
the Royal Society ; who, in concert with the other diredors of
the Hudfon's Bay Company, mofl obligingly gave orders, that
many of the animals near their forts (hould be fent over by

the

H

I ^77 ]

the cnruing autumn ; and this being repeated for tlirce fuccefttve
years produced a great many duplicates*.

The coik61ion being by this means much enlarged ••, it oc-
curred, that wc might iVill augment it by a judicious barter of
thefe duplicates ; and more particularly lb with Spain, as tho
animals of Iludfon's Bay could not be procured by his Catholic
Majefty but from England ; whilft Peru, Chili, Buenos Ay res,
and the Philippines, would furnifli what we only could obtain from
the Spaniards. '

The late Prince Maffirano, who was ambaflfador from his Ca-
tholic Majcfty to our court, was not only a fellow of the Royal
Society, but fometimes attended their meetings ; and tills plan of
exchange between tlie two countries having been propofcd to his
excellency, he undertook to lay it before his Royal ^iafter.

Tiie King of Spain at that time happened to be forming a cabi-
net of natural hiftory, and therefore fignifRd that lie would fend
orders to his governors to coUeft for him, and would make tlir?
Royal Society a proper return for any prefents they migiit deftine
for him from Hudfon's Bay.

The Royal Society accordingly tranfmitted a confiderable
number of fpccimens from that part of the world to liis Catholic
Majerty in 1773 (through M. Efcarnno, then refident at our
court) ; but wc have never received any natural produi5tions from
SoutJi America, or the Philippines, though I havefeen the printed

i;if

I

IE

i hi

» Lord Dartmouth, then Secretary of Smtc, and F. R. S. was Ilkcwile
fo obliging as to write to the governors of funic of our Southern colonics
for procuring natunil productions ; but whether f;om the rebellion \\hi:h
the mother country hath lately cx^^^ericnced, or from what other caufe I
will not determine, the Royal Society hath never received any fpcciniens,,
in confequence of iliefc oulcrs.

'' I underftaml that the old colledlion is now prcfented by the Royal
Society tp the Biitifr. iMulcum, together with thefc additions.

I orders

1 I

[ '78 ]

orders alkidcil to by his Catliolic Majcfty, wliich ilViied Immedi-
ately after this iiaturalirt-trcnty was conchidtd.

It is to be hoped indeed, tliat, notwitliOaiuling the prcfcnt war
between the two countries, this undertaking on the part ot^ the
King of Spain (in a matter of mere fcience, and for whicli his
Majefty hath received a valuable confideration) will nor be for-
gotten ; but, Icafl: it (hould, I leave this poor teftimony of what
hath been done on our fide, and what is incumbent upon the
court of Spain in return. And I do this the rather, becaufe this
promifcd exchange is the only method of obtaining fpecimcns from
the Spanifli part of South America, or the Pliilippines.

? I

■a:

ACCOUNT

"I

II

H <roi y tK yivi^i^ ra ,}>a/j.' ea-nejo 3m'/iuja ipyct ;

^ufov nyaiw e^wxe, xat cippucre ^t'tripi)' aoihljV ;

HOMEKS Hymn on Merctuy.

rc^:

ACCOUNT OF A VERY REMARKABLE
! YOUNG MUSICIAN.

Ill a Letter to Mathew Maty, M. D. Sec. R. S\

Sir, ' ' •

IF I was to fend you a well-attefted account of a boy who mea-
fured feven feet in height, when he was not more than eight
years of age, it might be confidered as not undeferving the notice
of the Royal Soriety. . /,.,,^ ...

The inftance which I now defire you will communicate to that
learned body, of as early an exertion of moft extraordinary mufical
talents, feems perhaps equally to claim their attention.

Joannes Chryfoftomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart was
born at Saltzbourg, in Bavaria, on the 1 7th of January, 1 756 ^

» This is re-printed fromthe LXth volume of the Philofophical Tranf-
attions, for the year 1 7 70.

*» I here fubjoin a copy of the tranflation from the rcgiftcr at Saltz-
bourg, as it was procured from his excellency Count Haflang, envoy ex-
traordinary and minifter plenipotentiary of the elc(ftors of Bavaria and
Palatine :

" I, the under-written, certify, that in the year 1756, the 17th oi
" January, at eight o'clock in the evening, was born Joannes Chryfollo-
" mus Wolfgangus Theophilus, fon of Mr. Leopold Mozart, orgmift of
" his highnefs the prince of Saltzbourg, and of Maria Ann his la'vlul
" wife (whofe maiden name was Pertlin), and chrillcncd the dny follow-
" ing, at ten o'clock in the morning, at the prince's cathedral church
" here ; his godfather being Gottliel Pergmayr, merchant in this city.
" In truth whereof, I have taken this certificate from the parochial re-
" giller of chriftenings, and under the uLial feal, figncd the fame with.
" my own hand.
Saltzbourg, u LcopaldComprecht,

Jiin. 31I769. . ^ I '

" Chaplain to his Highnefs In this city."

I lur.'Q

'X

tsBse,

'+■('

-mmaumw

[ 23o ]

I have been informed, by a moft able mufician and con:ipofcr,
rliat he frequently faw tlie boy at Vienna, when he was little
more than four years old.

By this time he not only was cr;pable of executing Icflbns on
his favourite inftrument the harpfichord, but compofed fomc in
an eaiy rtile and tafte, which were mucli approved of. His extra-
ordinary mufical talents foon reached the cars of tiie prefenf
ctnprefs dowager, who ufed to place him upon her knees whilfh
he played on the harpfichord. Tliis notice taken of him by fo
great a perlbnage, together with certain confcioufnefs of his moft
fingular abilities, had much emboldened the little mufician.
Being therefore the next year at one of the German courts, where
the cledor encouraged him, by faying, that he had nothing to fear
from his auguft prefence ; little Mozart immediately lat down with
great confidence to his harpfichord, informing his highnefs, that
lie had played before the emprefs.

At fcven years of age his father carried him to Paris, wliere he
fo diftinguifhed himielf by his compofitions that an engraving was
made of him. The father and lifter who are introduced in this
print are exceftively like their portraits ; as is alfo little Mozart,
who is ftiled, " Compofitcur et Maitre de Mulique, age de fept
** ans'" After the name of the engraver follows the date, which
Ts in 1764; Mozart was therefore at this time in the eighth year
of his age.

Upon leaving Paris, he came over to England, wher ' e con-
tinued more than a year. As during this time I was witnefs of his
moft extraordinary abilities as a mufician, botli at fome public
concerts, and likewife by having been alone witii him for a con-
liilcrablc time at his father's houfe ; I icnd you the following ac-
count, amazing and incredible almoft as it may appear.

'^ An engraving of the boy himfclf is annexed,

I carried

[ 2Si ]

1 carried to him a maiuifcript duet, wliicli was compofed by
tin Englifli gentleman to fome favoiuite words in Metailafio's opera
of Demofoonte. Tlie whole l^ore was In five parts, viz. accom-
panyments for a firft and fecond violin, the two vocal parts, and a
hale. I fhall here likcwllc mention, that the parts for the firfl: and
fecond voice were written in the counter tenor clcff; the realbn
for taking notice of which particular will appear hereafter.

My intention in carrying with me this manuibrlptcompofition,
was to have an Irrefragable proof of his i billtics as a player at
■light, it being abfolutely impofllble that he could have ever feen
the mufic before.

The Ibore was no fooner put upon his dclk, than he began to
play the iymphony In a moft mafterly manner, as well as in the
time and ftilc which correfponded with the intention of the com-
polcr. I mention this circumftancc, becaufe the greateft makers
often hill in thcle parrliiilars on tlie firfl trial. The Iymphony
indcd, lie took tlic upper part, leaving the under one to his
hither.

His voice, In the tone of it, was thin and infantine, but no-
thing could exceed the nvafterly manner in which he fung.

His father, who performed the under part In this duc>r, was once
or twice out, though the pafliiges were not more difficult than thofe
In the upper one; on which occaGons the fon looked back with
fome anger, pointing out to him fome mlllakes, and fctting him
right.

He not only however did complete juftlce to the duet, by fing-
iug his own part in the trueft taftc, and with the greateft preci-
fion : he alfo threw In the accoinpanyments of the two violins,
whcre\cr they were moft neceflary, and proiiuced the heft
ertccts. It is well known that none but the moft capital mulicians
arc capable of accomj^anylng in this iiiperior ftlle.

O o As

!

I

[ 282 ]

As mrmy of tliofe who mny be prcfent when this letter may
have the iionour of being read before the fociety, may notpoffibly
be acquainted with the difficulty of playing thus at fight from u
mufical Itore, I will endeavour to explain it by the moft fimilar
comparifon I can tliink of.

I muft, at the fame time, admit, that tlie illuftration will fail
in one particular, as the voice in reading cannot comprehend
more than what is contained in a fingie line. I mull: fuppofc,
however, that the reader's eye, by habit and quicknefs, may take
in other lines, though the voice cannot articulate them as the
mufician accompanies the words of an air by his harpfichord.

Let it be imagined, therefore, that a child of eight years old
was diredled to read five lines * at once, in four ^ of which the
letters of the alphabet were to have different powers.

For example, in the firft line A, to have its common powers.

In the fccond that of B.

In the third of C.

In the fourth of D.

Let it be conceived alfo, that the lines fo compofed of cha-
ra^Scrs, with different powers, are not ranged fo as to be read at

» By this Imcan,

The two parts for the violins.
The upper part for the voice.
The words fet to mufic.
Andlaltly, the bale.

^ By this I mean.

The \ iolin parts in tlie common treble cleff'.

The upper part for the voice in the conuntcr-tenor clefT, as before-
mentioned.
The words in common charadlcrs.
Ar,d ;hc bafe in its common cleff,

all

I ^83 ]

all times one exactly under the other, but vtlcu hi .x dclultoi >
manner.

Suppofc, then, a capital fpeech in Shakef|>:are = nc\'er lcci\
before, and yet read by a child of eight years old, with all the
pathetic energy of a Garrick.

Let it be conceived likewife, that the fame child is reading,
with a glance of his eye, tln-ee different comments on this fpecch,
tending to its illuftration ; and that one comment is written in
Greek, the fecond in Hebrc", and the third in Arabic charac-
ters.

Let it be alfo fuppofed, that by different figns he could point
out which comment is moft material upon every word ; and fome-
timcs that perhaps all three are fo, at others only two of them.

When all this is conceived, it will convey fome idea of what this
boy was capable of, in finging fuch a duet at fight in a mafterly
manner from the fcore, throwing in at the fame time all its proper
accompanyments.

When he had finiftied tlie duet, he exprefled himfelf highly in
its approbation, aiking, with fome eagernefs, whether I had
brought any more fuch mufic.

Having been informed, however, that he was often vifited
with mufical ideas, to which, even in the midft of the night, he
would give utterance on his harpfichord ; I told his father that I
fhould be glad to hear fome of his extemporary flights.

The father fhook his head at this, faying, that it depended en-
tirely upon his being as it were mufically infpircd, but that I
might alk him whether he was in humour for fuch a compo"-
fition.

c The words in Metallafio's duct, which little Mozart fung, are very
pathetic.

Oo a

Happening

.<rviii

:

[ 284 ]

Happening to know that little Mozart was mucli taken notice
of by Manzoll, the famous finger, who came over to England hi
1764, I faidto the boy, that I (hould be glad to hear an extem-
porary Love Songf fuch as his friend Manzoli might choofe ir. mi
opera.

The boy on this (who continued to fit at his harpfichord) looked*
back with much archncfs, and immediately begrii five or fix lines
of a jargon recitative proper to introduce a love fong.

He then played a lyniphony which might corvcfpond with an
air conipofed to the (ingle word, Affetto.

Jt had a firft and iecond part, which, together with the fym-
phonies, was of the length that opera fongs generally laft : if this
extemporary compofition was not amazingly capital, yet it was
really above mediocrity, and fhewed mofi extraordiirary readhiefs
of invention.

Finding that he was in luimour, and as- it were infpired;. I
then defired him to compofe a i'c; 'f of Rage y fuch as might be
proper for tlie opera ftage.

The boy again looked back \vith much archnefs, and began five
or fix lines of a jargon recitative proper to precede a Son^ of Anger.
I'his lalled alfo about tiie lame time with the Song of Love ;
and in the middle of it he had worked himfelf up to fuch a pitch,
that he beat iil.sliarprichorc'l like a pcrfon poflefled, riling fometimcs
in his chair. Tlie word lie pitclicd U|-ou for this fecund exteiQ-
porary compodtion \va>, Perficio.

After this he played a dilficult leilbii, which lie had tinifliecla
dav or two Letorc''; hi-; executiou was ama/Zmg, conlidering

that

'' Hr luibliflicd fix l^Mintas for the hr.rpfichortl, witli an accompan\-
frcrr tor the vioiin, orGirniaii lime, which urc loUl h\ R. Hrejnncr, in
ilicStn.iicl, anil arc Iniitnlal, Oeuvrc Tioii"".

that

1 :, m

[ ^85 I

fliat his little fingers could fcarcely reach a iixtli on the harpfi-
choril.

His aftonlfhing rcadinefs, however, did not arlfe merely from
great pra(5lice ; he had a thorougli knowledge of tlie fundamental
principles of compohtion, a?, upon producing a treble, he imme-
diately wrote a bafe under it, which, when tried, had a very
good effctfc.

He was alfo a great mafter of modulation, and his tranfitions
from one key to anotlier were excelhvcly natural and judieious ;
he praclifed in this manner for a confulerablc time with an handr
kerchief over the keys of the harpficliord..

The fadls which I have been mentioning I was myfelf an eyc-
witncfs of; to which I muft add, that I have been informed by
two or three able muficians, when Bach the celebrated compofcr
had begun a fugue and left off abruptly, that little Alozart hath
inunediately taken it up, and worked it after a mod maftcrly
manner.

Witnefs as I was myfelf of moft of thefe extraordinary faiHis,- I
muft own that I cuuld not help fulpeding liis father impofed with
regard to the real age of the boy, though he had not only a mofl:
clilldifh appearance, but llkewife had all the ai^Uons of that flage
of hfe.

For example, whilll he was playing to me, a hivourltc cat came
in, upon which he immediately left liis harpficliord, nor could wo
bring him back for a confiderable time.

.r^ «S

mn

"m

He is laid in the title page to have been only eight years of iigc vvlieu.
he conipofcd thcfe fonatas.

The dedication is to the Queen, and ht dated at I.undo'.T, January 8,
1765.

He fubfcribcs himfclt, " trcs humble, et tres ohc'ifflmt /i^cf/t lervitcur."

Thcfe leflbns are conipofed in a very original tlilej and Ibnie of them
are mallerly..

He

I I

[ 286 ]

lie woiuld alii) fomelimes niii about the room with a ftick be-
tween his lcc;3 hv wav ot horfc.

• I flniiid lilieu'ii'c rli.irnioll of the London muficians were of the
fame opinion with regard to his nge, not believing it poflible
that a child oi' To tender years could furpafs moft of the mafters
in that fcience.

I have ihcnlorc for a conndcrable time made the heft Inquiries I
was able from fonie of the German muficians refident in London,
but could nc'\er receive any further information than that lie was
born near Salt/bourg, till I was fo fortunate as to procure an cx-
tVi\Ct from the rcgiller of that place, through his excellency Count
llaflang.

It appears from this extra<5l, that Mozart's father did not im-
pofe with regard to his ace ^vhen he was in England, for it was in
June, 1765, that I was wirnefs to whr.<- 1 have above related, when
the boy was only eight years and five months old.

1 have made frequent inquiries with regard to this very extra-
ordinary genius fince he left England ; and was told laft fummer,
that he was then at Saltzhourg, where he had compofed fevera)
oratorios, which were much admired.

I am alfo informed, that the prince bifliop of Saltzbourg, not
crediting that fuch maftcrly compofitions were really thole of a
child, (hut him up for a week, during which he was not per-
mitted to fee anyone, and was left only with mufic-papcr, and the
words of an oratorio. During this fhort time he compofed avery
capital oratorio, which was molt highly approved of upon being
performed.

Having ftated the above mentioned proofs of Mozart's genius,
when of almoft an Infantine age, it may not be improper perhaps
to compare them with what hath been well attefted with regard to
other inftances of the fame fort.

Amongft

ii 'i

[ 28; ]

Amongd thcfe, Joau Barratior liuth bccu iiiofl: pAitlcularly
dlftinguiihcd, who is laid to have uiulerllood Lntlii v\liun he was
but four years old, Hebrew when lix, and three other Lui^uagvi
at the age of nine.

This lame prodigy of philological learning alfu tranllated the
travel of Rabbi Beiijamin \v!icn eleven years old, accouipauyiiig
his verfioii with notes and difi'ertatioi^.s. Before his deatli, wlilch
happened under the age of twenty, Barratier fcenis to have
aftonifhcd Germany with his ama/ing extent of learning ; and it
need not be faid, that its iiicrcafe in Inch a f(Ml, from year to year,
is commonly amazing.

Mozart, however, is not mucli more than tliirtetn years of
age ; and it is not therefore necefliiry to carry my comparifoii
further.

The Rev. Mr. Manwaring (in his Memoirs of Handel) hatli
given us a ftill more appofite inftance, and in the lame fciencc.

This great mufician began to play on the clavichord when he
was but feven years of age; and is faid to have compofed fomc
church-iervices when he was only nine years old, as alfo the opera
of Almeiia when he did not exceed fourteen.

Mr. IManwarlng likewife mentions that Handel, when very
young, v.as ftruck fometimes whilft in bed with mufical ideas ;
and that, like Mozart, he ufed to try their etFedt immediately on a
fpinnet, which was in his bedchamber.

I am the more glad to flate this ihort comparifon betu'ecn thefc
two early prodigies in mufic, as it may be hoped that little Mozart
mavpoffibly attain to the fame advanced years as Handel, contrary
to the common obfervation, that fuch Ingenia prevcccia arc gene-
rally fhort-lived.

I think I may fliy without prejudice to the memory of tliis great
compofcr, that the fcale mofl clearly preponderates on tlic fide ot

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^lozart ill tliis comparlfon, as I have already ftated that he was a
•compofer when he did not niucli exceed the age of four.

His extctnj)orary compolitions alfo, of wliicli I was a witness,
prove his genius and invention to have hecn moft aftonifhiiig ; leaft
however I fhouUl in fenfibly become too ftrongly liis panegyrift,
permit me to liibrcrihc myrelt. Sir,

Your nioft faithful humble fcrvant,

Daines Baruington..

Jan. 2 1, 1 780.

O N this republication of what appeared in tlicLXth volume of
thePhilofophicalTranfain;ions, it maybe right to add, tliat Mozart
(though a German) hath been honoured by the pope with an
order of merit called the (loldcn Spur, and hath compofcd operas
in feveral parts of Italy, I have alfo been favoured by D. Bunny
with the followltig account of one of h';s Jateil compolitions.

*' Mo/art being at Paris, in 177S, coinpoJed for Tenducci a
*' fcenc in 14 parts, chiefly obllgati ; vi/. two violins, two tc-
*• nors, one chromatic horn, one oboe, two clarinets, a Piano
*' forte, a Soprano voice part, with two JiornSj and a bafe di
♦* rin for/a.

" It is a very elaborate and mafterly compofitlon, dlfcovering
*' a {Treat pra*5lice and facility of writing in many par^s. The
*' modulation is likewife learned and recherchce ; however, though
*' it is a compMition which none but a great mailer of harmony,
" and pofleflcd of a confummate knowledge o ' the genius of dif-
" fcrent inftruments, could produce ; yet neither the melodv of
*' the voice part, nor of any one of the inftruments, difcovers
*' much invention, though the effetfis of tlie wholf, if well exe-
*' cuted, would, doubtlcfs, be mafterly and pleafuig."

.. ^41

Accoa^7ToF m». ciiarles wesley.

I

CHARLES' was horn nt Brillol, Dec. i r, 1757. He wns
two years and three quarters old when I lirll ohfervcd his
llrong inclination to niulic. He then furprized me by playing a
tune on tiic harplichord, readily and in juil time. Soon after he.
played llveral, whatever his mother Tung, or whatever he heard
in the ftreets.

From iiis birth (he uled to quiet and amufe him with the harp-
fichord ; hut he would not futter her to play with one hand only,
taking the other, and putting it on the keys, hetbre he could
fpeak. When he played himl'clf fhe ulcd to tic him up by his
baokflring to the chair, for fear of his falling. Whatever tune it
was he always put a true bafs to it. From the beginning he played
without lUidy or hcfitation ; and, as the maflers told me, perfectly
well.

Mr. Broadrip'' heard him in petticoats, and foretold he would
one day make a great player.

Whenever he was called to play to a (Iranger, he would a(k, in
a word of his own, " Is he a muficker ?" and if anfwered, *' Yes,"
he played with the greateft readinefs.

He always played con fpirito. There was fomething in his
manner above a child, which ftruck the hearers, learned or un-
leaj v;d.

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■'• I was favoured with this account of his eklefl: Ton by the Rev. Mr.
Charles Wefley.

•» Organill at Brilbl.

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At tour years old I carried him with me to London. Mr. Beard
was tlie firft tliat confirmed Mr. Broadrip's judgment oFIiim, and
kindly ofHrcd his intcrcft with Dr. Boyce, to get him admitted
among the King's boys. But I had then no thoughts of bringing
lilm up a mufician.

A gentleman carried him next to Mr. Stanley, who expreflcd
mucli pleafure and i'urprize at hearing him, and declared he had
never met one of his age with fo ftrong a propenfity to mufic.
The gLMitlcman told us, he never before believed what Handel
uled to tell him of himfelf, and his own love of mufic, in his
childhood.

Mr. Madan prefented my fon to Mr. Worgan, who was ex-
tremely kind ; and, as I then thought, partial to him. He told
us, he would prove an eminent mafter, if he was not taken off" by
other ftudies. Mr. Worgan frequently entertained him with the
harpfichord. Charles was greatly taken with his bold full manner
of playing, and feemed even then to catch a fpark of his fire.

At our return to Briftol we left him to ramble on till he was near
fix ; then we gave him Mr. Rooke for a mafter ; a man of no
name, but very good-natured, who let him run on a^i libitum^
whilft he fat by, more to obferve than to control him.

Mr. Rogers, the oldeft organift in Briftol, was one of his firft
friends. He often fat him on his knee, and made him play to him,
declaring he was more delighted in hearing him th.an himfelf."

What follows contains the ftrongeft and fuUcil: approbation of
Mr. Charles Wefley's manner of playing on the organ by the
nioft eminent profeflbrs ; to which commendation they who have
the pleafure of hearing him at prefent will give the mofl: ample
credit.

Ire.

[ 29' 3

I recclvcfl the following account of his fon Samuel from the
Rev. Mr. Charles Wesley.

Samuel was born on St. Matthias's Day, Feb. 24, 1766, (the
fame day wliich gave birth to Handel 82 years bcfon;). 'Vl\o
feeds of harmony did not fpring up in him quite lb early as in his
brother ; for he was three years old before he aimed at a tune' :
his firfl: were "God (iwe great George our King," Fifchcr's mi-
nuet, and fuch like ; moftly picked up from the llreet organs. lie-
did not put a true bafs to them, till he had learnt his notes.

While his brother was playing he ufed to iland by, with hi»
childifh fiddle, fcraping and beating time. One obfcrving hlnj,
alked me, " And what fliall this boy do r" I anl'wcrcd, " Mcnil
«* his brother's pens." He did not refcnt the affront as deeply as
Marcello; fo it was not indignation which iiiadc him a niu-
fician ''.

Mr. Arnold was the firft, who, hearing him at the harpilchord,
fiild, " I fet down Sam for one of my fiimily." But we did not
much regard him, coming after Charles. The hrft tlung wliieh
drew our attention was, tiie great delight he took in hearing his

" His mother, Mrs. Wcflcy, however, huth given mc the following
moft convincing proof that he played a tune when he was but two ) e.u s
eleven months old, by producing a quarter guinea, which was given to
him by Mr. Addy, for this extraordinary feat, wrapped in a piece of
paper, containing ihe day and year of the gift, as w^ll ;is the oecaiion
of it. Mrs. Weflcy had alfo an elder fon, who died in his infancv, rnd
who both fung a tune, and beat time, when he was but twelve months
old.

'' This alludes to a well-known ftory in the mulieal world. Marcello,
the celebrated com[>ofcr, hud an ekkr brother, who had greatly dillin-
guiflietl himfclt in tb.is leience, and being afkcd whatfliould be done wiih
littk Marcello, he anfweriril, let him wtHd my pins\ which piqued the
lioy fo much, that he deievmincd to exceed his elder brother.

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brother play. Whenever Mr. Kelway came to teach him, Sam
conftantly attended, and accompanied Charles on the choir. Un-
daunted by Mr.Kelway's frown, he went on ; and when he did not
fee the harpfichord = he crofled his hands on the chair, as the other
on the inllrument, without ever miHing a time.

He was fo exceflive fond of Scarlatti, that if Charles ever began
playing his leflbn before Sam was called, he would cry and roar
as if he had been beat. ]\Ir. Madan, his Godfuiier, finding him
one day fo belabouring the chair, told him, " He ihould have a
*' better inflrument by and by."

I have fnice recollected Mr. Kelway's words : " It is of the ut-
*' moft importance to a learner /o hear the bcfl mtijic.''^ x'\nd, " If
" any man w^ould learn to play well, let him hear Charles." Sam
had this double advantage from his birtli. As his brotlier em-
ployed the evenings in Handcrs Oratorios, Sam was always at
his elbow, lilleniug and joining with liis voice. Nay, he would
fometimes prefumc to find fault with his playing when we thought
he could knovv' nothing of the matter.

He was betv»'cen four and five vears old when lie srot hold of the
oratorio of Samfon, and by that alone taught himfelf to read
words, foon after he taught himlclf to write. From this time he
fprung up like a mulhroom, and when turned of five could read

« Incredible as this may appear, ir is nttcdcd by tlic whole faiuih- ;
and that he gciKrally turned his buck to h.is brother whilfl: he was piay-
ing. I think however that this cxtraordin.i \- faCl ma\- be thus accounted
for : There are fomc paiTagcs in Scarlaiti's Icflbns which r(.(iiiire the
eroding ot" hands (or playing the treble with tlie Ict'r, and the bafo with
the right) ; but as uhat calls for this unufnal fingering produces a very
l:nc,ular cnict, tb.c child mull: have kit, that thel'e parts of the compo-
f.tion could not be executed in any other wa\-. It is polllblc indet-'
that he might have cbferved his brother crofTing hands at theie palfages,
and imitated him by rcoli^ding that they were thus fingered.

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[ 293 ]

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perfe^lly well ; and had all the airs, recitatives, and chorufcs of
Samlbn and theMeffiali, both words and notes, by heart.

Whenever he heard his brother begin to play, he would tell us
whofe mulic it was, (whether Handel, Corelli, Scarlatti, or any
other) and what part ot what lellbn, iLnata, or overture.

Before he could write he compofed much muiic. His cuihiin
was, to lay the words of an oratorio before him, and fing them
all over. Thus he fet (extempore for the moft part) Ruth, Gi-
deon, jManaflTes, and the Death of Abel. Wc obfcrved, when
he repeated the lame words, it was always to the fame tunes. The
airs of Ruth in particular he made before he was fiv years old,
laid them up in his memory till he was eight, and then ^^ rote
them down.

I have feen him open his prayer-book, and ilng the Te I\um,
or an anthem from fomePfalm, to his own muiic, accompanving
it with the harpfichord. This he often did, after lie had learnt
to play by note, which Mr. Williams, a young organic of Brlrtol,
tauHit him between fix and feven.

How and when he karnt counter-point I can liardly tell ; but
without being ever taught it, he foon wrote in parts.

He was full eight years old when Dr. Boyce came to fee u.> ;
anil accofled me with, •' bir, I hear you hive '^ot an iMij^hih
*' Mozart in your houfe : young Linley tells me won eriul tKiiuvs
«♦ of him." I called Sam to anfwer for himlclf lie liad l)v this
time fcrawled dowai his Oratorio of Ruth. The dc).:l:or lookctl i)\ er
it very carefully, and fecLncd highly pleafed w^ith tht- jvm f irniacce.
Some of his words W'l re, " Thele airs are fome of the ptettull: I
*' have i'ccn : this boy writes by nature as true a bafc as I can bv
*' rule and flmly. Tiiere is no m;ui in England lias two (lich
*' Ions, (AC." He bad us let him run on na libilnDi, wkhoiit anv
cheek of rules or mailers.

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[ 294 ]

After this, whenever the Do£lor viiited us, Sam ran to him,
with his Song, Sonata, or Anthem ; and the Doctor examined
them with aftoniihlng patience and delight.

As loon as Sam had quite finiftied his Oratorio he fent it as a
prelcnt to the Do(flor, who immediately honoured him with the
following note :

" To Mr. Samuel Wefley.
*• Dr. Boyce's compliments and thanks to his very ingenious
'* brothcr-comoofer Mr. S. W. ; and is very much pleafed and
" obliged by the poffeffion of the Oratorio of Ruth, which he
*' {hall prcferve with the vii-noft care, as the moft curious produdl
" of his mufical library."

For the year that Sam continued under Mr. Williams, it was
hard to fay which was the mafter and which the fcholar. Sam
chofe what mulic he would learn, and often broke out into ex-
temporary playing, his mafter wifely letting him do as he
j:)leafed.

During this time he taught himfelf the violin ; a foldier aflifted
him about fix weeks ; and fome time after Mr. Kinibury gave him
twenty leflbns. His favourite inlirument was the organ.

He fpent a month at Bath, while we were in Wales ; ferved
tlic abbey on Sundays, gave them fcveral voluntaries, and played
tiic tirft fiddle in many private concerts.

He returned with us to London greatly improved in his playing.
There I allowed him a month for learning all Handel's Overtures.
1 le played them over to me in tlirec days, Handel's Concertos
he learnt with equal eafe ; and ibme of his l-,eflbns, and Scar-
latti's. Like Ctiarles, he mailercd the liardcft mufic without any
pains or diliiculty.

2 He

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He borrowed his Ruth to tranfcrlbe for Mr. Madan. Parts of
it he played at Lord D's, who rewarded him with fome of Han-
del's Oratorios.

Mr. Madan now began carrying hi' i about to his mufical
friends. He played feveral times at Mr. W's, to many of the
nobility, and fome eminent mafters and judges of mufic. They
gave him fubje(Sls and mufic which he had never feen. Mr. Bur-
ton, Mr. Bates, &c. expreflcd their approbation in the ftrongefl:
terms. His extemporary fugues, they faid, were juft and regular,
but could not believe that he knew nothing of the rules of com-
pofition.

Several companies he entertained for hours togetlier with his
own mufic. The learned were quite aftonilhed. Sir J. H. cried
out, " Infpiration ! Infpiration !" Dr. C. candidly acknowledged,
*' He has got that which we are fearching after," although at
firft, out of pure good-nature, he refufed to give him a fubjedl:.
An old mufical gentleman, hearing him, could not refrain from
tears.

Dr. B. was greatly pleafed with his extemporary play, and his
purfuing the fubjedls and fugues which he gave him ; but infifted,
like the reft that he muft have been taught the rules.

Mr. S. and Mr. B. exprefiled tlie fame furprize and fatisfafllon.
An organlft gave him a fonata he had juft written, not ealy, nor
very legible. Sam played it with great readinefs and propriety,
and better (as the compofer owned to Mr. Madan) than he could
himfelf.

Lord B. Lord A. Lord D. Sir W. W. a!i(l other lovers of
Handel, were highly delighted with lilm, antl encouraged him to
hold faft his ve;ieration for Handel, and the old Jiiufic. But old
or new was all >ne to Sam, {o it was but good. Whatever was
prefented he played at fight, and made variations on aii\' tune :

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aiiil as often ns he played it again made new variations. He Imi-
tated cvcrv author's iiik, whether Bach, Handel, Schobert, or
Scarlatti liimrelf.

One flievved him fomc of Mozart's mvific, and afked him how
he liked It. He played It over, and fald, " It was very well for
" one of his years."

He played to Mr. Kclway, whom I afterwards alkcd what
he thoiU!;ht of him. He would not allow him to be com-
parable to Charles ; yet commended lilm greatly, and told his
mother, " It was a gift from heaven to both her fons ; and as for
" Sam, he never In his life faw fo free and degnge a gentleman."
^,Ir. Madan had often fald the fiime, " that Sam was every where
*' as much admired for his behaviour as for his play."

Between eight and nine he was biought through the fmall-pox
by Mr. Br — 's allilhince ; whom he therefore promlfed to reward
with his next Oratorio.

If he loved any thing better than mufic, It was regularity. He
to.ik to It himlelf. Nothing could exceed his punctuality. No
Cv)mpany, no perfuafion, could keep him up beyond his time. He
never could be prevailed on to hear any opera or concert by night.
The moment the clock gave warning for eight, away ran Sam, la
tlic n.idftof his moll fiivourlte mufic. Once in the playhoufehc
rofeup after the firll part of theMcfllah, with, " Come, Mamma,
" let us go home, or I (han't be In bed by eight."

When fome talked of carrying him to the Queen, and I alked
him if he was willing to go ? " Yes, v.lth all my heart (he an-
*' fwered), but I won't flay beyond eight."

The praifes beflowed fo lavlflily upon him did not fcem to af-
fe^l, much lefs to hurt him ; and whenever he went Into the
company of his betters, he would much rather have flayed at
home ; yet when among them, he was free and ealy; fo that fome

remarked,

[ '^^1 ]

remarked, " be behaved as one bred up at court, yet without a
*' courtier's fcrvllity."

On our coming to town this Lift time, he Tent Dr.Boycc the laft
anthem he had made. The Dodor thought, from Its correclnefs,
that Charles muft have helped him In it ; but Charles aflured
him that he ncv er afliftcd him, othcrwile than by telling him, If
he alked, whether fuch or fuch a paflage v/ere good harmony ;
and the Doclor was fo icrupulous, that when Charles fliewed him
an Improper note he would not futTer It to be altered.

Mr. Madan now carried him to more of the firfl: mafters. Mr.
Abel wrote him a fubje^t, and declared, " Not three maflers in
*' town could have anfwered it fo well." :

Mr. Cramer took a great liking to him, offered to teach him
the violin, and played fome Trios with ChaHes and him. He fcnt
a man to take meafure of him for a fiddle ; and is confident a very
few leflbns would fet him up for a viollnift.

Sam often played the fecond, and fometimes the firft, fiddle,
with Mr. Tread way, who declared " Giitrdini himfelf could not
** play with greater exa^lnefs."

Mr. Madan brought Dr. N. to my houfe, who could not be-
lieve that a boy could write an oratorio, play at fight, and pur-
fue any given fubjcft. He brought two of the King's boys, who
fang over feveral fongs and chorufes in Ruth. Then he pro-
duced two bars of a fugue. Sam worked this fugue very readily
and well, adding a movement of his own ; and then a voluntary
on the organ, which quite removed the Dodlor's incredulity.

At the Rehcarfal at St. Paul's Dr. Boyce met hh brcther Sam ;
and fhewing him to Dr. H. told him : "This boy will loon fur-
<' pafs you all." Shortly after he came to fee us, took up a
Jubilate which Sam had lately wrote, and commended It as one
of Charles's; when we told him whofe i'. was, he declared he

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[ 298 ]

could find no fiiult m it; adding, " There was not another boy
*' upon earth who could have comporcd this ;" and concluding
with, " I never yet met with that pcrfon \vho owes fo much to
*' nature as Sam. He is come among us dropt down fron»
<♦ heaven."

Ore p Iter, puerique habitu, fed corde fugac'i,
M^quabat feniunu

SlLIUS ItALICUS, L. VIII.

I firft had an opportunity of being witriefs of Mafter Samuel
Wcfley's great mufical talents at the latter end of i 775, when he
Was nearly ten years old.

To fpeak of him firft as a performer on the harpfichord, he was
then able to execute the moft difficult leflbns for the inftrument
at fight, for his fingers never wanted the guidance of the eye in
the moft rapid and defultory pafiages. But he not only did ample
juftice to the compofition in neatnefs and precifion, but entered
into its true tafte, which may be eafiiy believed by the numbers
who have heard him play extemporary leflbns in the ftile of mofl
of the eminent mafters.

He not only executed crabbed compofitions thus at fight, but
tvas equally ready to tranfpofe into any keys, even a fourth ^ ;
and if it was a Sonata for two trebles and a bafe, the part of the

f Moll muficlans, when they tranrpofc, conceive the fucceffion of notes
to be written in a clcff in which they have been ulbd to pratll "e, as the
bale clcff, tenor clcfl", 8cc. but the tranfpofition of a 4th belongs tone
clefF, except that which the Italians term the Mezzo Soprano, or an inter-
mediate cleir, between the treble and counter tenor, and which, not bciiig
ever marked in our compofitions, cannot he fancied by an Englilh per-
former when he is obliged to tranfpofe a fourth.

firft

[ 299 1

{yid treble being fct before him, he woulJ immctliately add an ex-
temporary bafe and fecond treble to it.

Having happened to mention this readlucfs in tlie boy t(>
Bremner (the Printer ofmulic in the Strand), he told me that he
had ibme leflbns which were fuppofed to have been conipofed for
Queen Elizabeth; but which none of the harpfichord mafters
could execute, and would confequently gravel the young per-
former. 1 however dcfired that he would let me carry one of
thefc compofitions to him by way of trial, which I accordingly
did, Tvhen the boy immediately placed it upon his defk, and wa*
iitting down to play it; but I flopped him, by mentioning the
difficuties he would fooji encounter, and that therefore he mud
caft his eye over the mufic before he made the attempt.

Having done this very rapidly (tor he Is a devourer of a fcore,
and conceives at once the effed of the different parts), he faid that
Bremner was in the right, for that there were two or three palfages
which he could not play at fight, as they were fo queer and auk-
ward, but that he had no notion of not trying ; and though he
boggled at thefe parts of the leflbn, he executed them cleanly at
the fecond praclice?.

I then alkcd him how he approved of the compofition ? to
which he anfwered, " mi at all^ though he might diffiu- from a
*' queen } and that attention had not been paid to fome of the
" eftabliflied rules." He then pointed out the particular pafTages
to which he objected, and I Hated them to Bremner, who allowed
that the boy was right ; but that fome of the great compofers had
occafionally taken the lame liberties.

8 Poflibl)' tliougli he fucceeded in this attempt, feme of the other
leffons might have been too difficult; but I had only this fingle one to
lay before him.

' 11 !

i 1
1

U^if

•rH^

Q^q 2

The

m

---gwr-aeBsr

■ ■'Xiaaa.'raffla

I !

S'

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[ 3°o ]

The next time I faw Maftcr Wcfley, I mentioned Bremner's
defence to what he had blamed; on which he immediately an-
fvvered, •' that whenjiich excellent rules iirre broken, the combofer
** Jl^oulci take care that thefe liccufi's produced a good effect ; whereas
" thefe pflffages had a very bad one." 1 need not dwell on the
great penetration, acutenefs, and judgement of this anfwer. Lord
Mornington, indeed, (who hath fo deep a knowledge of mufic)
hath frequently told me, that he always wiOied to confult Mafter
Wefley upon any difficulty in compofitlon ; as he knew no cue
who gave fo immediate and fatlsfiidlory information.

Though he was always willing to play the compofitions of
others, yet for the mofl part he amufed hlmfelf with extemporary
effufions of his own moft extraordinary mufical infpiration, which
unfortunately were totally forgotten in a few minutes ; whereas
his memory was moft tenacious of what had been publifhed by
others.

His Invention In varying paflages was Inexhauftlble; and 1 have
myfelf heard him give more than fifty variations on a known
pleafing melody, all of which were not only different from each
other, but fhewed excellent tafle and judgement.

This Infinite variety probably arofe from his having played fo
much extempore, In which he gave full fcope to every fllplit of
his imagination, and produced paflages which \ never heard from
any other performer en the harpfichord.

The readlnefs of his fingering what was mofl difficult to be exe-
cuted on the Inflrument, and in the only proper manner, was
equal to his mufical fiuicy ; of which 1 will mention the following
proof:

Since the comic Italian operas have been performed in England,
there is frequently a paflage in the bafc, which confifts of a fingle

note.

f 'ii

*"!

h .

[ 301 ]

note, to be perhaps repeated for two or three bars, at quick atid
equal intervals, and which cannot be effetfted on the harpfichord
by one finger, as any common mufician would attempt to do, but
requires a change of two.

I laid an opera fong before Mafter Wefley with fiich a pafliigc,
and happening to be at the other end of the room when he came
to this part of the compofitlon, I knew from the execution, that
he muft haue made ufe of fuch a change of two fingers, the
necefilty of which that eminent profeflbr of mufic Dr. Burney
had fhewn me. On this I alked him from whom he had learnt
this method of fingering ; to which his anfwer was, '■'■from 710
" one ; but that it was impojjible to play the pajfage with the proper
*' cffeSt in atr^ other manner"

In his extemporary compofitions he frequently hazarded bold
and uncommon modulations ; fo that I have feen tliat mod ex-
cellent mufician Mr. Charles Wefley (his elder brother'') tremble
for him. Sam however always extricated himftlf from the diffi-
culties In which he appeared to be involved, in tJie mofl: mallcrlv
manner, being always poiTcfled of that fcrene confidence whidi ;i
thorough knov\ ledge infpires, tliough furrounded by niufica!
profeiibrs, who could not deem it arrogance.

And here I will give a proof of the goodnefs of his heart, and
delicacy of his feelings :

I had defired him to compofe an eafv melody in the minor third

m

' *i

!?i

»> Mr. Charles Wefley hath compofcd fome fiiigular pciccs tor two
organs, which would have great merit it performed by others, but have
ftill more fo when executed by the two brothers, as they ;ue lb well ac-
quainted with each other's manner ot pUjing, and arc lo am;,i'.ingl\' ac-
curate in the precifion of their time. Such as have heard t!ic t.vo l-fS.y \\\
duets for the hautbois may well conceive the cfted of thefe compofitio'is
from the Wcflc) 's. ^

for

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[ 3^^ ]

lor an cxpeilnicnt on little Crotch '', ami th.it he would go with
lue to hear wh.it that very extraordinary child was capable of.
Crotch was not in good humour, and Mufter Wcflt;y kibniittcd,
amongil: otlier things, to play upon a crack'd violin, in order to
plcalc him ; the company however having Found out who he was,
prcflcd liim very much to play upon the organ, which Sam con-
fiantly declined. As this was contrary to his ulual readincfs in
obliging any pcrfon who had curioilty to hear him, I alked him
afterwards what might be the ofcafion of his refufal ; when he
told me, " fbiit he thought it would, h.ok like wi/hhig tojh'me at little
*» Ciolcti's cxpence"

Every one knows, that any material alteration in the conftruc-
tionof an organ, which varies the pofition of certain notes, muft,
at firli, cmbarrafs the player, though a moft expert one. I car-
ried Sam, however, to the Temple organ, which hath quarter
ijotes, with the management of which he was as ready, as if he
had made ufe of fuch an inftrument all his lite. I need fcarcely
fay how much more difficult it muft be to play paflhgcs which
muft be executed, not by the fingers, but the feet. Now the
oignn at the Savoy hath a compleat octave of pedals^ with the half-
notes ; on which part Sam appeared as little a noviqe as if he had
been accuftomed to it foryears. Nay, he made a very goodand regu-
lar Ihake on the pedals, hj> xvay of experiment, for he had too much
tafte and judgement to fuppofe that it would have a good efFedt.

He was able to ling at fight (which commonly requires (o
much inftru»5lion with thofe even who are of a mufical difpofition)
from the time of firft knowing his notes ; his voice was by no
means ftrong, and it cannot yet be pronounced how it may turn

■ An account of the fuccefs of this experiment will be given in what I
fhall hereafter fay about that other mufical prodigy.

I out;

M''\

out ; his more favourite fongs were thofe of Handel, comporcj
for a bafe voice, as '• Honour and j^rms ''," &c.

He hath lately praf^ifed much upon the violin, on which he
bids fair for being a moft capital performer. Happening one day
to find him thus employed, I afked him how long he had played
that morning; his anfwer was, "Three or four hours; which
«* Giardini had found neceflary."

The delicacy of his ear is likewife very remarkable, of which
I fhall give an inftance or two :

Having been at Bach's concert, he was much fatisfied both
with the con.pofitlons and performers ; but faid, *' The mujicol
*' p'tecei tvcre ill arranged \ as four bad been flayed fuecej/hily
** ivhich were all in the fame key**

He was defued to compofc a march for one of the regiments of
guards ; which he did to the approbation of all who ever heard it,
and a difi;inguiOied officer of the royal navy declared, that it was a
movement which would probably infpire fteady and fereixe cou •
rage, when the enemy was approaching.

As I thought the boy would like to hear this march performed,
I carried him to the parade at the proper time, when it had the
honour of beginning the military concert. The piece being
.finiftied, lalkedhim whether it was executed to his latisfaiSlion ?
to which he replied, '* by no means ;" and I then immediately
introduced liim lo the bnnd (which conufletl of very tall and
ftoutmuficians), that he might fet them right. On this Sam im«
mediately told them, ^'- That they had not done jujlice to his com~
** pofitiony To which they anfwcred the urchin with both
aftoni(hment and contempt, by ''^ Tour comp'fiiion T' Sam, how-

" Moving heard him fing, '^Return, OGoDof Hofls !"and anitalinn air,
fince this ihccc was \\\ the jircfs, 1 can now venture to pronounce, that
his voice is a ple?.t';i-'g counter-tenor, and that his m;ainer is cxctllint..
•Without any piadtice alio he hath acquired an even and brilliant lliake.

' It is fuppoled that this was a mere accident in the peri'on who made-
out the muficiil bill of laro.

ever,.

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[ 304 ]

cvrr, n [)lict1, wirli great fcrciilty, *' I'rs, my compnjiihn T which
I conlhiiicd. They then flared, and fcvcrally made tiicir cxcufes,
by ptotert'mg, tliat they had copied accurately from the manu-
iciipt which liad been put into their hand*. Tiiis he nion:
reailily allowed to the iiauthois and bafoons, but faid it was the
French Horns who \\xre in fault ; who making the lame dctlncc,
he inlifted upon the original icore being produced, and Ihewlng
them their niiflake, ordered the march to be play'd again, whicii
they fubmitted te with as much deference as tiiey would have
Ihcwn to Handel.

This concert of wind inflruments begins on the parade at
about (wc minutes after nine, and ends at five minutes after ten,
wlien the guard proceeds to St. James's.

I flayed with him till this time ; and afked him what he tliought
of the concluding movement, which he faid defervcd commen-
dation ; but that it was very injudicious to make it the finifhing
piece, becaufe, as it mufl neccflarily continue till the clock of the
liorfe-guards had flruck ten, it fhould hav^e been recolletfled that
the tone of the clock did not correfpond with the key note of the
march.

I fhall now attempt to give fome account of this mofl extraor-
<1inary boy confidercd as a compofcr, and firfl of his extemporary
flights.

If left to himfelf when he played on the organ, there were
oftener traces of Handel's flile than any other mafler, and if on
the harpfichord, of Scarlatti ; at other times however his volun-
taries were original and fingular.

After he had feen or heard a few pieces •" of any compofcr, he
was fully poflefTed of his peculiarities, which, if at all flriking,

" I afked him once to imitate Lord Kelly's ftilc, which he declined, aa
he had never heard any compofition of his Lordfhip's, except the Over-
ture to the Maid of the Mill, which he highly approved of, however, for
ks brilliancy and boldncfs.

he

[

]

he couUl iiiftaiitly iniitiitc at the word of commaiul, as well aa
the general flow and turn of the compofitioii. Thus I have
heard lilm frequently play extemporary lellbns, whlcli, without
prejudice to tlieir mufical names, might have heen fujipoled to
have been thofe of Abel, Vento, Sehobcrt, aiulHu'.'.

But he not only entered into the Itile of the harpfiehord-mal'
tcrs, hut that of folo players on other inftrumcnts.

I once happened to fee fomc mufic wet upon his dclk, whicli
he told me was a folo for a trumpet. I then aikcd him if ho had
heard Fifclier on the hautboy, and would compofe an extempo-
rary folo, proper for him to execute. To this Sam readily af-
fented, but found his little legs toolhort for reaching the fwell of
the organ, without which tiie imitation could not have its cfFeft.
I then propofed to touch the fwell myfelf, on his giving me the
proper fignals ; hut to this he anfwered, " T/jat I could neither do
** this Jo inftantaneoi/Jly as was rcqu'ifte^ nor jlynild I give the p^reotcr
*' or Icfs force of the fwell (if a note ivas dwelt upon J 'which
*' ivould correfpond with his feelings." Having ftarted this diffi-
culty, however, he foon fuggeflcd the remedy, wliich was the
following :

He ftood upon the ground with his left foot, whiHl; his right

refted upon the fwell, and thus literally played an extemporary

iblo,

*' Stans pede in uno ;"

the three movements of which muft have lafled not Icfs than ten
minutes ; and every bar of which Fifcher might have acknow-
ledged ab his own. Every one who hath heard that capital mufi-
cian muft have obfervcd a great fuigularlty in his cadences, ir
die imitation of which Sam fuccccded as perfectly as in tlie

' He would as readily compofe a fong proper for the iVrious or
comic opera the inftant it was requeued, part;icularN' riic airs of Handc^
for a bafc voice.

K. r otiier

II

m

is

WT

r 306 ]

other parts of the compofitlon. After this I have been prefent
when he hath executed thirty or forty clilFcrent folo's for
the fame inflrument, totall)' ahiiofl: varied the one from the
other, to the aftoiiilhment of feveral audiences, and particu-
larly fo to that eminent performer on the hautboy Mr.
Simpfon.

Having found tliat the greater part of thofe who heard him
would not bchcve hut that his voluntaries hid been pra6lilcd
before, I always endeavoured that fome perfon prefent (and more
particularly fo if he was a profeflbr) fhould give him the ful)je£l:
upon which he was to work, which always afforded the con-
vincing and irrefragable proof, as he then compofcd upon the
ideas fuggefted by others, to which ordeal it is believed few mu-
ficians in Europe would fubmlt. The more difficult tb.e fubjedl
(as if it was two or three bars of the beginning of a fugue), the
more chearfully he undertook it, as he always knew he was
equal to the attempt, be it never fo arduous.

I once carried that able compoftr Mr Cbrirtopher Fmlth to the
bov, defiring tbat he would fuggcll: the fubjcct ; wiilch Sam not
only purfued in a mi)(l maftcrly manner, but till into a movement
of the miiior third, wliich might be naturally introduced. When
w^" left Mr. \Vcflcy*s houle, Mr. Smitli, after expreffing his
amazciniiit, faid that what he had juft heard fliould be a caution
to riiofj w!u) are apt to tr.x eompi)fcrs as plagiaries ; for though
he had wrote on the lame iubjccl, and the mudc had never been
fcen l)y any one, this wonderful boy had almoll followed him
note by note. Baumgarten found the fame, upon a like trial, of
what he had never commuriicated to any one.

I can nd-ronly to one printed proof of his aliilitics as a com-
poi'T, which is a fet of eight Icflbns for the liarpficiiord, and
which appeared "in 1777, about the fame time that he becanre fo

known

c

1

known to the mufical world thiU \\U portrait was engraved, which
is a very ftrong rcfemblance. Some of thclc lellbiis have pal-
I'agcs which are rather too difficult lor common per formers, and
therefore they are not calculated for a general vogue.

His father, tlie Rev. Mr. Welley, will permit any one to Ccc
the fcore of his Oratorio of R\ith, which he really conypofed at
iix years of age, but did not ivrj(e till lie was eight ; his quick -
nefs in thus giving utterance to his niufical ideas is amazingly
great ; and, notwithftanding the rapidity, he IcLlom makes a blot
or a miftake.

Numbers of his other compofitions, and almoft of all kinds,
niay be likewife examined ; particularly an anthem to the fol-
lowing words, which I fele£led for him '", and which hath been
performed at the Chapel Royal, and St. Paul's :

" I. O Lord God of Hofls, how long wilt thou be angry

** at the prayer of thy people ?
" 2. Turn thee again, O Lord, and we ihall be faved !
*' 3. For thou art a great God, and a great King above all

" gods."

The firft part of this anthem was compofed for a lingle tenor ;
the fecond a duet for two boys ; and the tliinl a chorus. With
regard to the merits, I fhall refer to that moft dininguiflicd
linger of catliedral mufic the Rev. Mr. Mencc, who hath frequently
done It moft ample juilice.

■" In pitching upon thefe words, I attended to a circnmliincc which
perhaps dcRrvcs fonie confidcration in compofitions for the vdice. 'I he
third pe.fon fingular in the Englifh verbs as written, when our tranflatioa
of the Bible w;is made, ends with //', which cannot be pronounced by
many foreigners, nor founds well even in the mouth ot' an I'aiglilhman.
Words with fiich a termination are not to bcfoond in thefe palfages; nor
is it eafy to feleiftmanv liieh from our vcrfionof the Pfalms.

R r ^ As

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E 308 ]

As I hr.ppen to have hy me a little hallad of his compofition, I
fliall liere fubjoiii it, and deprecate the feverlty of crities with
regard to the words, hy mentioning that it was written by n cliild
of nine years old ". Little Wefley had fcarcely caft his eyes over
it but he fat down to his harpfichord, and fung the following afr,
which I conceive to have the true melody and iimpltcity proper
for a ballad. In this compliance he (hewed his rcadinefs to oblige ;
and I may add, his condcfccnfion, as he would have rather chofcn
a harder talk fliould have been impofcd upon him, if any tiling
could be difficult to his furprifing verfluUity of invention, rdapt-
ing itfelf inftantancoufly to every fpecies of corapofl^ion.

" Maftcr Thomas Percy (a nephew of the prcfent dean of Carliflc and
born Sept. 13th, 1768) who hath written the firft canto of an Kpic Poem,
confifting of more than 600 lines, the fubjod: being the Jnvafion of Bri-
tain by Julius Cjefar ; as alfo the firft adt of a tragedy, founded upon a
Peruvian ftory. In both of thefe there are ftrong marks of a moft early
genius for poetry, which he likcwife recites admirably well upon the
lirfl ftool you may place him. I alked this wonderful boy how mtiny
books he intended to divide his Epic Poem into ; when he anfvvered, that
he could not well bring all his matter into lefs than twenty-four.

He was carried to the Mufeum at Leiccftcr-houfc (being himfelf a
virruolb) foon after which he expreffed his admiration of what he had
fccn in fome vcrfes addrefled to Sir AJhton Lever, in which he noticed
moll: kind of the natural productions in that moft capital colledtion. I
liiippcn to recoiled: one of the lines, which may give fome ide.i cf the
other parrs of the poem :

*' Here crocodiles extend their fcaly length."

I fliould rather fuppofe, that no other verfes are to be found upon the
fame fubjcd ; and therefore Mailer Percv, on this occafion, could not
have been afllfted by imitation. If it is wilhed to fee the whole poem,
the Gentleman's Magazine for June, 1779, p. 3 '95 'n^V he confulted ;
fis iilfo the fame compilation for a pallor. il, written by him at a fliil
earlier r^^c. S-.x- tluit for April, 1778, ji. [83. Both the long here in-
ferred, and the verfes addrelied to Sir Alhton Lever, are priiv d as they
were h.iftily v^rittcn. The paltoral indeed was corrt^ed by M.iller Percy
himti'lf, befoie it was publilhcd in the Maga/.ine ; for this early genius
hath, i:i foaie inll.inces. given a jniticnt rcvila) of his little labours.

SONG,

Andante.

[ 3°9 ]
SONG, (written by Mafter Percy)
Compofed by Matter WESLEY.

^gliggE^HiP^

Autumnus comes with fickly brow, the fcorching fir

for

=ziik:5z-;:^t=b

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,v, tne Icorching itrcams tor

get to flow, and Phoebus burns the air ; The brooks arc.

7 6

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n}'',

dry'd up>on the plain, and Phaeton fires the world a-

t;

-*j

466 76

i^li^g^i^

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gain, and Nymphs to grots repair, and Nymphs to grots re-

^mil^J^il

6 6 7
5 4 3

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[ 310 J
II.

The youths with fickles feek the fields.
To gatlier all that Ceres yields ;

The farmer's barns are ftor'd :
They tofs about the jovial bowl,
While joy enlivens ev'ry foul ;

The pudding fmoaks the board.

III.

Each chufes out his nut-urown fair,
A Lucy or a Lydia there.

To dance away the hours :
Some tune the flute, fome found the reed,
Like fhepht^ids on the grafly mead,

And drefs 'em up with flowers.

IV.

O may the golden age return,

And men with gen'rous ardour burn,

For fweet retirement's lot !
O may the Mufes all confpire,
To light my breaft with genuine fire.

And fix me in a cot !

! j

SOME

m \ : 1

[ 3" ]

SOME ACCOUNT OF LITTLE CROTCH.

Et mentemjua non capit at as.

Statius, V. 14..

ANOTHER mufical prodigy hath lately appeared, whofe
name is William Crotch, born at Norwich, on the 5th of
July, 1775, of whom Dr. Burney hath given a very lull and in-
forming account in the Philofophical Tranfiictlons \ which fu-
perledes the necefllty of my mentioning mai^y particulars relative
to th- proofs of early genius, in tliis moft remarkable child.

I firft heard him play on the loth of December, 17; 8, when
he was nearly three years and a half old ; and find tliat I made
the following memorandum on returning home ;

*' Plays, *' GoJ favc grcai George our Kin ," and " Minuet de hi
** Conr;' ahnoft throughout with chords, reaches a fixth with his
" little fingers ; cries m, when 1 purpofely introduced a wrong
** note ; delights hi chords and running notes for the bafe ; plays for
** ten minutes extemporary pafl'iges, which have a tolerable con-
" nedion with each other ; feldoin looks at the harpfichord, and
*' yet generally hits the right intervals, though often dlftant from
♦♦ each other. His organ rather of a hard touch ; many of his
♦♦ paflages hazarded and fingular, fome of which he executes by
♦* his knuckles, tumbling his hands over the keys."

f Vol. LXIX. parti, for the year 1779.

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[ 312 ]

At the fame time, I received the following account from tlie
mother, of the firft appearance of a mufical dilpofition in the
child.

His father is an ingenious carpenter of Norwich, and had made
an organ, on which he was capable of playing two or three eafy
tun£s, and which had not been ufed for fome time. When little
Crotch was two years and three weeks old, he heard, " God fiive
*' great George our King," on this inftrument, after which he
was exceffively fratftious, whilll: they were putting him to bed ;
his mother then conceived, that he wanted to get at the organ,
and placing him fo as to command the keys, the boy immediately
ilruck them, though flie did not then diftinguifli that he played
any particular tune. The next morning however there was no
doubt but that he fuccefsfiilly attemptetl, " God fave great George
*' our King." After this, the child's mufical fame fpread quickly
through the city of Norwich ''.

I'he accuracy of this child's ear is fuch, that he not only pro-
nounces immediately what note is fl:ruck, but in what key the
jnufic is compofed '. 1 was witnefs of an extraordinary inftance

of

' '■ (iS

^ This account differ?, in fome particulars of no great moment, from
that given by Dr. Burney in the Philolbphical Tranfaftions, which I
conceive, however, to be more minutely accurate, as the information
which he received depends uiion the authority of others, as well as that
of the mother. 1 have not the mofl diftant fufpicion indeed that <he
wilfully misltatcd a fingle eirciimftancc, but all memories are fallible,
when we are qucRioncd on a fudden about tranladiions that have hap-
pened at ibniedidanec of time.

' 1 have the failsfaftion of being confirmed by Dr. Burney, with re-
gard o both thcfe extraordinary lai'ts ; who adds, that the child diftin-
guillied any pavt'eularnotc, when he was but two years and half old, by
laving his finger upon that key of the organ.

As ro the latter proof of his mofl ex(}uifite ear, im{)o'Hb!e almuft as it
fecms, yet it murt neceflarily follow, that from two or three bars of the

com-

of his being able to name the note touched ^ at Dr. Burney'ii, who
hath a Piano Forte, with feveral keys both in tlic bafe and treble
beyond the fcale in the common inftruments of the fame fort ".

Upon any of thefe very low or higli notes being ftruck, he dlf-
tlnguifhed them as readily as the intermediate notes of the inftru-
mcnt. Now it is well known that the harpfichord tuners do not
fo eafily manage thefe extremes, as their ears are not ufed to fuch
tones, and more particularly the loweft notes.

A ftill more convincing proof perhaps of the fame kind hath
been mentioned to me by mafter Wefley, who takes little Crotch
much under his prote<fHon. The child hath lately taught him-
felf to play on the violin, which he holds as a violincello, and
touches only with two of his fingers ^ Mafter Wefley hath
Ibmctimes miftuned the inftrument on purpofe to excite his
anger, which he never fails to exprefs ; adding, at the fame
time, whether it (hould be h'igher or lowers. He likewife

compofitton, he either knows what muft be the concUuUng note of the
bafe; orothtrwile he muft retain in his memory every fuccellive note of
the three bars, and from thence determine the key. In this experiment,
(which I have tried myfelf), I fuppofe the three bars not to enter into
extraneous modulation ; for if they were fuch, the boy would then name
the proper key, though not that of the principal compoCtion.

^ If a chord of four notes is ftruck, he nan.es them all in fuc-
cefllon.

« Thefe notes are added to give fufficicnt room for two performers to
fit clown to the fame inftrument, and execute duets.

' Mafter Wefley heard him when he had taken to the violin for about
a fortnight; but I happened to be prefent a few da\ s al'rcrwards, when
lie had found out the ncccflity of ufnig more fingt-rs, as he imj)roved in
liis execution. Crotch can alio play on the connnon flute and JHccado
Pajlorello, and dea!;- much in the rapij rum \v!,ich are ulually intra-
tluced by tl'.u!e vvho can aniufe themf'.lvcs with that poor inftru-
ment.

« lie docs i.fit ['.iV Jfjarper or fatter.

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judges moft accuratclr of vvhnt are called extrctnes '' on the violin ^
which feems to be ftlll more iiilonHhlng, as the child hath Icarcely
ever heard any otlier inftrument but the organ, which Is dcfc^flivc
in thefe quarter-tones. In other words, it fccnis to pro\e, that
Crotch*s ear is fo very exquifite as to diftinguifh quarter tones,
whilll the notes of the organ are only fubdividcd into liaif-toncs ;
all of which arc to a certain degree imperfe£l, and the ability of*
the tuner is fhewn by diftributing this defefl, as equally as pof-
lible, amongft them all. Surely therefore this great refinement
may be pronounced to liave been almoft innate in tlie child ; for
though perhaps he might have heard a Norwich fiddler, yet it is
highly improbable that fuch performer fliould have flopped with
this great precifion.

Dr. Burncy indeed mentions, that Crotch was prefent at a con-
cert in London where Pachierotti fung, and where undoubtedly
there might be fome able muficians.

1 once happened to be prefent when he was playing a well-
known air, called Minuet lie la Cour, in the greater third and key
of A, which he afterwards repeated in that of B. Obferving this
veadinefs in the child to tranfpofe, I defired him to try it
in C ; which he not only complied with, but proceeded re-
gularly tlirough the whole octave, whilfl he fometimes looked
back with great archnefs upon me, inquiring whether I knew in
what key he was then playing ; and having anfwered him once or
twice wrong on purpofe, he triumphed much in fetting.me
right.

•" Thcfe notes are marked in fome compofitions for violins with a
double fharp ; and to exemplify, ^vhen F fliarp occurs, in the greater
third and kcv of E, it fliould be flopped by the performer perhaps
nearly a quarter of a note more fliarp than it is upon the harpfichord, or
approachint^ to an intermediate quarter tone between F fliarp and G natu-
ral. Filchcr executes fuch quarter tones with great precifion on the

hautbois.

I mult

' i

[ 3'S ]

I mufl: acknowledge alfo, that at laft he really puzzled me,
for he concluded by a tranfpofition into the key of F (harp, which
is never ufed by Englilh compofers, and which I was not a'^le ta
name on his word of command, not having attended to the lad
note of his bafe.

I need fcarely fay, that 1 left tlie room after this in great
aftonifhment ; and it then occurred, that it might be right to
make an experiment, whether he would be equalh' ready to tranf-,
pofe in the minor third, in which probably the child had never
heard any compofition whatfoever, it being fo feldom ufed in the
prefent times '.

I then communicated what I had been witnefs of to Maftcr
Wefley, defiring that he would write down a iimple melody of a
few bars in the minor third ; which 1 e imediately complied with,
and went with me to little Crotch, in order to aflift in the ex-
periment.

I was in great hopes that the child would catch this little air,
after Mafter Wefley had repeated it five or fix times j but in this
I was difappointed ; for little Crotch happened not to be in
humour, tliough we endeavoured much to coax him to the or-
gan. Having obfcrvcd however that lie would fometimes play
from pique, when intreatics had no effe£l, I delired Mafter Wefley
to give the treble only, and told Crotch that he could not add the
\K\ie to it. Cn this the urcliin fat down by INlafter Wefley, ac-
companying with the proper bafe this fame tune, traafpofed in
tlie minor tliird througii the whole o£lave.

* This probably arills fiom the greater brilliancy occafioncd by the
open notes on the violin, which occur more frequently in the ....iji.r
ihan minor third.

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When he had fiiiiflied, Mafter Wefley had a curlofity to try
him m tranfpofing through theodlave hi the major third ; which
Crotch inftantly did, and in a manner too peculiar not to be fully
ftated.

The tunc pitched upon for trying this experiment a fecond time
was, as before, i&e Minuet de la Cour ; but Crotch conceiving at
once what Mafter Wefley wiflied to be a witncfs of, only played
three or four bars of the firft part, and then inftantly changed
the key throughout the o(5tave.

I (hall here infert one of Crotch*s Voluntaries, which was taken
down whilft he was playing it. I told the child that it (hould be
publifhed as Crotch's compofition ; on which he wiflied to be ftiled
Do^or, which title it feems Dr. Randal of Cambridge, and mu-
fical profeflbr there, had given the boy. The exa<fl: notes of this
extemporary flight are here given, though the third bar may be
deemed contrary to the eftabliflied rules of mufical compofition.

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The child both looks •* and Is very hitelligent ii\ other matters,
which do not relate to mufic, and draws in a bold malkriy way
with chalk on the floor . One of his moft favourite objcds to
reprefent is a violin, which he forms inftantaneoufly witli a few
ftrokes ; I need fcarcely mention the difficulty of reverfuig the
two fides, and S's, which muft be very obvious to penmen, as
well as painters. The boy likewife fucceeds very well in the hafty
outline of a fhip. He is generally good humoured, though {o
often teazed to play, wliich he readily comolles with for the moft
part, if a child of the fame age is not in the room, whofe com-
pany he is not pleafed with, perhaps apprehending that he will
b? fet down to his organ, a property of which he feems to be
extremely jealous'.

The prefent Earl ofMornlngton'" furnifhes an inftanccof a ftill
earlier attention to mufical inftruments.

His father played well (for a gentleman) on the violin, which
always delighted the child whilft in his nurfe's arms, and long

^ Crotch had now been vifited by moft of the mufical people in Lon-
don, and his portrait was engraved ; but the rcfemblance is by no means
a good one.

* As I have mentioned fo many other proofs of early genius in children,
I here cannot pafs unnoticed Mafter Lawrence, fon of an inn-keeper at
the Devifes in Wiltfhire.

This boy is now [viz. February, 1780] nearly ten years and a half
old ; but at the age of nine, without the moft diftant inftrudiion from any
one, he was capable of copying hiftorical piflures in a maftcrly rtile, and
alfo fucceedcd amazingly in compofitions of his own, particularly that
of Peter denying Christ. In about feven minutes he fcarcely ever failed
of drawing a ftrong likenefs of any perfon prclcnt, which had generally
much freedom and grace, if the fubjedt permitted. He ii likewife an
excellent reader of blank verfc, and will immediately convince any one,
that he both underftands and feels the ftriking palfages of Milton or
Shakcfpeare.

™ Well kno^vn to the mufical world, for his great abilities as a com-
pofer,

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' before he couKl Ipcak. Nordkl this proceed meiely tVom a love,
common to other children, of a I'prightly nolfe ; a^; may appear
by the followhig proof. Duhourg, who was thuty years ago a
diftinguiihed performer on that inftrument", liappened to bj at tlie
family feat " ; but the child would not permit him to take the
violin from his father till his little hands were held ; after
having heard Dubourg however the cafe was altered, and there
was then much more difficulty to pcrfuade him to let Dubourg
p;ive the indrument back to his father. Nor would the infant
e\'er afterwards permit the father to play, whilfl: Dubourg was in
the houie.

At the lame period he beat time to all meafures of mufic, how-
ever difficult ; nor was it pofliblc to force him to do otherwife,
the moft rapid changes proilucing as rapid an cration in the
child's hands.

Thougli padionatcly fond of mufic, from indolence he never
attempted to play on any indrumcnt till he was nine years old.
At that time an old portrait painter came to the family feat.,
who was a very indihUn-ent performer on the violin, but per-
luadcd the child that if he tried to play on that inftrument, he
would foon be able to bear a part in a concert.

With this inducement he foon learned the two old catches of
thcCbriJl. Church Bills, and Si/ig onef two, three, come fellow mc \
after \vhich his father and the painter accompanying him with the
two other parts, he experienced thepleafing effects of a harmony
to which he himfelf contributed.

Soon after this he was able to play the fecond violin in
Corelll's Sonatas, which gave him a rteadlnefs in time that

■ He was alfo a diftinguiflicd mufician when very young, and p]a\cd a
folo, on a ioint-ftool, at the famous concert of Foiii Britun the huali-coal
man. Sh- John Hawkins's Hiftory of Mufic, vol. V. p. 76.

" Dangan, in the county of Meath.

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[ 3^9 ]

never defcrtcd him. For the next mufical ftage he commenced
compolcr, tVom emulation of tlie applaufe given to a couiitry-
danto .fie hy a neighbourhig clergyman. He accordingly
fet t(j K, and by playing the treble on the violin, whllfl he
fung a ' .lie to it, he formed a minuet, the bafe of which he
wrote in the treble cleft" p, and was very profufe of his fifths and
oclaves, being totally ignorant of the eftablifhed rules of compo-
fition''.

This minuet was followed by a duet for two French horns,
whilft the piece concluded by an Andante movement, thus con-
fiftlng of three parts, all of which being tacked together, he
filled a ferenata. At this time he had never heard any mufic, but
iiom his father, fiflers, and the old painter.

lie ftuck to the violin till he was fourteen ; but had always a
ftrong inclination to the harpfichord ; from which his fifttrs drove
him continually, faying that he fpoiled the inflrument, notwlth-
ftandlng which he fometimes ftole Inr;. rvals of praclicc.

About tills time the late Lord Mornington declared his inten-
tion of having an organ for his chapel, telling his Um^ that he
lliovild have been the organlft, had he been able to pli^y on the
inftrumcnt. On this the fon undertook to be ready as foon w-o
the organ could be finished ; whleh being accomplilhtd in kls
than a year and a half, he f.it down at the maker.'s, phiyed .ui
extemporary fugue, to the aflonWlimcnt of the father, a., v.-ell as
others, who did not conceive that he could have (.Mce'jtcd a i'liiple
bar of any tune.

It is Well knov/n that this iuilrument 1,^ more Hkclv to forn^i a
compofer than any other, and ills lordihlp, iii prtKxls of tiixie^

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P Having only played in rhis clcir on the violin.

•i Which furbitl two fifths or two oiitiivcs to follow cr,ch vj-iur in ;i;o
fame direction, ib-v car bv-in^;; c^luttcd with U':i;h |)vrf«.>:t: L(>!il(..;uni.i.^ j:\
fucceflioii.

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[ 320 ]

II Ji

both read and ftudicd mufic, whilft he at the Tame tunc committed
his ideas to writing. As he had however never received the leaft
inftru(flion in this ahftrufe, though pleafing fcience, he wiflied to
eonlult both Rofengrave and Geminiani, who, on examining his
compofitions, told him they could not be of the leaft lervice to
him, as he had himCelf inveftigated all the eftabUllied rules, with
their proper exceptions.

Though fimple melodies commonly pleafe moft in the earlier
ftagcs of ?ife, he had always a ftrong prediledion for church
mufic, and full harmony, as alfo for the minor third, in which
for that rcalon he made his firft compofition.

In procels of time his lordfliip waa fo diftinguiflied for his
mufical abilities, that the univerfity of Dublin conferred upon
)iim the degree of Do£lor andProfeflbr of mufic.

1 have happened to ftumble upon two other inftances of chil-
dren, flicwing a moft early difpofition to mufic.

In Dodfley's Regifter for the year 1763 there is an account
from Brookefield in North America, of a boy, who, at tjie age
of twenty-two months, fung the treble to one of Dr. Watts's
hvmns, wlillft accompanied by a bafe voice ; and at three years
and a half the fame child would fing twenty ditFerent tunes, by
rules commonly ufed for teaching ^ Tlie compiler alfo mentions
a clergyman's Ion in London, who, at five years of age, could
execute difficult leflbns on the harpfichord, after they had been
once played over to him.

Many have wifhcd tliat thcfe early geniufes might be left to
themfclves, in order perhaps to produce a better flilc of mufic
than we are poflefiled of at prefcnt ; a conceit which Dr. Burney
hath moft ablv refuted. I could almoft wifh however, that little

^ He was the fon of Thomas Bannifter of that place.

.

Crotch,

t 3i' 1

Crotch, who hath not only heard, but can execute, {everal tunes^
fliould be brought up in a village, where there was neither mu-
fician nor ring of bells. For though probably his mufic would not
be abfolutely wild ; he might perhaps hazard fome moft Angular
paflages, which might have an amazing etFecSl^ when properly in-
troduced by an able compofer.

It may now perhaps not be improper to make fome com-
parifon between the impreffions madv^ upon us by mufical notes,
and words, during our infancy*

And here it will firft appear, that the mufical connexion is
much theftrongerj for no child can at once repeat a (hort flory,
or even fentence } but we find that a tune is immedietely executed
by them, both by their own voices, and on inftruments.

At firft it may be fuppofed, that this arifes from tiie nurfc
fniging to the child; but this cannot be the caufe, for they
generally give over their lullabies when the infant is fix months
old, nor is one nurfe in twenty capable of finging a tUne through-
out. How few children alfo are able to do this, even after they
are grown up, and have had fo many better fubjeds to Iniitatel

But perhaps it may be urged, that thougli the nude is not
mufical, the parents may be fo. To whlcli I aufwcr, that 1 have
known feveral iiiftances where both the fiither and motlicr have
been blcfled with a love of mufic, yet many of the children have
not fhewn the lean: difpofition of the fame kind.

I know very well, that many conceive they have a tafle or ear
for mufic ; but whether they have or not is inflantly difcovercd,
if they attempt to hum an air. I would not by this intimate,
that it is incumbent upon every perfon to have a good voice ;
but they who liave a mufical ear will never fing confiderably out
of tune, though their tone, or organs of voice, may be never li)
indifi'crcnt.

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Anotlier crltenon (though perhaps not fo irrefragable as the
preceding) is the being able to beat time, which the greater par'c
of grown people cannot do even to a minuet, wliere it is more
marked tlian in any other meafnre, and therefore perhaps is more
generally applauded than any other mufical movement. We find
that Lord Mornington was capable of this, before he could fpeak,
though perhaps no grown perfoii can explain, whence, without
either beating or count'ing^ he is always fenfible when the mufical
bar commences.

I will not apologize for ftating thefe criteria of a mufical ear,
becaufe, if the pupil is not capable of both, I (hould conceive,
that the time and expence of his being inftrucled are thrown away,
and that the fuppofed fondncfs for mufic may be rather confidercd
as a love of noife.

I do not pretend however to aflert, that there never hath been
an inftance of a mufical tafte being acquired by thofe who are ad-
vanced in life ; though I rather believe that the examples are rare.

But the connexions of mulical founds not only feem to make
an earlier, but a morclafting impreffion on us than what we
hear by the medium of words, as we retain the melody when
every verfe and line of tlie ballad is loft, which hath been learnt
in our nurferies. I have found this to be the cafe with moft
perfons whom I have interrogated on this fubjedt', provided they
had ever been mafters of the tune throughout, when a bar or two,
in any part, would immediately recall the wliolc to their me-
mory.

The late Lord Bathurft mentioned to me once a very ftrong
proof of this.

As his Lordfliip had much frequented the opera in the lime
of Qvicen Anne, Frederick prince of Wales wanted him to

4 ^'"g

[ 3^-3 ]

fing a favourite air of NIcolIni % which he could not at that
inftaiit rccolleft, as It had been performed not Icfs than 40 years
before.

Some time afterwards his Lordfhip dreamed that NIcoHni fung
part of the air to him, and when he awoke he remembered the
whole fong, repeating it from hour to hour till he had waited on
his royal highncfs, before it had efcaped his memory.

In another opera of the fame r-Ign Nlcollnl performed the
part of Thefeus. His lordflilp told me, that this famous finger
had a particular pleafure in beating the minotaur very foundly, and
that the man who reprcfcnted the monfler might fubmit more
chearfuUy to this drubbing, NIcoUni always gave him a crown.
As t)ie finger chofe however to have his pennyworth out of the
minotaur, lie generally thrafhed him fo heartily as to lofe his own
breath, which was often inconvenient, as a fong of triumph was
to enfue over the proftratc foe.

I took the liberty to defire his Lordflilp to give me an idea of
this air, ivhen he immediately fung it throughout, and imitated
at the fiune time the catches of breath in Nlcollnl, from thcfc
extraordinary exertions. Lord Bathurfi: was at this time elghtv-
feven, to the beft of my recolle£lion, and therefore affords a flrong
Inftance of the mufical memory being very perfe<ft, even in that
late rtage of life. It need fcarcely be oblcrved alfo, that he could
not probably have heard this fong for more tlinn three-fcore
years ^

* The mufic of operas was not then publilhc.l from fcufon to feafon,
ns it hath been of late years.

' It might indeed luavc occafionally occurred to him; though he cer-
tainly had not heard it performed.

n iiM ii

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[ 324 3

A third proof of the greater connexion between mufical founds
and any ideas obtained by the communication of words may be
perhaps evidenced by repeating a tune and ftory of the fame
length to a child who can both fing and read, when I am con-
fident that a note either omitted or mif-arranged would be more
noticed, than the either dropping or mifplaclng a word in the Ihort
narrative.

Strong however and early as the love of mufic is In many
children, yet it mufl be admitted that this moft capital pleafure falls
not to the lot of the greater part of mankind, even in any ftage
of their life.

This may be occafioned in many by a defe£l in their organs of
hearing ; but may be in others attribuLeci to the difcouragement
of parents when the child firft attempts to be a muficlan, and
particularly if a boy. I (hould conceive however that this
ftrong prejudice againft muficlans arlfes from obferving, that
itinerant fidlers are commonly of abandoned morals, whence it is
fuppofed, that thofe who are ftatlonary, and have had a regular
education, deferve perhaps no better a character. This prejudice
in many hath taken fo deep a root, that the contempt is tranf-
ferred from the profeflbrs to the fcience Itfelf, whilft they do not
recolledl that it is honoured with degrees in both our univerfities,
that it conflltutes a part of our cathedral fervice ", and that it

" If it was not for this eftablifhment of choirs in moft parts of Eng-
land, a concert could fcarccly be performed any where but in the me-
tropolis. I might add perhaps, that mufic would be almoft annihilated
in the country, for the harpsichords there are moftly tuned by the
urganift or fingers of the cathedral. Kven with this afliflance moft of
thefe inftrumenls are commonly out of order, from the expenoe, if the
city is at any diftancc; it is therefore to be wiftied, that the tuners
would attend regularly, at particular towns, upon certain days, from
whence the inftruments of the neighbourhood might be put in order
at no ruinous a price,

I affords

',y

C 325 ]

affords a moft rational relaxation to thofe who happen to have a
mufical difpofition.

I am ready to allow however that the greater part of the In-
habitants of this country fhould get their livelihood by more la-
borious means, with which the pradifing upon inftrumcnts
fhould not too much interfere ; but I have frequently been afto-
nifhed that thofe w^ho intend to leave ample fortunes to their
children, without defining them to any profeffion, fhould check
this flrong impulfe of nature, while the fingers are fupple, and
brilliancy of execution may be acquired. We begin too late if we
are to flay till we are own maflers.

I have before ventured to call mufic a rational amufement, but
I may almofl pronounce it a necefl'ary one in the decline of life,
for mofl eyes begin to fail at 50, whereas the ear commonly con-
tinues perfect to a much later period. As all parents therefore
wlfh that their children may attain a good old age, they fhould
not withold from them the

miferis — viatica canis,

which will probably be the confequence of preventing their play-
ing on Inflruments at an age when alone they can become pradic.il
muficians, and thence acquire a tafle for tlie ftriklng efll-^fls of
harmony.

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Ci ,'1 11.

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ON THE DELUGE IN THE TIiME OF NOAH.

THERE fcem to be the ftrongeft objedions to the liippo-
litiori of an nniverfal deluge ; fome of which, without
mentioning otliers, may be thus Ihortly Hated.

He muft be a more ingenious architc6l than even Bifliop Wil-
kins *, who can contrive a (ingle velfel large enough for Noah
and his family, the bcafls, fowls, reptiles, and infefts, of the
whole globe, together willi provifions for their fuftenance, duriivr
the fpacc of a twelvemonth ^ ; whilft the lives of each animal, i;i
this confined flate, mull: alio have continued for that time, other--
wife fome genus or fpecics muft have been intirely deftroyed,
without a new creation.

If we are to underftand likewife the expreffion literally of all,
the extirpation of the web-footed fowls would not have followed ;
nor of the water reptiles and infedls.

On the other hand, there muft have been a new creation of
cither the Hilt or frefh water fifh, fuppofing the fluid which co-
vered the face of the globe to have been either fait or frefli, as
the former could not have lived a twelvemonth In water fo much
frefhened, or the latter in an element become fo much falter.

« Sec his Works.

'' No mention is here made of fuel, as well as many other bulky but
ncccirar) articles.

How

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C 327 ]

How could the animals, almoft peculiar to the ardllc circle (a
rein-deer for example), or thofe only found in America at prefent,
have been procured for the ark, or infers in their diifcrcnt meta-
morpliofes ? How was the proper food alfo to be fupplied for the
animals of the whole globe, for a year, when many of thcni,
particularly infetfls, only feed upon peculiar plants, which there-
fore muft have continued to vegetate in part of the ark deftincd
for a confervatory. The animals again are direded to be male
and female; many of which, within the twtlvemontli, would
have procreated ; and from what ftores on board the ark was thi:,
n\mierous oflspring to be fupportcd ?

The deluge, if unlverfal, likewife continuing for a twelve-
month, all the annual plants of the globe muft have been do-
ftroyed, not to mention both flirubs and trees, many of which
would have loft all vegetative power, after tliey had been covered
fo long by water, either frefh or fait.

Having thus briefly ftated fome of the principal objedions to a
general deluge, it may be right to fuggeft the bcft anfwcr I am
able to the only fuppofed proof of fuch an inundation, which con-
felledly carries with it much plaufibllity, after which I Ihall en-
deavour to explain the chapters of the book of Gcnefis, which
rehite to this great event.

It is frequently urged, that (hells of marine animals are found
on the tops of mountains, which could not be conveyed tliither
by any other method.

The firft anfwer to this is, that fuppofing the whole globe to
be covered with water, what could Jvave been tlie inducement to
the lliell-fifti (many of which periiaps cannot move) to delert
their proper habitation in the bed of the fea, in order to tranlport
themfelves to the top of an Inland mountain, where they mui^
immediately ftarve, for want of their ufual nourifnmcnt.

The

d 'I I

'U\'.

[ 3^8 ]

The next anrwcr Is, that fuch foflils in the cabinets of vlr-
tuofi are often reported by the feller to have been found in fuch
places, contrary to the real faft, as the fpecimen, with many
collc(flors, is, on that account, more valued.

M. le Roy therefore, who was employed to procure timber in
the Pyrenees, fpeaks thus of his fruitlefs fearches for fuch fof-
fils, " Je ii'ai appercu aucun coqulllage dans les Pyrenees, fcule-
*' ment qulques empreintes furies pierres, que j'ai toujours crus
*' formees par Atsfltiations «•."

" Neither in the Apennines, Alps, Pyrenees, or Grampian
" Mountains, nor in thofe of Afia, Africa, or America, are (hells
*' or marine bodies of any kind to be found '^."

Moft foffilifts again agree, that the fliells thus difcovered do
not belong to the fea fiih of the neighbouring coafl-, whilft, for
the greater part, no known animal can be pointed out as the in-
habitant'. Tiie argument is therefore reduced to this, the fliell
bears a general refemblance to that of fome cruflaceous or other
fifli, and confequently mufl have originally been depofited at the
bottom of the fea.

Much is in like manner faid about impreflions of fubterraneous
plant^, which are frequently attributed to the fame eaufe of a
general deluge ; and which commonly bear a ftrong, but not
exatSl refemblance, to fern, polypody, and box.

Now it Is firft to be obferved, that thefe fuppofed plants are
feldom, if ever, doubled, or the foliage difplaced, which muA
continually happen If they were the exuviie of real plants. At
certain times of the year likewife the backs of fern leaves are

« Londres, 1776. 4to. p. 4.

^ Wcllcy's Nat. Hift. vol. III. p. i^g,

* Sec Hift. Acad. Sc. for 1743. p. iit#

Covered

[ 3^9 ]

covered with the feed, and the box botli flowers and feeds, yet t
have never happened to lee any of thefe foflll plants with
cither the one or the other. Many fuch fpeclmcns alfo have
no flaik or root. They are more commonly feen in coal-flates
(or tlic ftratum above the coaJ), than perhaps in any other foil.
Whence can it arife likewife that the leaves or branches of other
plants and trees are not found as frequently ? 1 have alfo feen
folfils which have borne fome refemblance to the barks of trees,
and chiefly fir; but they were flat, and not convex, as muft
happen when they vegetate.

Petrified and foflil bones of animals, quadrupeds, and fifh, are
likewife fuppofed to be frequently difcovcred ; but I never heard
of more than fragnients being thus found ; when, if thefe were
really the bones of animals, the perfedl fkeleton muft often be met
witii in a foflil fl:ate.

Strata of thefe, and of a confiderable length, are met with,
both in Dalmatia and tlie rock of Gibraltar, which feem to be
compofed of human bones ; but thefe are chiefly thofeof the leg;
nor is it fcarcely pofiible tliat they fliould have been any part of
a human creature, notwithftanding the very {Irong refemblance.

We will fuppofe thefe however to have been thus depofited,
after a great flaugliter in battle, or the fudden ravage of a pefti-
lential difordcr.

Upon thefe occafions the numerous corples muft nc ^arilv be
buried in one general pit, and confequentty the Ikulls and other
bones would be at tlic lame time dug up, and within a very fmall
compafs ; whereas thofe in Dalmatla lie for furlongs in narrow
ftrata along the fea-coaft, and the iame is bL-lic-ved with regard to
the fpecimens from (n'oraltar. At all events, in fuch only polfible
cafes, the complete human Ikeleton would be di'icovered.

Uu

But

^>^i!

mi

VyM

iHli

;<*f

/list

it^ I:

H n

I 33^ ]

But It will be urged, that we arc to bclltve our own eyes, vvhcii
the refcmblaiice is lb ftrong; to wliich I am ready to anfwer.
Yes ; if you will compare the fbllil plant or animal with candour
and accuracy.

t'or example, I will fuj^pofe the inftance of a foilll prawn to^
be examined, which not one in ten thoufand will dlftlngulflr
from a large Ihrlmp ; yet If It is contended that tills muft be a
Ihrimp from the ftrong relemblance, the aflertlon is not true.

I'he fame holdi with regard to the fpecimen of a large foffil
crawfilh, which dllTers fpeclfically from a fmall lobftcr, thougli
naturalllls only will difccrn the proper criteria*

Many learned writers, and amongft thefe Ibme dillinguilhed
foirdilb, have denied the inferences often drawn from thele fub-
terraneous fpecimens in fupport of an univerfal deluge.

Dr. Grew (in his Catalogue of the Mufeum of the Royal So-
ciety) exprelies hlmlelf thus on this head.

*' Although nature cannot be faid to imitate art, yet It may
*« fall out, that the efteds of both may have fome likenefs. Thofe
" white concretions which the Italians (from the place where
*' they are found) call, confetti di Tivoli, are fometlmes fo like
♦« round confe<5ls, and the rough kind of lugared almonds, that
" by the eye they cannot be diftinguifhed. To call thefe petrijled
•' fugar plumbs were fenfelefs. Doth not Sal Ammcnlac often
*' fiioot Into millions of little ones ? If we find in other ftones
" the refemblance of pknts, why not naturally there, as well as hi
" frofty weather upon glafs windows ; or as falts fometlmes
*' figure thcmfelves into fome likenels to the plants whereof they
•' arc made r Nay, why not to a face, or other animal form ?
'* Since we fee that there are diverfe palm-nuts which have the
" famcf."

' P. 254.

Again,

&)(ii> II'

nm

[ 33' ]

Again, the fame writer in dcfcr'.bing a foflll, "in (hape fo like a
*' fhark's tooth that one tooth cannot be llker to another ; yet if it
*' be fuch, then by comparing tliofe in the head of a fliark, that to
*' which this belonged muft have been about 36 feet in length «.**

Lhuyd, in Ivis additions to Camden's Britannia *", fpeaks in
the fame manner with regard to the fuppofed imprefllons of plants
found in coal and other pits. Impreflions of mofles, and to the
full as ftrong a refemblancc as the foflil plants, are allowed by
many of the virtuofi to be lufufes ; but I cannot conceive why it
is not as difficult to efFeft an imitation of the cue as of the
other.

As we cannot account cxaftly how every pebble we tread
\ipon is formed, it may by many be thought prcfumptuous to
make this endeavour, with regard to foflil botlies ; though fuch
as attribute them to a general deluge, certainly fall under this
blame (if it is dcfcrved) as much as thofc who aflign them to
otlicr caufes.

I do not pretend to produce my own hypothefis in regard to
the formation of many of thcfe fubterrancous bodies, witli any
degree of confidence ; but I have at leall: pcrfuaded myfelf tiiat it
may deferve fome attention.

I fhall therefore venture to fubmit, that fubterrancous infcdls
may have occafioned many of thefe rtrong refemblances (or
lufufes) cither by their claws or a?itcnna'f or perhaps by
emitting a liquor which may both excavate and dllcolour
the none, or other body, on which they may happen to
work.

The firll: objedlon to this conjcflure will probably be, that
proof is wanting of the exiftence of fuch infcdls, and whicli I

1:j**

\M

4

ii^

Y ■ m

kW

» Ibid. p. 257.

^ Art. Flincfhirc.

Vv. 2

admit

^l

li

f

'Hi

[ 33^ ]

admit mud rcfl upon what at moll will amount to a proba-
bility.

VV'c know with certainty, that a qnaclrupcil, To lai-g'c as a
mok', iu>t only cxirts, but finds its proper nouriJhmi;nt under
ground, n.> alio a confRKuMhlc number of inlcds. Wc likcwil'c
know that the toad hath been frequently found at a andiderabk
deptli under the Ibil, inclofed with flone nhnod: in cont»*ft with
its body. This fa»fl indeed hath been much ridiculed by fonie, a'.\d
chiefly becaui'e it was fuppofed that the animal couUl not have
continued to cxift, loth for want of air and food, whiHl in fuch
a fituation. Wc are not however to rcje»5l well-attefled accounts
of fa6ts in Natural Hiftory, merely bccaufe they happen to con-
tradiifl what we generally obferve to be neceliary for the jireferva-
tion of animal life ; and that able anatomilt Mr. John Hunter,
F. R. S. having inclofed a toad botween two (Itxic flower pots lor
more than 14 months, found it as lively as when fufl: con-
fined.

But infecl?, tender as their bodies arc, frequently penetrate into
the hardeft furfaccs ' ; which labour they would not throw away,
did it not anfwcr to them cither for food or depoliting their eggs,
or young.

Cireoffroy informs us, that fomc of the Teignes [tinc;«] exca-
vate fl:ones to lay their larvae in"*, and our own naturalil^ poet
Thomfbn fays,

fee u re
Within Its winding citadel, the ftone
Holds multitudes.

[fc. of Infeds.]

' There is a fpccics of ant in the Mauritius which will cat through
a trunk in a night. See a Voyage to that Uland, in 1 75S.
** Accodn. of Infcds in the environs of Taris, vol. 11. p. 17S.

I Turnefort

[ 333 ]

Tumclort again mentions that, " Rocks arc peopled r.nd
" c.Ucn by lin;ill woiiiis covered with Ihclls of a green or alli-
" colour '." . •

Another argument of mofl: confiJcrablc wciglit for the exirtcnce
of fuch infers, at ahi:io{l ;u\y depth, arilcb from fueh a vjft
mafs of matter as our glohc confiflsof, under tiie iurfacc, or even
the deepcfi: of our mines, not contributing to tiic life or con-
veniences of any animal whntlocvcr, which can fcarcely be lup-
pofcd, without the llrougcd and nioft irrcfragal)Ic proof.

Particular follils again arc conmionly found in the fame par-
ticular ftrata ; and does not this atFord a proof that the Infetfls
wiiich inhabit fuch flrata are the occafion of the fnigular luxlits
which we there difcxwei? A 'HMicral deluae, on the otiier hand,
muft difperfe thefe bodies indifcriminately in c ery kind of llrata *".

Some animals moreover form their (hells by emitting a juicf,
which fafhions the layers of their habitation. "So the fliells of

Inails and oyfters are formed, their refpe«5tive animals throwing

out periodically the ofleous juice, or teftaceous matter, which
*' adheres to the former IheJl, and concretes, aud thus the llic-
*' cefTivc layers arc produced "."

As

' This circumftancc may account for many of the fofni flu-lls, the
livins inhabit:int of which hath never been cUl'coverocl bv anv nam-

™ There arc two ftonc quarries near Sv/indon in Wiltfiiire ; and in rliac
whleh is at the leall diilance from the town there arc (carcelv any ioniis
which bear the molt diftinu refcnibhincc to thole of marine Ihclls, v» h(.:reas
they are found in eonfitierable ninnb.ers in a (juarry at no g.re.;'.cr (lillance
than a quarter of a mile. This fa<ff fecms t.) prove, that ilu; fivata of
the fecond quarry are more convenient to cjrtain infedls ilian thfjlc of
the firft, whiill: it cannot be fuppofed that thii dilfertnce is to be attri-
buted !0 a ji,eneral deluge.

" EJlis, rU. Tranf. vol. LXVI. p. 8.

Ldo

4(

■ H

in

'\i ini

'•^fj

I

m

1
1

'J»i

-I,

^li

m

I

r

! I .'.!

:"ii

L 334 ]

As we know therefore, that certahi animals which we arc well
r.rquainted with, form their habitations In this manner, why is
this to be denied to fubtcrraneous infe£ls, the exiftencc of which
may be fairly inferred from what hath been ftated, nor can we
go further in the proof, except our deepefl mines are more at-
tended to than they have yet been by any naturalifl. The fearch
indeed into thefc deep caverns, commonly arlfes from other mo-
tives than that of promoting fcicnce.

It is unncceHhry to mention inftances of the regularity and in-
genuity with which infedls conftrud their habitations, or prepare
the proper receptacle for their eggs and young. I have myfelf
however frequently obferved, under the bark of a decayed bougli,
marks made by their pun^lures, exa<51:ly in the form of leaves,
and with as ftrong a refemblance to a plant as any follil of the
fame kind. If Infeds therefore above ground produce fuch imi-
tations, why may not the fame happen under the furface of the
earth, or at leaft is the impoflibility of this fo great, that it is ne-
cefliuy to have recourfe to a general deluge ?

But I fhall now perhaps be told, that all thefe objedions to the
whole globe being covered with water in the time of Noah,
cannot weigh an Inftant againll the pofi*"'ve words of the book of
Gcnefis, which therefore It will be now right to examir.c, in the
fame manner that exprefiions In every other author Ihould be
underftood.

No apology for this need be made in a proteftant country, as
otlierwife we muft give up the Coperiiican fyftem, and literally
bdicvc that Jofliua not only ordered, but obliged, the fun (and

I do not by this mean to contend, that no foffil {hell was ever found,
but theio cannot be a ftrongcr proof that fuch inftances arc rare at any
(liftancc from the coaft, than that extravagant prices are given for fpcei-
mens which have the pearly i.oat.

4 fiof

m

[ 335 ]

Mot the earl b J to ftand ftill for a whole day ; and In cou utiles of
the Roman Catholic pcrfuafion, excul'es are made for cntertainuig
this opinion in every publication where it is alluded to.

The w^hole of this much controverted point depends principally
upon the fignlfication of the word enrlb, which in EnglKh more
commonly includes the whole globe, unkfs conhned by the con-
text to a diilrict, or more clrcuml'cribed fpot.

And fnil, let us confider the occafion of the deluge ; which is
ftated to be,

*' That God faw the wlckedncfs of man was great upi)n the
" eartb^'' ^^jqw. vl. 5.

" And the Lord laid, I will deflroy man whom I have created,
*' from the face of the car tb^ both man and beaft, and tlie creeping^
" thing, and the fowls of the airj" ver. 7.

" iJ«/Noah found grace In the eyes of the Lord," ver. 8.

The exception here ftated, " But Noah found grace, Sec." fecms
moft ftrongly to prove, that the wlckedncfs complained of related
to the diftriift in which he Jived ; for in the then uninhabited
part of the globe there could have been none to ofFend„ ar>.il in-
volve with their own dcftrmStion the whole race of animals. Tills
however was neceflary in that portion of Alia where Noah dwelt,
as the animals not included in the ark might have contributed to
the fupport of fomc of the guilty.

I (hould conceive therefore, that the term Earth Is to Ik- confined
In thefe chapters of Genefis to that jiortion of the globe wiurc
the calamity hajipened, the fv'nonyms in mofi: languages bcinp-
equally retrained by the context, or at lead often fo ".

° ** The earth," in this and other paflagcs of the throe chapters of
Genefis which relate to the deluge, is always anxloully repcatcii, as " :in>l
" every thing which is in ihi earth ihall die," Gen. vi. i 7. where, it' the
whole globe was intended, it voukl have been fid onU", '•'■every thin'^
*< Jbuil die." The fame may bo obf'rved with regard to ihc two lormcr
citations from Gen, vi. 7, and 8,

Thu3

Ml;

fl li

[ 336 ]

Thus ill the izth book of the Odyfley v«/« only means an
iflan J p.

— — - aSe Tig uKXfi
^aivsTo yotixccVf uXX" n^uvog, riSe S^aXacrcra. Od. M, 402.
If fometimes is ftill more circumfcribed, and relates to the foil
immediately under our feet, as in the firfl book of the Iliad.
riort ^i (j-KYtTpi^Qv {2cc\s yociri, as alio,
pee aoiif^ctTi yaicc.

Iliad. A. 45 1 .

The feiife of the word (terra) equally depends upon the context,
and does not always import the whole furface of the globe, as in
the following line of Virgil :

Poflquam altum tenuei-e' artes, nee jam amplius uUae
Apparent terrae— — *

Sometimes o more than a very fmall portion of foil, as

— — haud paravcro,
Quod aut avarus ut Chremes terra premam ;
Difcin<3:us aut perdam ut nepos.

Herat. Epod. I,

I fliall now fliew that the earth is neceflarily ufed In a con-
fined lenlc in fonie of the chapters of Genefis which relate to the
flood.

" There were giants in the earib In thofe days," Gen. xl. 4.
where it mufl: mean tlic adjacent country, for I believe it never
was contended, that there were at this time giants over the whole
furface of the globe. The fenfe of the word being thus afcertained

1' ^^'hat thus follows is printed chiefly from vol. IV. of the Archaco-
logui, p. yi;^, & fcq.

when

'ill:

[ 337 ^

when It is firfl: hitroduced iu thefe chapters of Genefis, it Iceras
to toUou', tliat it mud: continue to he ufcd in the fame (ig-
iiification, when it occurrs aftciwaids in t^e account of the
flood,

Thus again, " and the flood was forty days upon the earth, and
*' the waters increafed and bare up the ark, and it was hjft up
** ahve the earths

When the earth is thus introduced a fecond time, It mufl
mean only the fpace of ground which was under the ark "^ ;
whilfl: it is ahb expofitory of the fame word ufed in the preceding
part of the verfe, which catuiot therefore real'onably be extended
beyond the dlftrid.

The next term which hath occafioned tiie mifunderftanding
the fcripture account is that of Heaven, the fenfe of which again,
and its fynonyms, in moft languages, depends upon the context,
as it often Hgnifics no more than the atmofphere over a particular
dlftrivfl, or fcarcely more fometimes than the vertical point over
our heads.

Thus in the 12th book of the Odyfley v^avog means only the
atmofphere above a high rock.

O^eir Ko^v<pvi Od. M. 74.

And acain in the laft book of the Iliad,

XuQi Sb Oi'JOU,

Ov^UVOV iKTOiVi^UVi 11. n. 306.

where it is confined to the clouds above the perfon who is to

make the libation.

The Latin term Caelum is often likewife not applied to more

than the atmofphere of a diflridl, or a ftill fmaller portion ; thus

in the often cited line of Horace,

Coelutn nou animum mutant, qui trans mare currunt ;

1 Gen. vii. 161

X X ^^ hllft

■m

: !

K

k

n

t

H

:v

wff

s ^; .!

m

^H".

Ki

'■■1 >

[ 3^8 3

whilft Virgil confines it to the void fpace above a tree ;

Exiit ad coelum ramis fcllcibus arbos.
Thus Jacob's ladder reaches from the earth to heaven^ Gen. xxviii*
£2, in which paflage nothing more than a very fmall point can be
impUed.

As again, " A tower whofe top may reach to heaven,"
Gen. xi. 4.

There is a third expreflion ufed in thefe three chapters of
Gencri3 which it may be right to explain, viz. the fountains of
the deepy as it is much relied upon by the partlfansof an unlverfal
deluge, and fuppofed to account for the extraordinary height of the
Inundation ; whllfi: fome conceive It to fignlfy the fea, and others
fubterraneous waters Inclofed within the furface of our globe. I
underfland, however, by this expreflion, nothing more than the
fountains of the atmofphere, the word deep, in fome languages,
relating to what is over our heads, as well as under our feet.

The term, therefore, by which the deep is rendered in the
Septuaglnt, Is a^ua-a-og', which fignlfies Indeed without bottoniy
but for the fame reafon without top.

' This term occurs in Pf. xlii. 7. " Deep calleth unto deep at thenoife
*' of thy water- fpouts," which in the Septuaglnt runs uQvs-Tcg aQva-arov
smuoiKinoci ug -p^'^riv touv KKTot^ocyilm cm. It is inipofliblc that the Pfalmift
can hero allude to either waters under the furface of our globe, or to the
fca which is at fuch a diflance from Judea ; but, on the contrary, it mull
relate to what is above him, from Kara^uKlca being mentioned, which
always lignify the precipitate dcfcent of a river. Thus alio a'nVTo-og is
joined to the KKra^Mnlni la a^^^rs, Gen. vii. 11. as again Gen, viii. z. which
being lToj»pcd, the rain from heaven is reftrainctl.

This term (viz. oi&va-oog) is twice ufed likcwifc in the revelations, viz.
ix. 1 !. and xx. 3. in both which verfes it mult mean, probably, fome
inferior pirr of the heavens, and neither the bottom of the fca, or waters
within the central parts of our earth.

This word is more properly K^.v'^og, bnt Suidas informs us, Lv/-^-5.- tov

Thus

[ 339 ]

T\\\\s profundus Is applied by Virgil to Heaven,

Terrafque tra*flufc]uc maris, coclumquc profundum.

Eel. iv>

j^Itits likewife fignlfics either high or decp^ as in the line of
Virgil,

Poftquam altum tenuere rates.

Having thus endeavoured to fix the fenfe in which tlic 6th, 7th,
and 8th chapters of Genefis have introduced thefe expreffions, 1
'vvill beg any candid reader to perufe them, fubftituting my ac-
ceptation of thefe words, inftead of the terms in which thefe
chapters are rendered either into Greek, Latin, or Englifh.

It is proper, however, that I fliould here flate the only text',
"which may feem to require being luiderftood to extend to a general
>deluge.

*' And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth, and all
■*' the high hills that were under the whcle heaven were covered.

*' Fifteen cubits upwards did the waters prevail, and the moun-
*' tains were covered." Gen.vii. 19 and 20.

That the whole heaven can here only imply the atmofpherc
nbove the country In which the deluge hnppcncd, feems evident
from the following rcafons :

The hiftory of this flood is commonly fappofcd to have been
written by Mofes, and if he received the tradition from Noali
with the utmofl accuracy, yet tlie Patriarch could only give an
account of what he was able to obfcrve himjelf ; therefore
thefe words muft be confined to the dirtricl in which the ark

' All flefh is likewife ufcd, Gen. ix. 15, ami occurs alfo twice more
in the fame chapter; but I fhould conccivo, that thcfc general CJcprclTions
muft be confined in their fignificatior' for the rcafons which I fliall give in
relation to Gen. vii. 19, 20.

n

m

'm

Xx

floated.

^•

i>:

•0

iH

[ 340 ]

floated. It mnft be atkled to this, that It Is flatcd, the moun-
tains were covered with water to the depth of httccn cubits ; this
cannot, however, relate to every mountain on our globe, but
to thofe only which Noah might be acquainted with the height
of; even mount Ararat, on which the aik is fuppofed to have
refted, is by no means the iiigheft: mountain of our eartli.

Befides this, ftich general words (as di/J mufl frequently be con-
fined in their lignification.

Thus v.hen it laid by St^ I^ike, that there went out a decree
from CiYjiiir Auguftus that n// the world fhould be ta::(."d, Luke
ii. I \, this can only refer to that part of it wliich was under the
Ronian government ; for Parthia (not far from Judea) was fo
far from being fubje£led to the Roman yoke, that they had not
more than hi If a century before this, totally defeated CralVusV
army.

Thus

' The exprcflion in the Greek ia TuaTm rry 6;vj?/.(;^>;y, burtliis is equally
inaccurate, it the words are tranflatcd in their more literal fcnfc and
confined to the inhabited part of the globe. Thus alio three of the
Evi)ngelifts inform us (Matthew xxvii. 45. iiri -zcKc-av Ty^vyy^v, Mark xv.
33. and Luke xxiii. 44. ((p' cX-^v ir,-j yv?i,) thtit darknefs prevailed over the
v.holc earth for three hours after the crucifixion ; this, however, muft
relate only to Judea, for fuch a moft remarkable event is not mt-ntioncd
by any other writer who lived at the time or later. The elder Pliny
mull have probably remcnibcrcd this darknefs, if it had extended to
Italy ; and he would certainly have introduced it into his Natural Hiftory,
as he hath a chapter, entitled, Dierum lux no^-'tt, 1. ii. c. 33.. which
would have been followed by " Nodtui'.ni lenebrae die.''

" The Lord God of heaven hath given me nil ih.e kingdoms of the
" earthy'' Ezra fpeaking in the name of Cyrus, i ft and adt

" And there flood up one of them, named Agabus, and fignified by
the fpirit, that there Ihould be a grcnt dearth throughout all the icorld
\j(l/ cKr,v r/iv ctxi^ix.^,vr,v] which came to pafs in the days of Claudius Crfar "
Aftsxi. 28. Which exprculon liifhop l.owth, in his lately pubbjhcd
commentary on Ifaiah, confines to the Roman empire, or Judea, p. gi,
notes.

After

B *-

#

ti

"t

M

m

m

I

mi

*

A GENEALOGICAL TABLE; fliewlng the Defccnt,

according to Dr. Powel

f-j-f III the fcveral dcfcents
•nly fuch ot the ifluc arc men-
tioned, as fhow the order of
I'ucceirion, or were remarkable.

Although this Genealogy is

chieily formed from Dr. Powel's

Hid. fome Additions are made

from Dugdale's Baronage, and

ther good Authorities.

I. KingCadwallader, the laft king of Britain, ob.

frrince Edwal the Roe, fon of Cad waller, obiit. 7

III. King Roderic Molwynoc, king of Wales, ob. 7

I^Tcft, fitter and heir of the king of Powis IV. King Cona;

V. King Mcrvyn Frych, flain 843.— :PiIncers Efyllit, only

VI. King Roderic, the Great, flain 877 An

Princes of North Wales. |
VII. Prince Anarawd had North Wales, ob. 913 ;
began his reign 877.

I

Pr. Mervv
Powis, ob,

Ellfc, 2d fon of Anarawd,
flain 940.

1

Vlir. Pilnce Edwal Vocl, flain

I

Trawil, wife ot Sitfylt. —

T

/

r

Meyric, fet afide by:
his brother.

=^ X. Pr. Jevaf, began—:
I 948, depofed ob. 987. 1

■ ii/^ I III

.^7q-;^I'^'''''^!,"=F?''T^' XV. Pr. Edwal ap XII, Pr. Mowel— XIT

ap Sitylt, n gncd
1015

Anoharar, Meyric, gained N.
oi Puwis, Wales in 992.

XIX. Pr. Gryffyth ap—
Llewellyn, reigned
1037; flain 1060.

.y

'<{> Jevaf, bcuanT" wait-
circ.972.fl.984. 985,

XVIII. Pr. j3ao ap

Edwal, got N. VVales;
was llain, 1037.

.y

Conan, ilain

1003.

ricnncc, fon-'Ncfta, da..~XXII. Pr. Tra-

iiiquo.

.1 B
fled tVovti k

iMacbeth.

of Gryff

hacvn ap Cu\i
(loo.

Conan lived
Ireland.

in-

-Ranulpha, da. of
AltVcd, kin<r of

Di.l.lin.

ifl h'
Pr. Llew(
Sitfylr, (
Wales, 1
with his
1015.

oee th(
other fui
XIX. V

[To fjoMt p. 341.]

ig the Defcciit, Affinity and Order of Succefliou of the Kings and Puinces of Wales,
iig to Dr. Powers Hiflory of Wales, 1584, 4to.

t king of Britain, ob. 688,

/

1 of Cadwaller, obiit. 720 — : II. King Ivor of Bretagne regained the VVeftern

J , y F"s ot England from the Saxons, circ. 688,

:, king of Wales, ob. 750. —

T

#f*jt Tlie numbers fliow thr.
fuccefuon ot the Prirte^ 01
Moith Wales, who had fupc-
riu;- ovfu-ignty over tlu; reU.

IV. KingConanTyndaethw-y, king of Wales, ob. circ. 818.=

I

Pnncefs Efyllit, only da. of king Conan.

.>

r

King Me) ric, king of Cardigan — =

. - !y

rreat, flain 877.=-Angharad, heirefs of South Wales.

Pr. Mervyn, prince of
Towis, ob. f. p«

~1

ince Edwal Voel, flain 940.

T

j Princes of South Wales,
Prince Cadelh had South Wales,-—
and got Povvis, ob, 907. j

I '

IX. Prince Howel Dha, ov the Good, Prin cc-;-r
ot South W;iles, was chojeti king of all~^
Wales, 940 ; died 948.

r. Jevaf, began—: XI. Pr. Jago.
depoftd ob. 987.

1

. Pr. Mowel-

Thicc other Pr. Owen, prince of Souths —
fons. Wales. Y

J

« ( • » » • •

RIcgcr.id, a '.iwyer,
under Hovel Dlia.

r

7

Princes of Powis. [ ■ ,

XITI.Pr.Cnd- XIV. Pr. Meredith ap Owen;— ^ Eneon, died in the life — • XVI. Pr. Aedan ap

levat, bc^ruj waihun, llain be^an his reign 985 ; loll N.""" tiiiie of hi. father, 981. T Ble-orad ; fcizcd on

■972'fl.984. 985- Wales in 992 ; ob. 998.

I ^ , '

I ift hulb.
an, ilain

3-

J

North Wales, '003;
flain with his lour
foils, 1015.

Pr. Llewellyn ap^Princefs Ang-~Pu Cmnvn Pr. Tudor MTvr,=;= Edwin.-
Sitfyir, ot N. ' ... . - - .->-

Wales, rci.;ned
with his wife,
1015.

harar, only da. ' ap Gwcnf- of S. Wales, llain
and heir, reign-
ed 1015.

tan.

bv Pr. EJ>val ap
Meyiic, 997.

.^V.

)ha, da. of
, kin^ of

See the
other {\i\^.
XIX. !»,.

Cirvli

XX'. XXI. Pr. Blethyn:-—
ruled in N. Wales « i'th
his brother, 1060J ll.iin

XX. Pr. Rhy=^
wallou, 1060,
llain 1068.

Pr. Howel, of ?. Mire llrh, flain
Wales, llain 1042, JO31, f. p.

.y

ricnncc, fon^Ncft.i, d,\.

oi B:itu]ilo,

ill d I mill k.

ol Ciryft".

y

.XXI r. Pr. Trn.
hacni ap Cu\^.
(Joe.

r

Ulth hla VVUC,

IOI5,

Conaii lived In;
Iichiiid.

^-

•Uaiuilphn, cl;i.of
Allied, kins' oi
Dv.l.r.n.

.*>ee [he
orluT liti.'.

XIX. l»r.

^ w

ru
111
K

Walter
Steward,
of Scot-
land.

Bernard Nevr
march, lord ot
Brecknock.

.Ncila. Lcwanh.

xxnr. Vv. Gryn^fh...

:ip Coiian ruled circ. '
1077, "^>' i'37«

v

f">ybille, wife:
or IVlilo, eail
ci Ikrctuid.

r

y

Mahael, dlfiii-
hcrlted by his
mother.

^s-_

Pr. Meralith, <
I'owis, ob, 113:

r"

XXIV. I'r. Owen Gwineth.—GIaduib, da. Sulanna.— p,-. Madoc

— ob. ii6q.

r '

J ,

I

r:^

ot Llcwarcli.

had Povvis
iVIadoc.ob,
1 160.

^7

r>crta.,vifeot Philip de=p Madoc difco- Rodaic XXV. Pr.— F.mmn, Jorwerth, fef afide M rrer

15rao!t', lord of Breck-

nock.

vered Ame
lica, 1170.

lord of David ap
Anglcl'ca, Owen.

fiftt-r of iox an accident in
H. II, his vifage.

"VVllIiatn de Braole, whofcz
wire and eblell fon\v('re fa-
-uiihcd to death by k.John.

i I

Owen. J.);in, natural da. — :XXVI. Pr. Llewellyn —Another

or king John, marr.

120

.y

Reginald de— — •
Rraofe, 2d
Ion.

Prfif. Gladufe, —
wife of Ralph
lord Mortimer,

r

J

ot VVi^niore.

William dc Braofe. —

XXVII. Pr. David,
«l'.i2 46, f.p, marr.
liabel, da. ui Will,
de Braofe the youn-
ger.

ap Jorwerrh, the Great,
ob. ^24o.c^r

WltC.

of ^

Abb

V.

Gryffith,— :Senena, da. of
nat. fon. Cariadog ap
Tliomas, ap
Roderic, lord
of Anglefca.

.y

"~1

Mairet, iv
lord Cliff,,
of Rojamu)

Maud, da. of =;:::rRoger, lord Mortimer,
Will, de Braofe. true heir to the IViiici-

pality of Wales, by his

mother.

n

Eleanor,da.ofSi-— XXVin. Pr. David, exe.__

mon INIontfort, earl
ot Leicellcr, marr.
1278.

-^/^

Llevvellin ap cuted 1284. i
Gryttyth, flain |

1282. f. p.

"1:

OU'

Goi

y^

Ifabel, -iv. of John Fit- — =
A'.an, earl of ArundclTY

/

V.

Edmund iMQrtimer.

* Catharine, only da.— Philip ap Ivor,

FJeanor^ nmfe of Henry — Roger I. earl ot March.— 7;
krd Percy. ^ j T

I r--

Edinund Mortimer. Joan, "//?■ nf

[His gi-andfnn Edmund, md rarl of Jainilford J,fJ,

March, marr. Philippa of C!ari:nce, gr. da. L.

oi king Edw. III. and had .(Tuo Roger ^

lythearl, from whom thei.ousK ov York
c'^^^}^^ '^'^owN, and Elizabeth, wiA
"J i/r lUn. Percy, fnrnamai Hot/fur. j

~\

Eleanor, wife of Thomas lord of

Tudor ap Grono.=:pEIeanor.
y

Meredith, father of Owen Tudor the
grandfather of king Henry VII. '

with his wife,
1015.

ed 1015.

r

,y\..

See ■ the XX. XXI. I'r. Blcthyii^rp:

other fici •. rir,i.-i.l in N. Wales with
XIX. l»r. liis hioihcr, 1060; ll.lill

Gryllith. *073'^T^

I

y

XX. I»r. Rhy^

Widloii, loOo,
il.iin 10O8.

Pr. Mcmlith, of
i'owirf, ob. 1 132.

r

Cad jenn.

V

r

Pr. Howcl, of ?. M.-oIith, fiain
Wales, ilaiu 1042, iOji, f. p.

r. p.

V.

V

r

'•v.-

'1 r-—]

.Uimna.=:pPr. Mmloc Pr. Grylliih,

hatl Povvis had Poivis

Madoc.ob. Weuu'invvln.
1 160.

r

Gladiire.__.lV!nce Rhys ap Tudor, nun 10 ;o,
hy tl'.e Nuiin.iii:!, who U'lviJed ;>'i'.ui
\V.ilco ninoiu' il;cin.

.>V

Grylu'h :;
ap Rhys
d. iioz.

, \.

\,

iCrwenlhliin,

A ih. A'!!:' of Grrali d.^ — ::P: !'•. J .'N C^: S( -,. L-'ii

da. <)\ Pr. /?'^-. hliajh- W'.nJ.fi.r

Gryfl'uh ap rrvi/le of
Conan. EtJjl-y.

CiltV, ut

Pc:t,')iykv

/,w/ /v .^vV'/ : c.

lUuiy II. tt

et afidenpMarrcr. Pr. GryHirh M ici--

or, lord of Powis.

V-

y

dent

in

r,vvhcnr=Lord Rhvs, The Fit/. GeiaK! •,

Ihian.

d. 4 INIay, cunquerov.: ol lie

1197. ' laud.

\.

^,-^-', r.yl T.c 11/-
CO;;(|. of

, — r ,

,Mi --Another M'.idoc foundcr=p= G ry flit h a p-^Maud, filler a da. ti ;,.V <// ■•.'/■ O.'ha- Hi.ic

;ar, wife. nf V:de rrufis Klivs. d. "^ (it Reoinald Mivt'n. />/' Kiin:i.-~-caf}ie^

of Vale crucis
Abbey, 1200.

v..

~1

Kliyp, d.

1 20:

\.

of Reginald Myt'n, of K-.nr.'i.^-CLif^ie,
de Biaofe. :n VembrokJJnrt.

v..

da. of IVIaiTPr, tp'/I' oflValtcr Giyflith
og ap lord Clifford^' nepl.H:\i Bran, il. 127c

IS, ap of Rofviiund,

ic, lord
glefca. I —

ord of Dliias— -

Rhys ap GryiTithjr:^::
ob. circ. 1 .'2i. i

Owen np GryfTlt'i. — ■,

I •» "ii

V

David, exe-__
uted 1284. .'

n.

Gryflith, 3d fon, had;
Glendowrdwy.

--'V-

Rhys ajv

Rhvs.

13
Owen

Goch.

Madoc Cruple.— =

, y

-^V

Madoc Vachan.:

da.— rPhilipapIvor.
te of Thomas lor J of Ifcoed.'

J

^ n

Cyme- Mcie-
rich. ditli.

Thefc two were
iniprilbned and
deprived of their
eves bv kin^
Hen. III.

Gwcnlhian, \\\lt
ol Gilbert Tal-
bot, heir to lui
nephews : hence
the 'I'albots have
ever iincc born
the arms of the
princes of South
Wales, viii.
Gules, a lion
rampant, in a bor-
dure engrailed
Or.

r

IMeredith aj)-—
O.veii, lord
of li"eoed,dicd
1267.

y

Owen.

^

Llewellyn.;

ono.==Eleanor.

Gryflith, of Rufhalt.-r— .

T I

Elena. == : Gryflith Vachan.

Owen Tudor the
Henry VII.

Thomas, lord of
Ilcoed, married
Eleanor, lolc da.
of Phil, ap Ivor.
See the central
lino.

Owen Glendo^vr,
d. 1415.

[* Elfiiiior,v.-ifcof xxviti.Pr. LlewTlIin,
Oicd In child-bed, ai>(i k. I-ldw. I. fent ihc in-
fant and its tuirfe iiuo England ; according
to Mills, ill his Catalogue c>( Hoao ur. folic.J

k-

'M

IS?

' I'

I

h »

fi

! ■ I

Vi

I <^

" t

:.|;

[ 341 ]

Thus alfo, when Petronius fays,

Orbcmjcwi totum v'uSloi Romanus hahcbat,

Qua mare, qua tcllus, qua fukis currit utrumquc,

it Is well known, that there were many parts even then unfub-
ducd ; as there were hi the tune of Antoninus, whom Oppiau
adth'cfles as.

It fliould fecm therefore, from tlie common rules and ohfcr-
vations by which a paflage or words ufed by any other writer
would be explained, that the general terms of the three chapters
of Genefis which relate to the deluge, are to be confined to the
country in which Noah lived ; and to contend otherwife feems
nioft unneccfliuily to multiply unanfwcrablc difficulties and ob-
jcdlions. As the univerfality of the deluge is no article of faith,
it may be freely dlfcufled ; and I have already fliewn, that a
living and dirtlngulfhed prelate of our church hath explained the
cxprellion of all the worlJ^ in A<fts xl. 18. to be confined to the
Roman empire, ov perhaps Judca^ when the Jews had greater in-
tercourfe with otlier nations, than in the time when the Old
Teftament was written. The Jews indeed, before the Roman

'.A

I

m

After a few p;cncnuions from Noah the attempt wa<> made to build
the tower of Babel, and the fuit verfe of the chapter which relates to
this intention begins, *' and the luhole earth was of one language and of
one Ipcech." Can this paH'ige polTibly relate but to the immediate (Xc-
fccndants of Noah, and the dilb-idt whicli they inhabited? And docs it
not moll ilrongly prove, that the exprefhon of all the earth continues to
be ufcd in tlie book, of Genefis, according to its original import, with
regard to the Hood ?

hi thcfe early times indeed the dcftrucVion of the neighbouring inh.i-
liitants feems to have been fup[)o{i:d to include thofc of the whole globe,
tor Lot's daughter, after the dcfl.rud:ion of Sodom, conceive that their
father is the only furviving male upon the earth. Gen. xix. 31.

conqucft,

i ;

y^'i

m

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IMAGE EVALUATION
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Photographic

Sciences
Corporation

23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580

(716) 873-4503

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conqueft, had fcarccly any communication but with the Aflyrians
or Egyptians, and certainly in the time of Noah could not have
been acquainted with any but the inhabitants in their own dif-
tridl, of which particular tra£l they therefore can be only pre-
fumcd to have fpoken. All general terms muft, in like manner,
be reftrained by the context, or fubje(St they allude to ; and
when the ambitious views of Lewis the 14th, for univer/al empire^
were moft exclaimed againft ; no one ever fuppofcd they extended
to the dominion of the globe.

i *'

THE

»<akJ -.Ai...,

r —

^^

w\

^^^^■R T''

#

Sir loHK Wynne Baronet,

#

^

■»'

THE

H I

STORY

OF THE

G WEDIR FAMILY.

BY

SIR JOHN WYNNE;

(Tlie Fiift Baronet of that Name)
Who was born m 1553.

(«

Cui genus a prbavis ingens."

Viae.

*Xx 3

i

^\-^.:

^0

m

THE HISTORY OF THE CWEDIR FAMILY,

BY SIR JOHN WYNNE,
The firft Baronet of that Name, who was bom in 1553.

INTRODUCTION*.

IT may not be improper to give the reader fome account of what
he is, or is not, to expeft from the prefent publldation, as
well as to throw together what few particulars can be now col-
ledVed with regard to its author*

The MS. hath, for above a century, been fo prized in Nortli
Wales, that many in thofe parts'have thought it worth while to
inakc fair and complete tranfcripts of it. One of thefe Carte \m\
confulted, and he refers to it as his authority for the Welfli Bards
having been maflacred by Edward the Firfl ''. This circumftance
alone may ftamp a moft intrinfic value on the MS, as it hath
given rife to an ode which will be admired by our lateft pofterity.
The whole paflage relative to this tradition is alfo cited by the

* This hiftory of rhe G'.vcdir family was publiflicd in oiftavo, 1773;
but the impreffion having been fokl, it hath for foine years been in
conrulerable requeft and is therefore here reprinted, with fome addi-
tional notes.

'' See Carte, vol.11, p. 156. where It is entitled, Sir Join Wjiuu's'
H'tjlory of the Ciwtdirfa/ui'y,

4- Rev.

!'i M

-^•(

» , •'!

i'i

[ 344 ]

Rcv. Mr. Evans, in his Specimens of Wtlfli Pootry, nnd It ap-
jicurs tliat he had made the cxtr;;£l from a copy in the colkvfli ui
of Sir RoTCi- Moftvii, Bait.

It is helicved llkewife that there is another tranfcript' in tlic
poflcflion of Mr. Panton, of Ph\fg\vyn i'-. Anglefey, ^^•'^.^, to-
gethfr wirli Mr. IloUand of Conway, and tlie Rev. Mr. Jones
(late Vicar of Lanrwfl:), haveheen (o obhglng as to communicate
many particidars with regard to the Gwcdir family.

I'he author was indeed a general colledlor of what related lot
only to his own anceftors, but the antiquities of the Principality'',
as Rowland cites an Extent* or Survey of North Wales, illulhated
by ufeful remarks of Sir John Wynne.

Thjre was fome difficulty in fettling the time of the author's
birth and death, till Mr. Granger's Biographical Didionary was
confulted, who gives the following infcription under a copy made
by Vertue, from an engraving of the author by Vaughan.

*' Johannes Wynn de Cnvedir in Com. Carnarvon Eques & Ba-
*' ronettus*'; obiit i '"" die Martii, 1626, ait. y^"

The accuracy of thefe dates feemed at firft to be very fufpicious,
as there is an account of a voyage to Spain by Sir Richard Wynne
o/Gwedir^ Baronet ^ in 1623, which is prefixed to that volume
of Hearne's Trads that begins with the Life of Richard the Se-
cond. Application was however made to the late Mr. Well,
Pr. R. S. for leave to examine the original print, in his very va-^

•^ The prcftnt publication is alfo from a copy that belonged to Capt.
Jofcph Williams of Glanravon, which he kindly communicated.
^ See Men. Antiq. p. 123.

• This extent or furvey of North Wales is now in the Harlcian Col-
ledion. It is a very fine MS in Folio, and appears to have been made in
the 2 6'ih year of Edward the Third. It relates only to the counties of
Anglcfcv, Carnarvon, and Merioneth.

* lie \\ is created Baronet in 161 1 . (See Gwillim's Heraldry, 6th cd.)

3 luablc

[ 34J ]

luablc and curious collcftioii. Mr. Granger's dates are tlierv-Uy
moft exadly confirmed, and it may not be improper here to add
the infcription under the engraving :

" Vera effigies Domini Chuiflimi Johannis Wynn de Gvvcdlr
*' in Com. Carnarvon, Equltis & Baronetti.

•* Oblit prlmo die Martii 1626, aetat. 73.

*' Honoris ipfius caula Rob. Vaughan fculpfit, prollque D. D."

This was poflibly Robert Vauglian of Hengwrt the great an-
tiquary, who was a particular friei\d of Sir John Wynn, as alfo
of his Ton Sir Richard, to whom he dedicated his book entitled,
*' BrltKh Antiquities revived." I find alfo by the letter fubjoined,
that Mr. Robert Vaughan of Hengwrt engraved himfelf, and that
the expreflion oi fculpft therefore is ftridbly accurate.

"Sir,
*' 1 wold intreatc you to fend me certaync dlre«5llons, whether
itt fhold be three Egletts in a Scutcheon, or one Eagle on a
Wreath ; for to doc it in a Scutcheon with one Eagle Is con-
'* trary to the rules of heraldry, and not your cote : likewife
" whether itt fhold not have a Labell for the dlft:ln(5lion of an
cider brother, during the life-time of his • ither, in tliis man-
ner. I rm-* 1 If you pleafe to fend by the weekly port I will
anfweryou by the next convenient meflenger.
When thefe troubles began 1 iiad drawne tlie
pedigree of Sir Richard from Owen Gwyncdd
*' lineally to hlmfelfe ; now in my abfence from London both tlie
'* copper plate which I had began to 'grave and t!ie draught was
*' embezzeled from me : now I ani refolved (God willing) tliis
«♦ vacation time to fett it a foote agayne. I onely want tlie names
*' of your ancertors from Owen Gwyncdd to yoin- lelfe, of whlcli
" you are the r5th (leaving out young Sir John and Sir RIclKinl)

Y y " be.aufc

<(

((

c(

(4

i<
«

\'"i

%\i

f,i

1i , • VI'

i.M

■II ;t

I .. i .1

[ 346 ]

** becaufe they died Ifluelefs. For the faces I am at my own
** fancy till I come to Sir John Wyn your father ; for the reft
** that are beyond him I thinkc you have no true pi(flurcs of
*' them extant. This (If I have your fayre Icav ") I wold dcdi-
*' cate to poftcrity, 'v.\ Ibmc fmall mcafurc to exprcffc my duty I
*' owe to your honor'd family ; and during life rcmayne,

** Your cvcrvowcd fcrvant

London, June 2i, «t RoBERT VaUGHAN.

1650.

** To the Hon. Sir Owen Wynne, Knt.

*' Baronet at Gwedur,
. *' Thefe, with his fervice, prefent."

[Communicated by Paul Pauton, Efq.]

It feems improbable that the engraver could be Inaccurate In
the dates of Sir John Wynne's birth and death, when the print Is
dedicated to his family.

The title therefore given by Hcarnc to a voyage of Sir Richard
Wynne of Gwedir, Baronet, in 1623, when he only became {o
m 1627, "^^"^ ^^'^^^ arifen from his being a Baronet when he, per-
haps, made a more fair and complete copy of his Travels.

If this could want any confirmation, it may receive It from
two commiflions in Rymer^; in the firft of which, dated in
1626, mention is made of Sir yo^« Wynne, Baronet ; and in the
fecond, dated in 1627 '', of S\r Ric/jard Wynne, Baronet.

Though Mr. Granger therefore feems to be accurate, with re-
gard to the birth and death of the firft Baronet, yet, from a fimlla-
rity of names, he hath made a nilllakc in alcrlbing the repul)ll-
catlon of " Dr. Powell's Hlftory of Wales from Cadv/a!aJer to
«' Llewelyn, by W. Wynne, A. M." to this Baronet.

B '^eeRymcr's Feed, vol, VIII. partii. p. 145 and 233. Hague ed,
* Sir John Wynn probably died on March 3, i6i'f,

Tl

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[ 347 ]

The author, who was born in 1553, fccmsto have lived chiefly
in retirement, during \vi:ich period no very hiterclllng particulars
can he expedlcd ''.

The building a new houfe is an event of fome confequencc la
fucii a life; he began Upper Gwedir ' in 1604, as appears by an
infcription over the entrance.

It

^ It {hould feem, that he had travelled in his younger days, as Arch-
bhhop Williams (then tutor to his fousat St. John's College, Cambridge)
fpcaks of him as a man "*,

Multorum mores hominum qui vidit, & urbes *.
Which circumflance is perhaps confirmed by his fon having vifltcd
Italy when young, as fathers generally wifli that their fons fliould be
educated in the fame manner with themfclvcs.

• The houfc, called Lower Gwcdir, he mentions in this MS. to have
been built by his great grandfather. As for Upper Gwedir, it was co-
vered almoft with infcriptions in different lanj^uagcs ; fcarcely any of
which remain, as the wainfcot hath been lately ufcd in repairing farm-
houfcs on other parts of the cftate. The I'igeon-houfe appears by the
date to have been bui.- in 1597.

There is an engraving of lower Gwedir in a map of Denbigh and
Flintihire, which was publiflicd 40 or 50 years ago, by William Wil-
liams :

A W\-lfh infcription, which is Hill legible, over the entrance, is here
fubjoined.

BrynGwvdir gwcblr golau adellad,

uwch dolydd a cliaerau,
Eryn gwych adail yn ail nc,
Eron wen henllys brcnhinlle.

Hugh bach ap Howcl ap Shcnkin a ganodd yr Engljn, uchod ddcng-
mlyncdd cvn anicanu, gwneuthur yr adcilad hon.

" A confpicuoi"^ edifice on Gwydir hill, towering over the adjacent
" land, a wcll-chofcn fituatlon, a fecund paiadife, a fair bank, a palace
" of royalty.

*' This En'^lyn was wrifrcn by little Hugh Shcnkin, ten yctirs before ihe
•* building v-'ds cic/i^ncil'\~."

\n\

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* MS. Letter penes Paul Pantoii, Efq.

I It fliouW Iccm fioiu tliis, that little Hugh Shcukln was a prophet, as well a.' poet.

Y y 2 « The

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If wns conficlerccl as one of the bcft houfcs in tlie principality,
ln-caufe there is a tradition tliat it was calculated to receive any of
tlie Royal Family, who might have occafion to go to Ireland ''.

As in the year 1 604. none of the blood Royal could probably
think of fucli a journey, it may rather be fuppt)fed that it wa&
tleftiiied for the reception of the Lords Deputies of Ireland, as it ii
little out of the xjxii] toH-^lyhead, if at this time they did not gc
from Chefter to Dublin.

The late reverend Mr. Jones, vicar of Llanrwft, was fo obliging as to
copy the above in.cription, and to accompany it with the tranflatioii
here given.

Healfo obfervcs, that thisVVclfli compofition is a fort of gingle, for
which he knows no I'inglill. name, or any finiilar metre.

•^ A correfpondent of his fon Sir Uichard Wynne fpeaks thus of Gwe-
dir, in 1661.

'* Deare Sir,

** I Know not how in part to acquit myfelfc of the obligation you have
laytl on me, without giving my acknowledgement to your excellent
lady whom I have taken the boldncfs to vilir, and find her in the
happy condition I dcfircd, being very well, and upon inquiry, con-
tinuing in the hopeful way you left her to increafe your family.
Really upon my view and confidcration of the feate of Gwidder, I
conclude it to be the bcft place in Wales, and inferiour to few ii\
England, I need not urge thoic things to haftcn your rcturne ; but I
fhould judge very weakly of thofc that have fuch conveniencys, and
will not enjoy them, if not detained by very great confiderations. In
fine, I am in the buttery, juft taking leave, and drinking your health,
bidding adieu to yourhoufe, and the like at this time to yourfclfe.

Your moft humble fervant,
<; vy.i.iir, this iTii.May, 1O61. *< And obliged Cofen,

" Thomas Bulkely."
[Prefcnt this to the Hon. Sir Richard Wynne, Bart.]

" John Win ap Meredith dwellith at Gvveder at two bows fhots
** a'.jovc Conwav town, on the ripe of Conway River : it is a praty place,"
I (1. Itin. vol. V, p, 40. Lcland here moft evidently naiftakes Conway
lur Llanrwft.

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[ 349 ]

Bo this ns it may, fonic re Ton for any mention being made of
this houfe, arifes from a poflibility of Its liaving been dcTigned
l)y Inlgi) Jones, in his firft m.inner, before he had been in Italy,
as rhib great archlted was protcc'U-d by Sir John W'} line.

The nai'iic of Joiios lufficlently proves him to liavc been of
Wclfli extraction ; to which it may be added, that liis cart: of
features, as rcprefentcd in Hollar's engraving of his portrait, fecms
to (hew that he muft have been an inhabitant of the I'rincl-
pallty.

/MI traditions have generally fome foundation, and It Is com-
monly believed in th( neighbourhood of l^lanrwfl, that Jones
was born eitlier at tiiattown, or Dolwyddelan, which is equally
fituated near conliderable cftatcs of the (nvedir family. The tra-
dition is alfo fo circumflantial, as to fuppofe that he was
chrlftened by the name of 20;r>', wliich, after his travels into
Italy, he exchanged {or In /go as founding better '. It is part like-
wife of the fame tradition, that he was patronifed by the Wynnes
of Gwcilir, and that he built Plafteg, belonging to the Trevor
family, on the road from Wrexham to Mold ■".

' Thus Cooper (maftcr for the Viol da Gamba to Charles the Firft)
after he hail 1 cen ' Italy, changed his name to Coj)crario. Hawkins's
Hiftory of Mufic, vol. IV. He alfo altejed his ChriiVian name, ftiling
hi;nfclf Giovanni inftcad of John, ibid. vol. IV. p. 55 Thus likevvife
Peter Philips, another nnifician, who had been much in Italy, ftiled him-
felf Picrro Philippi, ibid. v. III. p. 327. Jones was branded bv hen
Jonfon for his vanity, as one of the latter's epigrams is addrelRd to
Inigo Marquis ic-mlcl be. Jones indeed contrived the fcenes for Jonfon 's
mafques. which being pcrhajis more admired than the poetry, excited
Jonfon's cnvv. It is remarkable alfo that one of thefe fcenes rcprefents
CiiWi; Er\)i, or the rocks of Sno'.vdon • , under which Jones was born, if a
native of l.lanrwfl.

'" There is an engraving of the front of this houfe on the fide of a
large map of Denbighiliire and Flintftiire, which was publiflied about
forty or fifty years ago.

• By Snoudon is here meant, what was anciently included in theforeft of that name.

As

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[ 35^ 3

As every pnrticular which relates to this great nrchitCfH: is in-
tcrcfting, it may not be improper alfo to obferve, that Jones, who
went a f'tcond time to Italy in i6ii, might pollibly have travelled"
under the protection of the author's cldcft {on, John, who died
at Ivucca in that year. As for his being patroniled by the Earl
of Pembroke at this time, it fecms to be very juftly doubted by
Mr. Walpole ".

It is not improbable likewife that Jones might have obtained the
eonlklerable ftation he afterwards rofe to, from riic patioiiaj^'i of
this family, which confidered him as a promiiing gcniu ;, that did
particular honour to Gwcdir and its neighbourluKHl. Bur to re-
turn to what more immediately concerns the autlior of ihelc
Memoirs, and his family.

In 1 6 ID Sir John Wynne erected at Llanrwft fomi almfhoufes
(to which he gave the name of Jefus Hofpital) for the '-'-ception
of twelve poor men, and drew up regulations for the manage-
ment of his benefatflion. He alfo endowed tliis charity very libe-
rally with the rcdlorial tithes of Egglwys Fach, which are now
valued at £. 200. per annum.

In 1 61 5 he had incurred the difpleafure of the Council of the
Marches, ns the then Chancellor (Lord Ellefmere) is informed,
that Sir John Wynne, Knight and Baronet, is improper to be con-
tinued a member thereof, and alfo that his name (hould not remain
in the commillion of the peace for Carnarvonfliire p.

|i.,

" The univcrfity of Oxford, A. D. 1605. uponKing James vlfitlng it,
hired one Mr. Jones, a great traveller, who undertook to furdier them
much, and furnifli diem with rare devices, but performed very little, to
thiit which \v;is expcfted, though paid £. 50. for his fervicc. Addition
to the iccond volume of Lcl.Collcdt. p 646.

« Anecdotes of Painting in lingland (article Jones) ; where notice Is
likewife taken, that this great architect was poflibly protected by the Earl
of Arundel.

r MS. Letter, penes Mr. Pauton.

Tlie

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[ 35> ]

The year before his death he was dcfirous of promoting a coii-
iidcrable embankment on the confines of Carnarvon and Meri-
onethfliire ''; as appears by the following letter : , i, , . • >

" Right wortliee Sir, my good Coufyn, and one of the
" grccite Honours of Veneration,
*' I Underftand of a greate work that you have performed ia
the Ifle of Wight, in gainingc two thoufand acres from the
fea : 1 iiiay due to you as the Jewes faid to Chrifl: ; we have heard
of thy great workcs done abroad, doe fomewhat in thine owne
Countrcy.

'* There are two wayis in Mcrlonythfliire whereon fome part
of my living' lieth, called Traetlmiawr and Traethbychan, of
*' a greate extent of ground, and cntringc into tlie fea by one
" Iflue, which ys not a mile bror.de at full fea and vcrie fliallow :
** the frcfli currents that run into the fea, are both vehement
'• and greate, and carrie with them much land, befide the fou-
*' tlierly winde, which blowcth to tlic luiven's mouth, carrieth
*• with it fo much fand that it hatli overwhelmed a greate quaii-
*' tltie of the ground adjacent. There arc alfo in the boardcringc
',' countreys abundance of wood, brufh, and other materials fit to
" make mounts, to be had at a verie cheape rate, and eaillle
*' brought to th'- place, which I hear they do in Lincohifhire to
*' repell the fea. My Ikill ys little, and my experience none at
*' all in fuch matters ; yet I ever had a dcfue to furtlier my
" country in fuch a^'ions as might be for their profit, and leave
" a remembrance of my endeavours ; but hindered with other
" m- tiers, I have onclle wi(hcd well, and done nothingc.

1 Engineers have lately nudo their reports in favour of this under-
taking; l)Ut hitherto no workmen have been cmplovcd.

' Anciently ufcd for an c/l.itc, thus, " I have a little /iviu;^ in this towii."

The London Prodigal, ufcribed to i5hakcf[Karo.

*' Now

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** Now felnge yt pleafed God to bringe you into this countrey,
I am to deiire you to take a view of the place, not beinge

** above a dale's journey from you ; and yf you doe fee things fit

*' to be undertaken, I ame content to adventure a brace of hun-

** dreth pounds to joyne with you in the worke.

" I have leade oare on my ground In greate ftore ', and other
minerals neere my houfe, yf it pleafcyou to come hither, being
not above two dales journey from you, you (hall be mod
kindely welcome ; yt may be you fhail find here that will tend
to your commodltle and myne : yf I did knowe the day cer-
talne when you would come to view Tralthmawr, my fonne

*' Owen Wynn Ihall attend you there, and condudl you thence
along to my houfe. Commending me verle kindely unto you,
doe reft,

*' Your loving Coufvn and Friend,

Gwyusi-, S-iit. I, 1625.

*' John VVvnne.*'

To the Hon. SirHugli Myddlcton,

Knight and Baronet. "

[A coppie of a letter to Sir Hugh Myddleton, Knight and Baronet,
at the Silver Mines' in Cardlganfliire.]

In 1626, at the age of feventy-thrce, he died much lamented
both by his family and neighbourhood, which may be inferred
from the engraving by Vaughan already mentioned, as in thofe
times few had fuch refpedl (hewn to their memories, who were
not very fmgularly eftcemcd.

* Thefe mines have been lately worked, and I am told with fome
fuccefs.

* There is fo much filvcr in fome of the lead mines nor far from
Aberyftwith, that they have been ililed the VWlfh Potoli ; I have been
informed alio that money hath been coined from tlicm.

How

. i ll

[ 353 ]

Row many of Sir John Wynne's children were living at his
death cannot now be accurately known ; he had, however, by
Sidney daughter of Sir William Gerard, chancellor of Ireland,
eleven fons and two daughters ".

Sir Richard Wynne, who became the eldeft fon upon tlie death
of his brother John, was one of the Grooms of the bedchamber to
Charles the Firft when Prince of Wales, and was appointed
afterwards Treafurer to Queen Henrietta.

In 1633 Sir Richard built the chapel at Llanrwft, which is fup-
pofed by tradition to have been planned by Jones, and in 1636 the
bridge over the Conway at the end of the town, was completed.
This bridge is alfo confidered as a work of Jones's, and is fo
elegant a ftru3:ure that it fufficiently fpeaks itfelf to be the plan
of a mafterly architect ".

Having ftated the few circumftances which could be coUefted
with regard to the author, it may not be improper to mention,

" Tills appears by the infcriptlon over the author's tomb at LlanrwfT.
A letter from Aichbifliop William flates, that feme of his ckior Ions were
promifing fcholars.

In the Temple Church is a monument to Henry Wvnn, one of the
eleven ions of Sir John Wynn of Gwedir, Rart. This FL-nry Wvnn
married Catherine the daughter and hcirefsof Z'r//2^/ Llovd, Efq. of Ru-
goch in Merioneth. He was Judge of the Marflialfea, Prothonotary of
the N.W. Circuit, and Secretary to the Court of thje Marches. He died
in 1 67 1. See alio N" 2129. p. 148 & feq. of the Uarlcian MSS. for
ni.uiy infcriptions on the tomb-lloncs of the authors ancellors in Llanrwft
clunch, which feem to have been copied about a century ago, and many
of which are now fcarcely legible.

" Mr.Panton hath informed me, from the records of theQiiarter Sefliont
forDenbighlbire, that this bridge was directed to be rebuilt in the 9th f,f
Car. I. by a letter from the Privy Council *, Jones being then furveyor
of the works, and having therefore probably procured this order in favour
of the place of his nativity. The eftimate amounted to/'. 1000. whicii.
was to be .levied on the two counties of Denbigh and Carnarvon.

'= A modern lawyer would probubly difputt the legality of fucU a requifKioiu--

I"!'

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I 354 ]

that no liberties have been taken in improving hk orthography or
ftyle, except now and thea by breaking a very long and compli-
cated period into two, fo as^ to make it more perl'picuou* aiid in-
telligible.

It is not pretended that the prefeivt publicjltion is entitled to
any merit of this fort, as it appears to have been compiled merely
for tlie author's information, and that of his delbendants.

Mis intention in thefe memoirs of his femilv was to deduce his
pedigree from Owen Gwynedd, Prince of N. Wales m 14.38.
So long therefore as his anceftors continued to be fome of the rcguli
of that country, it may be confidercd as a iiiftory, or rather brief
chronicle of the Principality. ImperfevH: liowevcr as it is, yet it
may be entitled to fome degree of value, in the light of a fup-
plement to Dr. Powell'a G'l/Wc/t^ (?/ /Ftv/ifj. '

It appears by this MS. that the author was furnifhcd with fome
materials, which neither Powell, nor Wynne, the only other hif-
toriai'. of Wales, had ever fceu.

In different parts of thefe memoirs he cites as his authorities.
The copy of a Fragment of a Welfh Chronicle, in tlie poflefHon
of his coufin Sir Thomas Williams of Trefiiw ; WclHi Pedigrees ;
The records kept in Carnarvon Caftle ; Records copied for him
at the Tower, by J. Brougliton, Efq. tlicn Jul^icc of N. Wales ;
as alfo the tradition of the country.

What feems to be moft intercfting in the work, are fome anec-
dotes and circumftr.nces which relate to the more immediate an-
ceftors of the author, as they are flrongly charaderifHck of the
manners and way of living in the Principality, during that
period.

As the places mentioned are often nothing more than farms,
and in a part of Wales not much known probably to Englifli
Readers, it hath been thought proper to fubjcin in a note fome ac-
count of their fituationg,

I£

[ 3SS }

If this had been done, however, hi every hiftance, it would
have greatly increafed the fize of the publication ; it therefore
may not be improper to premife, that the fcene chiefly lies in
Eifionydd, Dolwyddelan, and Gwedir, all of which are ini^ajr-

narvonfhire.

I conceive it to be much to the credit of thefe Family Memoirs
that the very learned and ingenious Dr. Percy (Dean of Carlifle)
hath perufed them with fucJi attention as to have drawn out four
genealogical tables, as alfo to have added fome notes, for the lU
luftration of certain parts, and more particularly with regard to
the pedigrees. I am proud to infert thefe, and tlie reader will
find them under the mark of P. I have lUcewife added fome ob-
lervations for which I am indebted to. the Rev. Mr. Evan Evans,
tranflator of fome fpecimens of ancient Welih Poetry, publinied
for Podiley, in quartp : thefe are marked E..

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Written by Sir John Wynne of Gvvyder,lCnt. and Baronet,

Ut credltur & patet.

GRUFF I TH ap Conan, Prince of Wales, had hy his wife
Anyhared, the daughter of Owen ap Edwyn, Ix)rd of
Englefield, Owen Gwynedd, Cadwalader and Cadwallon, wlio
"was flaine before his father's death : he reigned over Wales fifty
years. His troublefome life and famoufe a^flcs are compiled by a
mofl auncient frier or monke of Wales : this was found by the
pofterity of the fiid Gruffith ap Conan in the houfe of Gwedlr •
in North Wales, and at the requefl: of Morlce Wynne, Efq.
(who had tlie fame written in a mofl: ancient booke and was
lineally defcended from him) was tranflated into Latine by Ni-
cholas Robinfon, Bifhop of Bangor''.

Owen Gwynedd was Prince after his father.

He married to his firfl: wife Gwladys, daughter to Lowarce ap
Trahayarn, Lord of Divct, by whom he had only Ycrwerth "^

Drwndwii

* There are two houfcs fo called at prefent very near each other, the
one Lower G'u^yr.ir and the other Upper ; they arc both in Cnrnarvonfliiie,
on the wcftern fide of the Conway oppolite to the to.vnot Lanrwfl:. One
of thefc houfes is fo .-mcient as to he mentioned in S'axton's map of Car-
narvonfliirc, which was engraved in 1578

^ The late Rev. Mr. Lloyd of Cowdcn in SuH'ex informed me that he fa'.v
this MS. of Bifliop Robinfon, at the Rev Mr. ', !ugh Mughes's late vicir
of Bangor, whofe father and eldcll brother were flewards after him zc
Gwedir.

= This account differs very materially from that given by Dr> Po vol
in his Hiftor)- of Cambria, p. 726 It IhouM fccm however that the
author made ufe of fomc materials in coin;)iling this flioit chronicle of
the Princes of Wales, which Dr. Powcl had'no oppoiLiaiity of couiuiting;

and

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Dnvndwn or Edward with the hrolen mfe '', and by his fccond
wire called Chrlftian, daughter of Gronow ap Owen ap Edwyn
Lord of Engk field, being his cofcn, he had David who after
him was Prince ; he had alfo Rodri Lord of Anglefcy, and Cad-
wnllon who wns Abbot of Bardfey, and Angharad wife of Ciriffith
M.ilor'. He had befidts thefe by diverfe women Conan, Llewelliii
Mcredlt's Edwal, Fun, Howel, Cadelh, Madoc, Eneon, Cynw-
ric, Philip, and Riryd 1 ord of Cloehran in Ireland, (v. Powel's
Chron ) Tnis Prince Owen with his brother Cadwalader (as the
Wellh Chronicle makcth mention) in his father's time made
many victorious voyages into South Wales againfl the Normans
that incro.iched mightilie on that country, and in a pitched field
Ilew 30C0 men, and put the reft to flight. Being prince after
his father's death, he overthrew the Eurle of Chefter and a num-
ber 01 March Lords, and (as Giraldus Cambrcniis hath it in his
Hiftory, intituled Itinerarium Cambriic) repulfed K. Henry II.
who made throe voyages royall againlt Wales with all the Power
of England, Normandy, and Aquitanc, together with the fuc-
cours of Flanders and Britayne. In one of the voyages at
Counfyllt wood the whole anny of the King was put to flight,
as the French Chronicle '' fayth, the King's perfon endangered,

and

' 'W'^ ?:i|!lj^'

\m\

and lie hath already mentioned a life of Griffith ap Conan written by a
molt ancient Irinr or Monk of IVnlcs,

Dr. Pcvcl's Hiftory was publiflicd in 1584, and as the author refers to
it in this puge, it proves that this part of the MS. was written after that
year.

d ti Yerworth Trwyndon near to Brute." Out of a chartc of the
Genealogie of the Dukes of Yorke i'nferted in l.cland's Colledl. vol. H.
p. 616. 2d edit.

*■ Gryffith Maelor Lord of Bromficld, who died in 1191. f?ec Ander-
fon's Royal Genealogies. j He was brother of Marycd, mentioned here-
after. P.

^ As there are fcveral French Chronicles which occafionally treat of
what happened in England, it is difficult to afcertain what Hiftory the

author

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Im^i

III;

( 36' 3

and the grejit llanclard of England ovcrthrownc and forfakcn ^^
which was the caufe that Robert Mountfoit, a noble baron, im-
peached Henry of Eflex the ftandard bearer, (who held that
office by inheritance), for beginning the ftigfit, of treafon, which
being tried by combate, the ftandard-bearer was overthrowne,
his office, lands, and goods, connf'^^.lL, and himfdfe fliaven a
monke in the Abbey of Reading. After that this Prince had
reigned moft viftorionfly thirty-two years, he died. It i* written
of him, that he was foe fortvuiate, as that he never attempted that
enterprife whicli he atchicved not.

Cadwalader, brother to prince Owen '', was married to Alice>.
daughter to Richard earl of Clare, and was lord of Cerdigiawn or
Cardiganfhire.

Though this record is atteftcd by Cadwalader king of Wales '
becaufe he had kingly authority in this countrey, yet he was no-
more than a fubjuft to his brother, by whom he was banifhed,
and loft his lands, till by compofition the fame were reftord. The

author alludes to. He alfo does not explain in any inftance what Welflz
Chroraiclc he fo often refers to, whether that of Caradoc of I<ancarvon»,
that before mentioned to have been written by a Friar of Conway, or per-
haps fomc other compilation of the fame fort. The author alfo cites the
copy of a Wclfh chronicle in the pollcflion of his relation Sir Thomas
William'- of Trefriw. See afterwards.

E See Guliclnms Neubrigcnfis's account of the aftion, 1.2. c. 5. which
agrees with the author's in moft particulars.

^ Cadwalader Jiatcr 0-wini ina^vi falutem in Domino; Notum fit
xmiverfitati vcftrie (juod ego Cadwalader pro falute animsc mcK 8c omni-
um antccciTorum & htredum meorum dedi & conccffi Deo & Ecclie
S-Joiinnis 1 van' dc Hageman & Canonicis ibidem Deo fervientibus in
j;ur:.im &: ppctuam I'"lctmofynam EccUani dc Nevin. T. Alic' de Clara
i;;:ore meu. Ranulpho comito CeftriiE, Sec. Precipio quod Abbas Salop-
& Cor.vcntus habeant totam teni"-am fi .un inter Ryblam & Merfam *
T. H. comiic de Ci;ira & Cadzva, idro ap Gr. ap Cjnan rege IVal/iar^mf &C
Roberto B.iiRt k Gaufrid apud Cefcriam.

^ See note '\

* Two rivers in Laijcajliirc.

Wcini

[ 359 ]

VVelfh Chronicle calleth him Prince of Wnles : he dwelled moft
at the caftle of Aberyftwythe. Hcwnsmurthercd by the Englifli
fouldlers which the King fent to condudl him to his countrey.

After the death of Owen, Ycrwerth (or Edward), his ibnnc,
being thought unfitt to governe by reafon of the deformity of his
face, David his brother became Prince in his father's roomc.

I find that Yerwerth Drwndwn, or Edward with the broken
nofe^ being put from the government of the principality, had
afligned him for his part of his fiither's inheritance, the hundreds
of Nanconwy and Ardydwy ''. He dwelled at the caftle of Dol-
wyddelan ', where it is thought credible his fon Llewelyn tlic
Great, or prince Llewelyn, was borne, whofe mother was Miirycd
the daughter of Madog ap Meredydd prince of Powys.

Conan ap Owen Gwynedd his fon had for his part the country
of Merioneth "".

David married Emma fiftcr to King Henry the II. and had I)y
her a fonne called Owen ; upon confidence of that matcli he ba-
nlflied his bafe brethren, and Imprifoned his brother Roderike,
becaufe he defired the portion of inheritance. But Rodericke
breaking his brother's prifon, entered the Ifle of Anghl'ev, and
was received of the people as fovraigne lord thereof, and within
a while recovered all that parte of Wales which lyeth above the
river of Conway. At fuch time as Giraldus Cambreniis in the
company of Baldwyn Archbifhop of Canterbury travailed through-
Wales, preaching the crofle againft the Infulells, David had nc •
other part of the principality of Wales fave Ruddlan callle and

^ Nantconway is a hundred of Carnarvonfliirc, through whicluhc river
Conway runs ; Ardydwy is a hundred in the i^j .W. part of Mcrioncrhfliire.

' This caftle is iituatcd in the South Ealtern parts of Cannrvonlliii\',
and in perhaps the Icaft frequented part of the mountains. The rcaiaip.s
at prefent are very infignmcant.

■" It is therefore always ftiled by Giraldus Cambrenfis, Terra filio -urn
Conau'u

2iz 4 the

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if

: ■'

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■;: «

I

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[ 3'^^ ]

the tcnltoilc ailj.Kciit, which he held witli a garrlfoii ofEnglifh,
where the ArchhKhop lodged one iiignt to vilit the King'., filK-r,
.IS the fiunc Giialduij doth teflifie iti his booke intituled, Ifis Jour-
ney through I fides.

Ciiraldui niakcth mention, that Rodcric was Prince at fuch
tinu- as the Archbifhop preaciied the Croflc in Angllly, and tliat
he had in his court Llewelyn the Ion of Yerwerth, or Edward, his
ntphew, who, though lie was overborne by his uncle David (that
niaried the K. of England's filler, and had by her iflue male), as
alf'oc by his uncle Roderic, (who, to ftrengthen himfelfc with
the power of South Wales, had marled his own cofen ", daugh-
ter of the Lord Rys ap (Jruffith ap Rys ap Tcwdwr mawr, and
by her had ifllie Grulfith and Thomas), yet Cod foe advanced
the right of the young prince Llewelyn, that in time he put
down both his uncles from the princely fcepter and their poflc-
rlty, yet it may be imagined, (confiderlng what places they held
in their countrys and what friends they had abroad), not with-
out an honourable compofition and provilion for thcmfelves and
their pofterities firft had.

" Agnes. Sec Collins's account of the Wynne family in his Baronetage,
vol. I. t;vo. 1720. P.

GrilFiih ap Conon.

.^\_

Prince Owen Gvvynncdd
Prince of N. Wales.

J'

Gvvcnllian, wife of Gryffith
ap Rhys ap Tcwdor.

V

Rhys Lord of S. Walcs.^:

Rodcric younger fon, married his coufin=ipAgnes, da. of lord Rhys;
Agnes daughter of Lord Rhys, I

It

[ 36i ]

Tt appcarctli by tlic rccoids In K. Jolm's time rcmnynlng In tl\e
Tower, that the Kinp, p^avc to Oucn the Ion of Daviil, being
liis cotrn gLim.in, and to Griiffith tlie ionne olKodri " tlircc can-
treds, vl/. Rlios, Rh-vlirmg, anil DutTiyn CKvyilil, excepting
the caftle of Gannoekc'' and tlu^ territorlc of Criddyn, wherein
the {aid eaflle did Hand, a'ul ahoegavc them three other cantreda
if they could vvinne them ; the record foUoweth in huec verbal.

By this record, (as alio by the W'ellh hil'lorie, which niention-
cth that David ap Owen often allayed by the power of the King
of England to recover the principality againll Prince Idewelyn
his nephew^ it may appcare that the coiens, Owen the Tonne or

° Rotlri is a contrui^tioii forRoJeile. Thus Odiils for Oclcric. Sec
Hirt. T.it. de l;i Fninee, t. VIII. p. loR.

1' The caftlc of Ciannoeke is fuppolcd to have been fiuiated below
Coinvay, where: the river enipllLS itli-lf into the lla.

1 JO' Dei gi;i, i^e. Sciatis Nos e(MiceirilU; {^ h;ic charta nra confir-
mali'e Audoeno filio Daviilis ^' Ciruli' fi'io Roderiei tri i cantretla; te.
Rhos, faivo Nobis callro dc Gannocke cum Crcythyn ubi calh'um illuJ
fedcr, Rhevinioc 8c Dullryn Chvyd cuin ptinentiis fuis integre tcncnJa
ijifis Aut'oeno & GrullinoiSc hcredibus fuis de Nobis ?>: hcrtdibus ilrls per
fervieia fubferipta ; f. fmgulis annis xii dextrarios de pretio : f. dc iino-
quoq; cantred mi dextrarios; 8c prcterea de illis tribus cantredls unain
natain * canum p annum, 8c decern lej)oies cc onuies aecipitres ^ falcones
gentiles 8c fpervarios did' trium Caiitrcdorum, reddcn'lo indc Nobis &
hcredlbus uris fingulis annis apud Saloj) ad Fcflum S. Petri ad vinci.i!;i.
P'terca ipfi ambo ibunt in fervitium nruin cij gcntibus de diill' cancredis-
&: alias remanebunt fi volumus. P'didli vero iUidoenu, 8c Grulllnus ob-
fides Nobis dabunt dc fideli lOrvitio fuo. S. Audocnus fdius David dabit
filiu' fuu' de uxorc fua defponfat* 8cc. i^ fi p' pojje illorinn cjJ'// IkciUhirn
11^ ram pnjfint conqulrcre Arfon ar &c clavvddd el Llcyn, idon' fervic' Nobis
facicntde illis tribus pdict' cantrcdis. His T. Dom', \\'inton h.po, W.
Comtte Sarum fratrc noftro, G filio Petri Com' Warren, S. Com' Win-
ton, Win Com' Fcrrar, Willmio Briovcr, Petro fil' Herbcrti, Tho de
Ardincr, Plio dc Arch Juftic' Ceftr'. Dat' apud Suwcrit' xxxi Odliob*
anno regni liri xiiii .

* Till'! is the «oii.l ufcii in the ^IS. ; it fliould however, prob^tbly, he vtcuiam ci'n, n,
iroui the f"re!.i.!i vvmJ twuU,

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David, and Gruffith the ion of Rodri, joyned with tlie Ko of^
lingland agaliifl: their prince Llewelyn ; but all in vainc, for
Giraldus mnkcth mention, they got noe other portion but what
they had by compofition. In what place it was in Wales the
fons of Rodri had poflcffions graunted them, or whether it was in
diverfe peaces (as is moH likely it fhould be, to weaken men of
their alllnncc, friends, and authority among tlie commons), it
doth not appeare by certayne record.

Whether David ap Owen had any more clnldrcn by the king'a
fifter but Owen, and whether any, or who be dcfccnded, cither
by male or female, of them, I cannot yet find any certainty
thereof. In a fragment of a Wd(h cronicle, copied by SirTliomaS'
Williams, I find, that in the end Llewelin killed his uncle
David, and all his poflerity, at Conway. Soe that I think there
is none defcended from the faid David and the I^ady Emma his •
wife either male or female.

The pofterity of Rodri had large pofieffions in Denbigh land,
called Rhos Ravoniawg, neare and about Denbigh callle, in the
chiefeil: and bcft part of the lame, as hereafter in this hiftory fliall
apperre (whereby it may feeme K. John's graunt of that countrey
was not wholly frudrate unto them, or perhaps tiicy had tliat
land given them by the lafl prince Llewelyn) -uid alio were
lords of diverfe lordfhips in the county of Carnarvon, efpecialie
in the hundred of Evioneth. The Evioneth men have it among
them by tradition, that Llewelyn the Great gave the lands in
Evioneth unto the pofterity of Rodri. T find in a fragment of a
Wellh cronicle, copied by my kiiifman SirThomas Williams, that
Rodri had another fon called Einion (as is afore fpeeified) by the
daughter of the Lord Rys, Prince of South Wales, bcfide Gruffith
before mentioned and Thomas,

« Rodri

;,

|~x

I

3% ]

■Rodri his fecond wife was iLuighter to Gotlicric, King of M;U\,
;In anno Doni. 1243 Rodri np Owen, by the help of Gotheric K.
•of Man, invaded AngHi'cy, but within one ycare was thence rc-
pulfed by the fons of Conau ap Owen Gwynedd, who held the
ifle to thcmfelves. Qiiere, who are defccnded of this Conan ?
There is in the towncfliipp of Pennant Evioncth a gwely called
gzvely wyr'ion Cynan ' held very freely ; many fuppofe that part of
tills Conan's inheritance was there. I remember the words of
GIraldus Cambrcnils, that fayeth, I will advllcdly omit the cruell
and unnaturall warrs that were for ambition of government be~
twene Prince Owen's children and ofl'efpring In the time of the
laid Giraldus. Rodri lyeth buried In the Collcdge of Kerkyhy'.
This I had out of tiic Welllie croniclc, copied by Sir Thomas
Will' of Trefrlw '.

Thomas ap Rodri maried Margcd, the danj^litcr of Elnlon np
Siiyllt, and had by her Cariadog ap Tho', who marled Eva the
daughter of Gwyn ap Gruff, Lord of Kcgidfa, and had by her
Einion ap Cariadog, Lord of Pcnycen (wdiere his manor is called
to this day, Lly,. " EJnion ap Cariadog), Bala dcvlyn, Penyhcrth,
nud of many places more, as may be imagined by his greatnefs in
his time. He had alio GruiT' ap Cariadog Lord of Frlwlwyd *,

' This ir>ay be rendered, The Tenement of the Nephews of Conan.-—
Gvvcly is Htcrally a bed — nieta])horically any place of reft, hence houfc,
h;ibiiation, iiKinor, cftatc, or tenement.

[Gwcly islikcvvife metaphorically a family, or houfchold.] E.

» Kerkby is at prefcnt called Holyhead in Anglefev.

' Trefrivv is a village in Carnarvonfliire, (ituated on the fouihcrn fide
45f ihc Conwoy, about two miles below Gwcdir. It fignifics the town
on the bank or declivit\%

" Llys fignifies a palace, or great manfion houfc.

» Friwlwyd is a townfliip fituated in the parifh of Lanarmon and hun-
tdrcd of Evioncth in Carnarvonfliire : a fmall river runs through it bear-
ing that name. Yftrad and Efkibion muft probably adjom to this
townlliip.

A n a 2 (where

fit I

f

f I

i''^

hi

I 364 ]

(where the ruins of his manor houfe do alfoe appeare), Yflrad,
Eikibion, and of other great pofleffions In Rhos and Ravoniawg.
He had likevvife Syna maried to Gruff' ap Llewelyn, by whom
the faid Gruff' begat Llewelyn ap Gruffith laft Prince of Wales
of the Brittifli race, who was flayne at Buelt. Llewelyn ap
Jerwerth ap Owen Gwynedd haveing by the hclpe jf his Cofens
Conan ap Owen Gwinedd's fonnes, deprived his uncles, began to
raifuc anno 1 194, who atchle.'ed foe many noble enterprifes thdt
he obtained the name of Llewelyn the Great among all pofleritis
and writers. His workes and worthy deeds being remembrcd by
foe many writers, do make me the lefie to dwell upon the rclier-
fe\ll of them, feeing my purpofe is no more than curforiwife to
touch the raigne of the princes, to the end to make the hiflory ^
I write more eafie to be underftood. Only I have thought good
to infert here a copp'.e of one of King Henry the Third's letters "^

unto .

y The author by this means the h'ilory of his own family.

= I-IENRICUS Rex Anglic, kc. Leolino Principi Ab'erfr' Dno de
Snowdon, Salutcm & fe totum. Cum propter innundationcs aquarum &c
vlarum difcrimina nuncii iiri ad vos acccdcre non poflint, pcurforcm
quendam litcras pfentes duximus dcftinendas, p quas majeftati veltr;-!'
fignlticamus qd Nos ^p Nobis & nris vobifcum & cum oibus veflris pacem
tcnuimus & tenebimus in futur', & hoc dedimus ballivis nris & impri-
fiis * in niandatis, ut paccm cum fuis Comarchionibus firmiter tencant
& obfcrvcnt. Quare veftram rogamus ferenitatcm quod ballivis in Mar-
chia comorantib' detis fi placet in mandatis qd cum liris pacem teneant
inviolatam : bcncplacitum vcllrum fi placet nobis fignificetis. Valeat
cxlenJa vcftra.

This letter is printed as copied by Sir John Wynne. It fhould not be
concealed Vjwcvcr that upon exatninjng the records in Rymer for tha
year 1233 and 17th of Henrv the Third, it turns out to be a letter from
(.ewclin to Henry the Third, and not from that King to Lewelin. See
Rymer, vol.1, par. i. p. 114. Hague Ed.

■» This word figiilfies one who uwkvtakes anotha's bufincfs, from ewprcmhr, nn old
French term uled lor (nirettrcndce.

This

[ 3^5 ]

Tinto the /lilci~ Prince Lywelyn, which is extant in tfie records of
the treafurie at Wcftminfter (hccaufe it is extant in noe cronicle
that I have fecn) and was thence brou.a;ht to light by Richard
Broughton, Efq. Juftice of North Wales, the chiefe antiquary
of England ; a man to whom his countr^y is much beholden, pre-
ferring nothing more than the honour thereof, which he moft
carefully raketli out of the afties of ob'ivlon, in fcarching, quot-
ing, and coppying, to his great chardge, all the ancient records
he can come by.

Anno Domini i 253 one Gniffith ap Conan ap Owen Gwynedd
was buried in a monkes cowle in the Abbey of Conway, as fayeth
the Welfh cronicle. Anno 1201 * Prince Llewelyn baniflicd
Meredith the fonne of Conan ap Owen Gwynedd fufpeded of

This letter is preceded by one from Henry the Third to Lewclin In
the following words :

*' Rex I.evvelino Prlnclpi dc Aberfrau, &c. Domino do Snawdun.
Salutcm. Novcriris quod die \\\nx, proximo port inftans fcftum na-
tivitatis beatce Mariie mittimus confilium nollri: ufquc Colcwcnt,
in occurfum conrilli vclhi ibidem. Kt idco vos rogamus quod
detis confilio vcih-o plcnam potcllatcm ad exponcndam confilio nollro
plene voluntatcm vcftram, cpiia nos dabimus confilio noftro ex parte nof-
tra plcnam potcltatom ad exponcndam confilio vcftro voluntatcm nofiram
ad firmiter pacem fac.icndam inter nos & vos ; ita quod nullus fcriipu-
lus fit inter vos & nos.

Et volumus quod id providcbitur inter nos & vos, quod nullo modo
vos, vol David filius vcrtcr alifjuo tempore afervitio tiojlro recedatis.
Tcftc R. apud Ilayani 2 die F-Mitcmbr'." Rymcr, ibid.

The author fcems.to have afcribcd the firft letter to Hcnn- the Third,
on account of the cxprcfl!ions Mnjcjuu 'vrjira — rogamus ferenifatem — valeot
excelloitin v^jlr i, which hechofc fhould be applied to Lewelin. Whereas
it appears by tiie letter from this King to Lewclin that he confidcrcd him
as his vaflid, ^^/od niello viodo I'os rel David fdius vejicr aliquo tempore a
ncjiio /Irvi.'i:-! rfrrd/itis.

» It muft be admitted that thefc tafls are not flatcd with proper atten-
tion to their dates. A molt ingenious and learned friend (the Rev. Dr.
Benjamin Pyc) hath fu^p^crted, that if the two dates were tranfpofed,
th.ey wouUl ap;rec with Wynne's Hlrtory of Wales.

trcafon

ni

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1

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[ 366 ]

treafon, and feifecl the cantreds '' of Llun and Evioneth, w'h'ich
were Cona I's lands, into his own hands. Giraldus Cambrciiiis
in his itincrar'iutn Cambria (^ayethi that the cantreds of JLlun and
Evioneth were the pofi'effions of Owen Gwyncdd's children when
hepafled through Wales, and that they had two caflles ; the one
in Carnmadrin in Llun, the other called Dewdraeth juxta mon-
tana de Erryri , which confirmeth that Ardydwy and Evioneth
made but one cantred, for Penrhyn Deadraeth, where that caftle
ftood, is in Ardydwy ^ I am of opinion that the cantreds of
Llun and Evioneth. were the pofleflions of Rodri, and given by
this Prince Llewelyn, upon the expullion of Rodri from the
principality, to this Meredith ap Conan : howfot ver it was, the
pofterity of Rodri held it till tiie conqueft of Wales by tlie King
of England, and then how they loft what rcmayned undivided
into fmall portions, fhall hereafter bn (hewed in this hiftory.

Llewelyn, Prince of Wales, married Joane the daughter of
King John, begotten on his wife Agatha, daughter of Robert
Ferrers, Earle of Darby. The King in marriage gave with his
daughter the lordfhip of Elefmer in the marches of Waks. Some
will affirme that Agatha was not the King's wife, but paramour.
But that is mofl: untrue, for he married her long before he was
King, and bccaufe (he bare noe illlie male (as fome affirme) di-
vorfed himfclfc from her; others thinke (he died anone after he
was King '•.

Prince

^ A cantred is a diflri<fl of country, which is thus dcfcrlbed by Giral-
dus Cambrenfis; " Unius comiuoti Iblum, i.e. quarta pars caiurcdi ;
habct autem h:rc infula (fc. Mojia) trcccntas ([uadraginta viluis, &c pro
tribus caniredis reputatur." The cantreds of Lhm and Evioneth are in
the S. W. parts of Carnarvonfliirc. The latter is io called from its
being watered with nianyllreains, asAquitaine in France is ruppofed to bo.

• Ardydywy is a hundred in ilic N. Weilern part of Meiioivcthlhire.

*■ Joane was, however, molt certainly the illegitimate daughter of
Agatha^ as there is in Kymer an indrumcnt thus entitled, ** Dc remiiJione

" Lcwclino

[ 3(^7 ]

Prince Llewelyn in his youth, long before this recited i ma-
nage, had maried Tangvvyfl:!, daughter of Lowarch Goch of
Rhos. by whom he bcgate a moft valiant fonne, called Grullitii
ap Lewclyn % who, as heire apparent in his father's time, after
many warrs between him and his father, had the cantreds of
Englefickl, Ros, Rovoniog, and Dyffryn Clwyd given him by

*' Lcwclino Wallix Principi qui Joannam Regis filiam notham duxerat in
" uxorem." — It concludes, " Et quod ipfum deinceps pro filio habcbi-
" nius," vol. I. par. i. p. 48. anno 1208. 10 Joh.

Accordingly, four years afterwards. King John fends a letter ; " DI-
" ledto///oyKO Lcwclino Principi Wallia?." Ibid. p. 65,

What fcems flill more extraordinary, in the next reign, this fpurious
daughter of K.John's is ftiled by Henry the Third, his lifter, and Lewe-
\\n fometimes his brother, as likewife David, the fon of this marriage,^.
his nephew. See vol. I. par. i. p. 81. 98. & 100. in which laft refe-
rence Lewelin's wife is alfo ftiled Domina Norwallitr.

The ftone coffin in which, according to tradition, this daughter of
K.John's was buried, is ftill ufed as a trough for the cattle to drink out
of, not far from a farm honfe called Friars, which is fituated in the ifland
of Anglefey about a mile N. of Beaumaris, on the fca-coaft. Sb.e is
fuppofed to have been burled in the neighbouring church of Llanvays ;
and that this part of the tradition is true, appears by the following cx-
tradl from an inftrument in T.ymer :

Pro Fratrlbus Minorum de Llanvayfii in Infula noftra dc Anglcfye.

Confiderantcs qgod in eadem domo corpus tarn ///'rf /ir^/V

Jobanms progeniforis nojlri quam JiHi Regis Dacia, nccnon corpora Do-
mini de Clyffort*, &c. /£'/>?<//^ f.r//?w«/. Rymcr, vol. IV. partii. p. S3.
A. D. 1414. &2Hcn.V. The fuppofed cofiin of Pompey's father is
ufed as a watering trough for mules at Barcelona. Swinburne's account
of Spain.

In the year 1236 died lady Johan Wife to Lewelin Prince of Wales
the which was lifter to King Henry by the father's fide. She died in
March at Haveringe in Effex, and was buried at Tarentc Nunnery, in
Dorfetlhire. Lei. Colled, vol.11, p. 455. N. ed. It muft' be admitted,
that thefe two accounts are very contradiftory.

*= In Dr. Powel's Hiftory of Wales, p. 298. this Gruffith ap Lcwelyiv
is faid to have been a lufty Gentleman, but bafe born, P.

* For an account of the aftion in which this Dominus dc Clyftbrd was killed fee Dec.
Script, c. 2464,

wm

:|li

I! Hi ]

i: 368 ]

his father, being coiintrcys next adjoyning iiuto England, to the
end he might defend h.is countrey from the EnglKh.

This Gruffith, in his father's time, marled Sina, or Sencna,
as the Latine Bookc * calleth her, daughter to Cai iadog np Tlio*
Rodrl ap Owen Gweyned ; fome of our WcHli pedigrees fay (he
was the daugliter of the King of Man, but It i^ an uiilruth ; there
are other moll ancient records to the contrary % veryfylng as here
is laid downe.

Alfo it is evident her brethren Elngan npCariodog and Gruffith
ap Carladog loft their lands in the quarel of her fonne, LJcwclyn
ap Griffith, laft Prince of Wales, when his uncle David held tlie
prinelpalitie againft him, as (liall hereafter appeare. In Prince
Llewelyn ap Jerwerth's time you fhall find menclon made of
I Jo well ap Gruffith ap Conan ap Owen Ciwynedd, whom the
Prince doth banlfli in anno 1211, and after, in anno 121 ;j. you
fliall find him firft remembered in the honourable vova^e Prince
J^lewelyn made unto South Wales, when he rafed Carmarthen.
((Xicre, Wiiere his poHeffions were ? and who arc come of him :)
Howell ap Grult' ap Codan was buried at Conway.

'' It is ratlicr difficult to r.fccrtain what hiftory of Wales the author
mcans to refer to 1)\' what he ftiles fl>c Ldtinc hookc. (.'araiioc ol' i.anear-
van's Hillory ended with the year 115^, and 'hcrcfore long before* Gruf-
firh's nianiagc. It was continued indeed hy the bards (which belonged
to the two abbeys of Conway and Stralflur) to the year 1270; but Dr.
Towel, who mentions the above particulars, does not ftatc whether this
continuation was in ^^'ellll or Latin. As it chiefly depended upon the
Bards at their c!ci\i, I fliould fuppofe that it was in the WcHh language.
As for Geoffrey of Monmouth, whofe hiftory is in Latin, all the tranl-
aCl:ions he gives an account of are long anterior to what is here alluded
to. It fliould therefore feem that the author refers to Matthew Paris or
foineof our Hilloiians, who wrote in Latin, and occafionally take notice
of Welfh occurrences.

^ Sec in Po^vel's Hiflory articles of agreement between FIcnry III. and
Senena wife of Gruffith, p. 301. Yet Ibmc Welfli Peiiigrees fuppofe he
.married Rhanult daughter of Rhcinalt King of Man, P.

1 find

[ 369 ]

I find not, during Prince Llewelyn ap Jerwerth's raigne, any
mencion made of any thing done by the poftcrity of Rodri ap Owen
Gwynedd : a man may eafily guelle the reafon, for tliis Prince
held them under, and fufpefted left they (hould afpire to the
princely dignity, which their anceftors fometime had held.

In the raigne of David, fonne to the faid Prince Llewelyn by
Joane King John's daughter, who began to raigne anno 1240,
Eignan and Gruff' ap Cariadog, tooke parte with their fifter's
fonne, Llewelyn ap Gruff', the laft Prince of Wales of that line,
afterwards flayne at Buellt.

We receave it by tradition from father to fonne in Evioneth,
that David ap Llewelyn being Prince by the ayde of his uncle,
the King came to the towne of Pwllhely in Llun to parle with
the bretheren Eingan and Gruff* ; whom the bretheren met with
fuch a force on the day of truce, that the Prince told them they
were too ftrong to be fubjedls ; whereto they anfwered, that
he was rather too weake to be Prince, and foe parted without
any conclufion or agreement. In the end they were forced by
long warrs to forgoe that countrey, and to lofe their land there,
and to joyne themfelves to their nephew Llewelyn ap Griffith,
who then had his court at Maefmynan in Flintftiire. He alfo
held, as is before mentioned, the cantreds of Englcfield, Dyffryn
Clwyd, Ros, and Rovoniawg, agalnll his uncle David ; haveing
warre on the one fide with the King, on the otlier fide with his
imcle, who gave them greate pofleffions (as fome thinke) as afore
is remembred about Denbigh Caftle.

Llewelyn, the fonne of Gruffith, their nephew, after the death
of his uncle David, attayning the government of Wales, reftored
to his uncles their lands and pofleffions in the cou y of Carnar-
von. I find noe record of any thing done by them in the tune
of the fame Prince.

Bob Eingan

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[ 37° ]

E'ngan ap Carladog had a fonnc, ot" whomc mention fliall be
made hereafter, called Tudur Lord of Penychen ""j Penyberth,
and Bahideulyn, and whether he had any more fonnes is to mc
uncertain.

Gruff' ap Carladog marled Ixuki, daughter of Llowarch

Vaughan ap Llowarch Goch ap Llowarch Holbwrch, and had

Lnt one Ibnne to my knowledge, called David ap Gruffith',

which David marled Eva the folc helrefs of Gruffith Vaughan ap

Gruffith ap Mereithlg of Pcnyfed in Evioneth, by whome he had

three fonnes ; viz, David, Meredith, and Howell. This appearcs

by the record of the extent made of Denbigh land, in the time

of Edward the fiid, by Henry Lacy Earle of Lincolne, to whome

the King gave that land upon the conqueft of Wales : for Henry

Lacy minding to make a princely feate of the caftle of Denbigh,

per force compafFed the children of the fiild David ap Gruff' to

exchange their poflcffions about Denbigh Caftle (which were

great) with him for other lands of Icfle value in the laid lordlhip, in

the furthell: part from him : the words of the record follow thus ''.

How they left the I^ordflilp of Friwlwyd, and other their
lands in the County of Carnarvon, I can find no record of, but
only have it by tradition, that it was taken from them by the
King's officers, for to this day it is parte of the principalitie ' of
Wales; which is not unlike, confidering what befell to the other

'' This is a townfliip near the fca, in the Parifli of Abercrch in Car-
narvonfhire, and fituated between the towns of Crckcith and Fullhcly.

' He had ;i!(b a (laughter, Guerfil (orGwerville) married to Inon ap
Einion, aecord ng to Collins's account of the Wynne taniily. (Baronct-
fagc, vol, I.) But perhaps this may be a millake, for G\vcrvilc daugh-
ter ot I'.ignan ap Cariadock mentioned hereafter. P.

'' By loine millake however the record is omitted in the MS.

' rr.'/h!/HiIih here means lands held under the Princes of Wales, cldeft
fons of the Kings of England,

I cozens.

V —

[

2l *

]

co/.cns, the licirs of Pcnyclicn, Penybertli, aiul Baladeulvii,
whereof there is a very good record and ccrtahie, remayiiyng in
tlie prince's trcafury in Carnarvon.

EIngan ap Cariadog had one fonne called Tudur ap Eiiigan,
and one daughter called Gwervile, whereof the record enfueing
after maketh mention. You are to uiulerftand, that after tlie
conv^uefte of Wales, the countrcy in gcnerall, as well as in par-
ticular, found themfclves aggrieved for the wronges offered by the
Englilh officers, and '^oo. fent certaine men witii their generall
and private grieffes to the prince lying at Kenniiigton "* neare
London, in the time of the Parliament in anno 33d of Edward
the Firft. among the which thefe are mentioned ".

It

" This place in Domcfday is flilcd Chemntunc, but now Kemiington. Ic
is fituated in the parilh of Weft Lambeth, and was formerly a royal
palace. Sec Maitland's London, vol. IL p. 1387.

" Pctitioncs dc Kennington fadlie apud Kcnnington p homines North-
VValli.v ^ ('omiiatibus p finglarcs pcrfonas exhibitae Dno principi filio
Regis Ed ward i Lonqucftoris Wallia3 & concilio fuo apud Kennington ex-
tra London tempore Parlianicnti pdift' regis habiti apud Wcftmincftc-
rium I""* Dominica (luadragcfimir aiio regni Regis pdict' Edwardi ^i\
& Rcfponfionus ad cafdcm Petitioncs fads & libcrata- Jullic* North-
WalliiE lub private figillo ditti Dfii Principis ad cxeeutionem refpon-
(ionum pditt' faeicnd' 8c cas iirmiter obicrvandum in ntib' North-
Wall iic.

Ad petitioncm Lcolini & Gruffini filioru Oveni ap Llewelvn de eo qd
Tudur ap Eingan avunculus cratDiius de Baladeulyn, Pcnechyn, & Pe-
nybcrth in Com' Carnarvon 8c feifitus poll pacem ^pelamat' fere p unum
annum, port cujus deccflum tencmenta pdidt' ad Gwervillam Ibrorcm
didP Tudur' delcendilie debuerunt, fed domina Regina mater Principis
nffedtavit tcnc ncnta ilia ?4 ca a Dno obtinuit, qua^ cpiidcm tcnemcnta
nunc funt in manu principis & ad eos jure hereditatis fpcclant ; unde
pctunt rcT'cdium. Refponfum eft, qd Juftic' informet fc fup content' in
pdidla pctitione, & quo iemi)ore didus Tudur obiit, & fi fovisfceit necnc,
& omnibus eircumftanciis, & certificct indc dominum ad petitioncm eorum
didi Llewelyn & Gruffini qd dominus velit concedere eis aliquas ballivjs
in Com' Carnarvon ,p debita firma inde reddenda quoufcf dilcuftlim fit

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It 19 neccflhry, for the underftaiuUng of this record, and tlic
{enie thereof, that you firfl: uiulerftaiul, that after the death of
Trince Llewelyn In Bucllt, the King made a proclamation of
peace to all the inhabitants of Wales, receiving them all that
would come in and yeald themfclves to him into his protedlion ;
graunting the ufc and fruition of their lands, liberties, and pri-
vileges they held before in their countrey under the Princes of
Wales. This is the peace fpecified in the record : after which
Tudur ap Eingan had held his lands almoft one yearc. To^
whom or to what family this Gwervill wae married I cannot as
yet learne. This land foe taken is part of the pofleffions of the-
principalitie of Wales to this day.. It is to be noted here, that allc
the felfe fame time, in the raigne of Edward the Firfl-, the
Queene his wife tooke perforce the land of Eingan ap Cariadog's
offspring in the county of Carnarvon, and Henry Lacie exchanged'
perforce, with Gruff' ap Cariadog's offspring in Denbigh land,
and that the cozens ftood in equall degree of kindred one to ano-
ther, viz. cozen germans removed j which hard dealing muft
needs pull downe a kindred. It cannot be othcrwife alfoc, but
that Frlwlwyd was by the fame Queene, or by the JuAice Will'
Sutton or others, who dealt hardly with the gentrie of thefe parts
in thofe d.iys, taken from the poflerity of Gruff, for it is parte
of the principalitie to thefb dales, although the record proving
this happened not to fall into my hands.

quid de eorum ha?reditate fuerit faciendum. Refponfum efl quod pti-
net ad Jultic' ordinare de ballivis ^put utilitati domini melius viderit
expedire.

Tliere are very fine tranforipts of thcfc Pctinons prefentcd to the King
at Kcnnigton, in N 47-6 of the Harleian MSS. which is a hirge Folio,
containing chiefly a mofl complete extent or furvey of the counties of
i\nc;lefcy, Mcvicneth, and Carnarvon, made in the 26th year of Edward
thc'Third. The date agrees except in the ditference of 3 2d year of Ed-
ward the Third inftcad of the 33d.

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[ 373 ]

But to recurre to the offspring of Gruff* ap Carladog, and tlieir
fuccefnoii, with the eftate and condition they lived in fram time
to time unto this day ; it being my purpofe to treat tlicreof. Out
of rlie tliree brethren, David, Meredith, and Howell, who ex-
changed, as above is remembrcd, with the Earle of Lincolne, the
poflerity onely of Howell doth remaine in credite and fhew in
their countrey, the pofterity of the other two being by divifinn
and fubdivilion of gavelkind (tlic dcflruflion of Wales) brought
to tlie efliate of meane freeholders, and foe havcing forgotten their
defcents and pedigree, are become as they never had been. If
you alke the queflion why the fucceffion of Howell fped better
than the pofterity of the other two brethren, I can ycald no other
rcafon, but God's mercy and goodnefs towards the one more than
the other, as God fayd in the booke of Mofes, *' I will have mercy
*' on whome I will have mercy," for they lived in the fame com-
monwealth, and under the fame ftorme of opprcfllon, foe as if
God had not left us a feed, we had beenc like Sodom, or com-
pared to Gomorrha. Neverthelcfs by the good'^^f of Gob we
are and continue in the reputation of gentlcn;.\ irom time to
time fithence unto this day, as (hall appeare by r!ic difcourfe
following. Tlic oiTspring of David ap Meredith hold the land
exchanged by the Earle of Lincolne with their ancedors, viz. the
tovvnefhip of Yfcorebryll in Eglvvys vach ° and halfe Maethcbroyd
in Llanrwfl , and are reputed to be ilefcended from Gruffith ap
Conan in thi. quarter where they dwell, Lut yet arc not able to
lay dovvnc th.^ ccrtayntie of their pedegree.

David np Gruff' ap Cariadog (as before mentioned) maricd Eva
tlie daugliter and hcirefs of GrufP Vaughan ap Gru'F ap Moiy-

° Fglwys vach is a partfl-j in the S \V. pnit of Dcnb'f.hfh're.
P Tlio town of Lanrvvft is alfo in Dciibiji,hfhire, not far d;llunt fiorii
the parifli of Eglvvys vach.

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574 ]

thig, niul by her luul that land which in thj extent of North
Wales is called Cnvcly Griffry in Penyvcd in Evioneth in the
county of" Carnarvon ; the quit rent of the Prince out of this
Gwelyijs j("- 3. 1 9 J. Which Morithig the grai^dfather of this
woman was, I am uncertaine, for there were two of that name;
one in North Wales, who isdefcended f-om Sandde HardO Vor-
tyn, from whome the chiefe men in 1 ale and Mador ' derive
their delcent ; and another in Soutii Wales, called Morithyg
Warwyn, of whome are come all tlie Vaughans. It did not
appear by the Welih pedcgrces, that this GriitVy was dcfcended
of Morythig, till I found the record in the Exchequer of Carnv
von. If a man lill: to be curious which of both Morythigs this
was, let him find whether of thea\ lived ncareft this time, and
diat lure was he.

Howell ap David maried Eva the daughter and heire' of Jevnn
ap Howell ap Meredith of Evioneth (by ibme cards ' of podegrcc
Ihe is called Myfanwy ") and had with her large polilflions in
Evioneth, which to this day rcmaine in the pofterity of the Hiid
Howell, yet mangled with divifion and fubdivifion of gavcl-
kindc.

Memorandum, That Evan ap Howell ap Meredith had another
daughter and coheirefs, marled to one of Penllyn of the flocke of
Riridflaidd of Penllyn, her name was Gwenllian, and (he marled
Jevan ap Grutt' ap Madog ap R: idflaidd of Penllyn "". The faid
Jevan ap Howell ap Meredith had a third daughter and coparcener

1 This word hath been before explained.
' Extenfive I.ordfhips in Denbighfhire.
=' Rather Co-heir. P.
' This is ufed for charts.

" Sec an ode to M\fimnivy Fcchan ariongfl: Evans's Specimens of Welfli
Poetry. Meufunkv, i. c. my woman, or my dear. E.
**■ Penllynn is a hundred in Merionethfliire.

that

m :■' ''

1 ■" i
I 'I' 'I

[ 375 ]

that marlcJ Howell ap Groiiw ap Jevan ap Gronw ap Howell of
Maclor, and by liim (he had two daughters, viz. Gwervile ma-
rled to Tudur ap Hob-y-dili. the other was Alician, who mar-
ried Pulcilon, and brought Havody werne to that fiimily. Evan
ap Howell ap Meredith, father to this Eva, was brother to Gruff*'
ap Howell ap Meredith, who was father to Einion np Gruff*,
father to Jevan ap Einion and Howell. This Howell was
knighted at the field of Poy^liers, and by our countrymen is re-
ported to have taken the French King; but iiowfocver it was,
he did liicli fcrvlce there, that the Prince beffowed a mcfle of
meate to hz ferved up dayly during his life before his battle-axe,
whicli alter was bcltowed on the poore, whereof he was called
Sir Howell y /'rnv///\ He was alfoe conilablc of Cheiler and
Criketh Caftles % and had the mills to firme, and other many
great office, and places of profit. Of Jevan ap Elngan his brother
are delcended very many gentlemen of principall account in the
county of Carnarvon. Howell * begate Meredith and David,
Meredith ap Howell dwelled in Evioneth at his houfes Kcffin y
fan, and Kcklgiifarch, and David ap Howell in Llanrwft: in
Denbigh L;nd, at hit; houfe called Henblas in Maethebroyd. Me-
redith ap Howell marled Morvydd the daughter of Jevan ap
David a]) Trahayarn goch of Lhin, who was dcfceiuied of the
houfe of P»ys ap Teudwr. In the extent of North Wales, made
hi the 26tl3 of Edward, the Third, you fhaU find, that Meredith

* Fu'vall fioir.iflcs an nxo.

y Some fmall rcniainsot' this c;ifHc ilill continuo. It is onthe fca-coaft'
of ('arn;irvoiifhiro.

' Nor llowcl of the h;UtIo-axe, luit IIowcll ap David ap Grufiirli ap
Cariailog, kc. According to Collins, llowel aj) David luul five Sons
l.y Kva (Luighrov ol" Jevan ap llowcl ap Meredith ; vi/.. Meredith, Robert,
Tudor, Griiffith, and David. P,

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[ 376 ]

ap Howeil and others are the heires of Gwely. GrlfT David ap
Howell his brother maried ■

vli. Jevan ap Howdl ap Meredith, the daughter of Gwenllian,
and Jcvan ap CrifP ap Madog ap Jerweth was wife to Reignall ap
BUddyn, and had by her ifliie Robin Vaughan ap David ap
Howfc'l, who maried Angharad the daughter of Rys ap GrufT ap
Rys ap Ednyfed Vaughan, and had no iflue male, but one daugh-
ter called Cattrin ap Robin Vaughan, who married Rys ap Ein-
gan Vaughan of Llanrwft, a gentleman of the houfe of Penwj'u
in Nanconwy and Denbigh Land ; who having noe iffue male by
her, but daughters, the greateft parte of the poffeflions of that
houle, which were now worth a thoufaad markes a yeare, came
to the Salilburies. For Robert Salifbuiy the elder, fourth fonne
of Tho. Salifbury of Lleweny, in the county of Denbigh, Efq.
maried Gwenhwyfar, the daughter of Rys ap EIngan and Cathe-
rin the daughter of Robin Vaughan ap David ap Howell. Rys
ap Eingan had one other daughter by her, called Lleify, to
whom he gave faire pofleflions ; but nothing comparable to the
otlicr, that was married to Gruff ap Madog Vaughan In Aberge-
ley ''. All the inheritance of this Robin Vaughan ap David ap
Howell, held after the Wclfh tenure, within the lordfhip of Den-
bigh, was, by the cuftome of the countrey, to defcend to his
heire male, and fo defcended to Jevan, the fonne of Rob't ap
Meredith his cofen, as hereafter (hall be laid downe in the life of
the fiiid Jtvan. I have in my houfe the probate of the teftament
of Morvydd, the wife of Meredith ap Howell, as faire to behold
as at the firfl day, bearing date anno 141 6. The probate of the

• There is fome miftake here undoubtedly in the pedigree, probably
occafioncj b\ Jie chafm in the MS.

'' Abtrgciey is a town in the wcftern part of Denblghlhire, near the

Tea.

will

111 ;j:

"mV

[ 377 ]

will Is dated at Krlkleth, before one Rob*t Swaython, official of
the Archdeacon of Merioneth. Meredith ap Howell had by her
two fonnes, Rob't and Jevan, and a daughter, called Marfli, mar-
ried to Jenkin Conwey of Ruddlan, mother to Hen Sion accV^y
Coiiwey, of whome all the Conweys, of Ruddlan and Bodriddan,
and Lords of Preftatyn, are defcended. She was the firft Wclfli-
woman that was maried into that boufe, as John Conwey, Efq.
my cofen, (now Lord thereof) told me, John Tudur, one of
our Wehh heraulds, fayth, that there was a third brother, called
Robin, whofe daughter and heire Ithel Vaughan maried, and
therefore thofe defcended from him doe quarter Owen Gwynedd'j^
cglctts ''.

I find an obllgacion, bearing date 20 July, 2° Edward IV\
wherein John ap Meredith flandeth bound to Jevan ap Robert
Meredith to fland to the award of GrufP ap Robin ap Gr'aff"*,
and Lewis ap Howell ap Llewelyn, arbitrators eleft for the faid
John ap Meredith, and Meredyth ap Rys, and Jevan ap Howell
•ap Rys ap Eingan, arbitrators eletft for the faid Jevan ap Robert,
to parte certaine tenements bctweene them in Evioneth : and in
cafe they could not agree, then was Howell ap Eingan ap Howell
Coetmore named umpire.

Memorandum, That during Robert ap Mered* his time, the
inheritance defcended to him and his brother was not parted after
the cuftome of the Countrey, as being gavelkind ; but Jevan
being maried enjoyed both their houfes, xiz. Kevcn y vann and
"tvefelgyfarch ; and for that Jevan, then Conflable of Crikcth,

,M. »'■.

rai

Xih

•^ There is no word in Dr. Davis's Diiftlonnry nearer to this than
achor^ which he fuppofcs to fignify little.

^ Thofc arc mentioned in the Preface, to have been the arms of Owen
Gwyncdd.

C c c clave

' i

t 37^ ]

clave fafl to the King, Owen Glyndwr burned them both to-
cold ajkes \ Neither was the inheritance betwene their pofterity
divided, untill fuch time as Jevan the fonne of this Robert was
niarivid and had many children, as may appeare by the indentures
of partition betwcene Jevan the fonne of this Robert, and John
ap Meredith ap Jevan, grandchild to the other brother Jevan,
the one parte of which indentures 1 have. Thofe that made par-
tition betweene them were thefe, Thomas ap Robin of Kych-
■willan, that maried Gwenhwyfar, and Jevan ap Meredith. This
Thomas ap Rohin was after beheaded neare the caftle of Conwey
by the Lord Herbert, for that he was a follower of the houfe of
l.ai;icafl:er : and his wife is reported to have carried away his head
in her apron. Some affirme Jevan ap Meredith to be the elder
brotlier, and foe doth all the race that are of him contend : my-
fclf, and thofe that are come of Robert, have this reafon to think
him to be the elder. Robert had iffue Jevan, Jevan his brother
had ifl'ue Meredith, Meredith had ifllie John, John being of
man's eflate had the tuition of his uncle Jevan ap Robert, my
anceftor, and yet Robin Vaughan ap David ap Howell's land in
Denbigh land, being cozen to them both, defcended to Jevan
ap Robert, my anceftor, and not to John ap Meredith ; which
I hold for an invincible argument that Jevan is defcended from
the elder. Alfoe I have the King's Writte, direfted to Robert
Mereditli, Meredith ap Jevan ap Meredith, and to the principall
gentlemen of Evioneth, for the apprehenfion of Jevan ap Robin
Hcrwr, a notable rebell outlaw, and others of his qualitie ; which
writt dotli place Robert ap Meredith firft before his nephew,
which alfoo may fortific the opinion of them who hold him to

* A fimilur cxprcflion of cold coals is
Iliftory.

4

ufed afterwards in this

be

[ 379 ]

be the elder brotlicr to Jevan ap Meredith. The wordes of the
writ doe follow, in ha?c verba ^

But howlbever it be, the gavelkind and cuftume of the country
not ycalding to the elder any prerogative or fuperiority more
than to the younger, it is not a matter to be ftood upon. Indeed
Jevan ap Meredith maried in his youth Llenau the daughter of
Howell Sele ap Mereicke, of the houfe of Nannau in Merioneth-
shire ^, and begat by her Meredith ap Jevan ; whome in his youth

he

* H E N R I C U S Dei gratia Rex Anglise & Francis & Dnus Hiber-
niae, diledtis fibi Roberto ap Meredith, Meredith ap Jevan ap Meredith,
Rys ap Tudur, Howell ap Madog ap Jevan, John ap Gronvv, & Howell
ap Jevan Vaughn, Salutem. Quia ^:> certo lunius informati, C[d Jcvati
ap Robin & alii diverfi notorii utlegati & incogniti de die in diem vi &
armis cum diverfis felon' in comitiva fua, ut dicitur, faciunt ambula-
tiones fup diverfos fidelium noftrorum infra com'tatum nrum de C;irnar-
von & diverfos dc cifd' fidelib' fpoliavcrunt, & male tradlavcrunt in dc-
'ftruftionem & depaupationem ligeorum noftrorum manifeftam, ac coiur:i
formam ftatutorum progenitorum noftrorum in hac pte pvi forum Aiiig-
^avimus vos & unumquemq' veftrum conjundim & divifim ad arrcftan-
dum & capiendum pditl' Jevan ap Robin & alios in comitiva fua cxif-
tent' p corpora ubicumcj' inventi fiicrint infra coiriotum de Evioncth ts:
cos falvos & fccuros ul\\' caftrum nrum dc Carnarvon indilate duci fa-
ciatis conftabulario riro ibid' liberandos & in codcm caftro moraruros
quoufii' de corum delibcratione aliter duxcrim' ordinandumj & idco
vobis mandamus qd circa pmifla diligenter intendatis & ca faciatis cu'u
effccflu ficut inde coram nobis refpondcrc valueritis. Damus autem uni\lis
& fingulis fidelibus iiris tenore pfentium firmiter in mandatis quod vobi-T
& cuilibet veftrum in omnib' qua; ad arreftationem & cnptioncm pdicti
Jtvani ap Robin & aliorum ptincnt' intcndentcs fint, auxiliantes, forri-
ficantes, & p omnia rcfpondentes. Li cujus rei tcftimoniuni has litteras
noftras fieri fecimus patentes. T, meipfo apud Carnarvon 28 die Augufti
anno rcgni nri vicefimo.

E Nannau is a very ancient family-feat, about three miles N. of Do!-
gclly inMerioncthftiire. It ftands perhaps on hit^her ground from the v.illcy
beneath, than any Genilanan's houfe in GreatBritain. \n Saxion's map^ i: is
fpelt iVi,v/«,7, as it continues to be commonly pronounced. There are foiiic
trudltioual anecdotes about Howell Sele, or Sclif, whieh is the fame w ith

C c c 2 Soloiiion,

■:'iJil

li!ii*'-.,'|r'

> ■ ■ (i

I

\f

'/!

I

?, : '

' I '

lie matched witli Margaret the daughter of Elnlon ap Ttliel of
Rhiwedog '' in PoiiUyn in the county of Merioneth Efq. of the
tribe of Ririd flaidd, and Howell ap Jevan ap Mereditli.

Qucrc. If any males defcended of this Howell be living now ?
Owtn Holland of Berw, and Rytherch ap Richard of Myfyrion
in Anglefey are defcended by females from him, as Richard Gruf-
iith ap Hugh aihrmith ? Alfoe it Ihould be knowne how this
land is gone from his pofteritie.

This Einion ap Ithel was Efqulre to John of Gaunt Duke of
Lnncafter, to whome for his fervlce, as well in the time of warre
as peace, he gave a penlion of tweny markes per annum, iffuing
out of iiis manor of Halton ' : The charter I have feene being in.
Frcncli, with the Duke's fealeand armes, and it remaineth in the
cuftody of John Owen of Yflymcegid '', Efq. the heire of Owen
ap John ap Meredith. Me-

Solomon, In the neighbourhood of Nanncy. Howel Sqje of Nanney flood
out tor Hen. IV. againrt Owen Glcndovver. — MS. l.ife, penes the Rev.
Mr. rrice. Librarian of the Bodleian Library. — Howel was attacked by
David Gam of Biecknock. Ibid..

^ Rblwedcg is alio a very ancient family-feat in Merionethlhire, about
a mile S. E. from Bala. In Saxton's maps it is fpelt Ruedok, The name
is laid to fignit'y the bloody-bank, and by tradition a great battle was.
fought near this fpot.

Lhvarch hen addreflcs his fon Cynddelw in the words following in a^
poem iVdl extant,

C}'nddehv, dadw dithan y rhus.
Ar addcl yma hcddiw
Cudcbam un mab nid gwcir.

*' Cyndclow, defend thou the ftccp pafs of the hill againft all that
*' allault us to-dny, it is in vain to be fond of the only fon which is rc-
** nuining.*'

Lhvarch hen in the Jicld at Rhiiccdog, after he had loft all his chlldrca
but Cynddelw. E.

' There are many Halton's in England. See Spelman's Index Villaris..

*■ Yilmccgid was formerly one ot the feats of the Owens of Cleneney,
and is in the parifli of Dolbennian in Carnarvonihire. The maDfion-houle

of

[

38 1

]

McrecVith ap Jevan np Mereditli, begat by the clmgliter of Ei~
ivlon ' ap Ithel, John ap Meredith, (who marled and was at man's
eftate afore his grandfather's brother, Robert ap Meredith, my
anccflor, ever m.iried ;) and Robert ap Meredith, Abbot of Bard-
fey. This may be accounted for, as we have it by certaine tra-
dition, that Robert was almoft eighty years old before he ever
married, and then in his dotage fancied and, married Angarad tha
daughter of David ap I^lyn ap David of Kefn-melgoed in the.
county of Cardigan, wliofe wife was tho daughter of Rytherclv
ap Jevan Llwyd of that countrey ; by her he had Iflue Jevan ap,
Robert and feveral daughters. Fi'om this Robert the Abbot are
defcended my three Pencenedle"'^ becaufe they are defcendcd of
church nobihtle, viz. Gruffith ap Richard of Madryn iffa, Robert
ap Richard of Llochelddor, and Owen ap John ap Jevan ap Ro-.
bert of Bron y foel, and Kefn Kyfanedd in Evioneth.

The cafe why this Robert ap Meredith was foe long unmaricd
may appeare partly by record, and partly by tradition ; it is cer-
taine, that as in the time of Henry the Fourth, Jevan ap Merc--
dith had matched his fonne (as is aforelald) to Einion ap Ithclc's

of this family is now at Porkinton in Shropfli're ; and it may be perhaps
faid that there is ftronger proof of the fame fpot having been the capitiil
manfionof the Owens for a longer time, than probably can be produced
by any other family in Europe. The following order of Henry III.
tranfcribed from Rymer, proves that Porkinton belonged to the Owlhs
nearly 650 years ago. " Rex Lcwclino Principi Sal. Sciatis quod — 8c
*' Bledh ii)^m%Oer,i de PorkhUon vencruntad fidcm & fcrvitium null:run:i."'
See Rymer, vol. I. par. i. p. 79. A. D. 1218. and 2 Hen. III.

' This Einion, after the death of Walter Lord ivLumcy (who was by
patent fherlff of Mcrioncthfhne for life) fuccecded him in that otfice,
being in great favour uith Henry the Fourth, in the bcguiningof whofc
reign he dieil.

E. citing a MS. of Mr. Robert Vaughan of Hcngwrt.

*" rcncencdli:i\^n\^c^ f-icad of a fcunilj,

daughter,, ,

1 n

■1 isiKla \.

T

! (

} ' I

I

]

c!>u) alitor, '.vlio hcloiuxcd to tlic houfe of J./ancaftor : (oa he clave faft
to liiat iioviTc in the time that Owen Glyndwr rebelled In Wales.
Soc that in tlie time ot tliat warre he and Meredith ap Ilvvlkyn
Llwyd of (ilynllifon % had the charge of the town of Carnarvon,
and an Eiiglifli captain was over the caftle ; in revenge whereof,
Owen burned his two houfcs, Keven y van and Kefelgyfarch in
Evioncth. In the proccfle of continuance of this warre Jcvan
died at Carnarvcni, and was brought by fca (for the paflagcs by
land were (liut up by Owen's forces) to Penmorva°, his parifli
church, to be burled. Robert his brother, taking a clean con-
trary courlc, was out with Owen Glyndwr, as may be gathered
by a pardon granted him in the ninth yeare of Henry the Fifth,
then Prince of Wales, which I have to fhew, whereof the true
copie enfueth p.

Rys

• This place lies about fix miles S. of Carnarvon.

° Penmorva fignifies at the end or head of the inarjh. This village '.3
fituatcd at the entrance of the Tracthmawr fands, which divide Meri-
oneth and Carnarvonfhire.

I" HENRICUS illuflris Regis Angliie & Francirr primogcnitus, Prin-
ccps Angliie, Dux A(}viitania[^, Lancaftriai & Cornubine, & Comes Cef-
tri;v, locum tenons metuendiflimi d'ni nri regis & patris in ptib' South-
Wallia; &: North Wallije oibus & fingulis pfcntcs literas nras infpe(5turis,
Salutcm. Sciatis quod nos authoritate & poteftatc nobis p ipfum mctu-
cndiflimum dnum nrum regem & pattern comiffis, as etiam pro quadam
line nobis p Rolkum ap Meredith ap Howell nuper rebcUcm didti dni
iiri regis cc patris in parrib' WalliR*, adopuscjufd' dnl hri regis & patris
/o'uta ; reco[)imus & admifimus dittum Robrrtum ad gratiam pdidti dni
\\u regis & patris, & ei pardonamus noic ejufd' dni regis & patris fedtarn
pacis luie (\\\x ad i])fum clnum nrum regem & patrem ptinct ^p omni-
niodis pditionib', rebellionibus, inccndiis, feloniis, adh^fionib', tranf-
grcflionibus, mifprifionib', & ma'efadtis quibufcumq' p pdidium Rober-
tum in ptibus & marchiis Wallia; ante haec tcmpora fatflis five ppetratis,
innlc indidtatus, vctatus '*, rcdatus, vel appellatus cxlftit, ac etiam ut-

■* Tliis word properly fij^iiifics to ininin or foihid; it is corrnptly ufed for vettliis. See i\w
Canuf, ill artitulo. Rciftiitub hoin rtttum hgnifies profecutcJ.

legariis.

"g^)

'Ill

mi

[ 383 ]

Rys Goch 1 of Eryrl, a bard of that time, made him a foiig,
(hewing what notable qualities he had, and yet durft not name
him therein, for that as it fcemeth he was an outlaw at that
time when the fong was made, but flieweth in the fong his dc-
fcent from GruiT ap Conan % and that he was the hope of that
ftocke.

The Song that Rys Goch made to Robert ap Meredith be-
ginneth thus :

HIR y bu RufTudd ruddbar

Waywdan fab Cynaii ein cnr

Ar goefgeirch hir gwayw yfgwyd

Yn gorwedd Llew Flamgledd Llwyd

A'i dalalth Llwybr goddaith Llaw

Fynnodd gynt yn kelfFeiniaw

Tann oerfab bid tan arfoU

Na chryn ddyn ni chrynodd oil,

Mae arno gaink llathrfiiink Llv

Etifedd propr yn tyfv

legariis, fi qua in ipfum his occafionib* fuerlnt ^mulgata, & finnam
paccni [klidi ctni re^is & patvis inde concedimus, ac ea bona & catalla
fua qucFCumq'^ didto thno firo regi & patri occafionibus prcmiffis foiisf ".nita
noi'c & authoritatc pdidlis concedimus p pfentcs : ita tamcn qd ftct rcdus
in curia pdidi dni rcgi^ & patris & iira, fi quis vcrfuscum loqui vohicrit
do pmiffis vel alu^uo pmiflbrum; in cujus rei teftlmoniiini has liitcras iiras
fieri fccimus patcntes. Dat' London xx die Septembris anno difti niciu-
endiffimi nri regis & patris Hcnrici cjuarti port conquefturn ix'. Irroiu-
latur ad fcffionem centam apud Carnarvon die Lun;^ proximo poll fcl-
tum aliumptionis beatx Mjria; Virginia alio principatus dni H. principis
Wallinc, undecimo.

1 Rys Goch flouriihcd about the year 1400. Sec Lluvd's Arcli.
He liv'd at Havod Gi.rrcgog near Beddcclhcrt.— The late hcircis ot" thi'}
place (who married Mr. Hughc^ o*-" Trcvan) was defcendcil from hini ia
a dircd: line. E.

' i. e. Grullith ap Conan Prince of Wales. P,

Yix

iHi ),

h

r^'H

T

J?

r 38+ ]

Yii dwyn yftod fiMgod frig

Garw ben liydd gwr bonchcddig

O bryd a Llafn byfryd hedd

Ag yfgytbr brwydr ag ofgedd

O gnmpau anwydav naid

Frytanawl hen frytaniald

Om Gofyn emyn ymwal

Dyn anolbarthys ei dal

Pwy i hcnw nim difcnwir

Bedydd ar dv gwerydd dir

y gwr a elwir yn gainc

Dylwyth-ftiwr ar dalaith-fainc

Alexander niferoedd

A mvr a phen raawr hoff oedd

Tryftan ddoethran addeithryw

Dvlath avr ei dalaith yw

Bonedd ond odid benoeth

Y cwyfg yn hen fiarwn coeth

Rhwng Hafren hoywdfiwr gloywglaii

Llugwrth a Hi a garthan

Ni ad gwawd pechawd heb pwyll

O gandalth genfignedwyll

Son am y cymro os iach

Pw) ilog doeth a fo pellach

Pe megid evrid araith '

Cenav o neb Cynan iaith

Hir ddewr Ian hardd eryr hd

Henvv mygr o hvvn y megid

Ymgroefed gwawd dafawd hen

Ymgais ni wn i amgen.

Rys Goch or Eyrl ai kant.

** Long

[ 3h ]

•' Long dill our friend [or klnCmanj Gryrudd ap Conan, with
*' Ills bloody Ipcar, In ry lance, (hlcld, and flaming f'word, lye
** dormant like a greyheaded lion, whilll: hl» country \s as all in a
*' bla/.c by the hands of the i.ntmy, who heaped together dry
*♦ wood to kindle [welcome] the fu'e. Trcnibb not at tlic rc-
*' latlon, he did not trenible. I'rom huu there grows a beautiful
** branch eminent In battle and maftcr of the Brltllh Games.
*' \i \r\y difordcred betid' h aiked the Chrlllian name of him who

is called a defcendant of the great family on the throne of the
' province, it is Alexander, the beloved chief of the multitude

with the golden crown of Tryjian the IViJc \ I prv)phecy, he
** will deferve the high title of a wife baron, and witliftand an

army between the famous water of the Severn and the cLar

t(

» This is a common cxprcfTion in the Welfli language : when any
thing dangerous was fpokcn, they feigned madnefs. — This explanatory
note was added by the learned gentleman who made the verfion of this
poem.

' Tryflan was the fon of a King of Cornwall, who was educated under
Merlin, and became a mod famous Knight errant of Arthur's Round
Table*.

From his having been inflrudled under fuch a tutor, and many of his
atchicvements havhig been performed in Cornwall, Wales, and Ireland,
it is not extraordinary th.it he fliould be celebrated bv the Wellh Ilards.
As for the cpitaer ot v.'ilt\ he merited this title probablv froni the ii>
IhudVions of Mtrliii, and the ancient Knight Errant was fui>jH)fed com-
monly to have every other virtue, as well as that of valour. Mcnce
Us imif Preux moll pro[HTly fi<;nifies the nine Worthies, though they
arc at the fiime time Champions, 'ii.us a MS. in the French Kinj^'s library
is entitled, *' Les nobles faits du ut% prcuxh bon Chevalier MefifueTrif-
•' tan." Sec xlxcHibllothcque dcsRomuiu, p. 252.

Dean Percy hiith a very fair MS. in old French, of the adventures of
the fame Knight amonglt his curioui ai^l valr.ablc collettion : it is fup-
pofcd to be of the 13th or 14th century, and is thus entitled, "La
*' Grande Illolre de Monfcigneur Tri^bni."

Vidi Paris, Tnjiano h piu di mlllc

Ombre Mollrommi, h nominoll' a dito

Ch'amor di noflra vire dipartille. Dante, Inferno, c. 5.

* Sec die Advcntirci ot tliii Knight, pvintcd at Venice, 1552^ z vol. 4ta,

D d d ^ ♦' ftreun

I ,l^ '

v'4

:'^

1 1 '

E Vi

' .= hi

nrff

[ 386 ]

" ftream of Garthcn. Dark envy and clctra(9Ion will not fuircr

*' his prr.ifc to be celebrated. If it is his dcfcrt, timid caution

*' avaunt. If any ftrait, beautiful, and brave offspring of Cy-

*♦ nan's lineage" was ever bred, tjiii muft be he. Beware the

*' feoff of tholt; who have before detra(fled ; if I fpcak of hini it

" muft be to his lionour."

Compofed by Rees Goch (or Rhys the Red) of Eryri ".

This is the moll: ancient fong I can find extant which is ad-
dreflcd to any of my anccffors flncc the raigne of Edward the
Firft, wlio caufcd our bards all to be hanged by martial law y, as
flirrers of tlie people to feditloi , whofc example being followed by
the governours of Wales, iintill Henry the Fourth his time, was
the utter deflru(5lion of that lort of men. Sithence, this kind of
people were at fomc further libertie to fing and to keep pedegrees,
;is in ancient time they were wont i fince which we have fome

" The exprcflion bt'th in the original fignifies properly tcnpvc : thus
lingua ]']alcnjiiim in fonie old records fignifies the Wclp} fwticn. For
more ample fuisladtion, however, on this head, the reader is re-
ferred to Hurd's learned and ingenious Dialogues, vol. ii. p. 17. where
he inftanccs the ufc of the word /aga, which fignifies both a law and a
country.

* This Rard is placed by I.lvvyd in his Archieologia in the 15th cen-
tury, about 1420. He ftiles him Rys Goch o Eryri, or o/il>e Snowdon
mountai)is. It fliould feem that the inhabitants of this country have long
been much addifted to poetry, as a rock is fhcwn by the fhephcrds,
pretty near the fummit, under which, if two perfons fleep on a midfum-
mcr's eve, the one will wikc out of his fcnfes, and the other a poet.

y Edward the Firft hath been alfo accufcd of having delbojcd all
the ancient records and witings in Scotland, after his comiucft of thrt
kingdom. See this however very ably refuted by Sir David Dalrymple,
in his Esomination into the Jupj^ofcd antiqtiity of tbs RegiLiin Majcjtatein,
Edinburgli, 1760, 410,

Jight

[ 3^7 ]

liglit of nntlqviitic liy tlieir fongcs and wrltingcs'. From tlis
rcigiic of Edwanl the Firfl: to Henry t!ic Fourth, there Is there-
fore noc certainty, or very little, of tiruig's done, other tluiii
what is to be found in the Princes records, wiiich now % hy tof-
fingc the llimc from the Exelicqucr at Carnarvon to the Toner,
and totlie offices in the Exchequer at London, as alfoe hy ill keep-
ing and ordering of late dayes, are hecome a chaos and confufion
from a total negieifl of method and order, as would he needful
for him who would he afcertained of the truth of thini:;s done
from time to time. I have, to my chardge, done what I could,
but for my travell have reaped little or nothing, as you fee.

You fhall findc in the miniiters accomnt, in Henrv the Fourth
his time, Robert ap Meredith, firmour of Dolbenman •', tl\c
King's weare of Aberglallyn % the mill of Dwyfor, and of other
the King's thinges about his dwelling.

Jevan the fonnc of Robert ap Meredith being a child offender
age, on the death of his father, was in the tuition of his colcii
german's fonne, John ap Meredith ap Jevan, his next kinfman,
who croflc maricd him and his fider with I Joweil ap Rlivs ap
Howell Vaughan of the houfe of Bron y foel in Evioneth. This
fiimily, in thofe daycs was of greate poflelfions and abllitie, and
was tiien accounted the chief houfe defcended froni Cullwvn,
whereof tlicre be many of great account in that countrie.

* Sec a commilTion, in the time of Q^ Elizabeth , to Itttlc who were
real bards or othcrwife, prefixed to Evans's Specimens of W'tlih
Poetry.

a It flioiild fccm, from this, that thcfe records v«crc removed frotn
Carnarvon near the time when the author wrote.

'' Dolbenman is a village in Carnarvonfliire, not far from Penmorva,
tjic fituation of which hath been before dclcribeJ.

' There is a famous falmon-leap at Abcrglaflyn in Carnarvonfliirc,
about a mile from the mouth of the river of that name, which divides
Mcriondhfiiirc from that countv.

■ D d d 3 Tlie

)!

I, it', i'i

M

m

If p

I v:

T

III

[ 388 1.

The wlddow of Robert ap Meredith married Meredd' ap Rhys
ap Jevan Llvvyd of Vchaf without tho coiifent of her allie John
ap Meredith, and foe was faigne to flic tlic day (he was married
to her hulband's houfe before ihe dined, foiire and twcntie miles
ofF, and that of rough way.

At this time, or near about it, fell a difllke and variance be-
tweene Will' Gruffith, Efq. Chamberlaine of North Wales, and
John ap Meredith, wiio at that time bare chief rule and credit
In the quarters where he dwelled : the one by reafon of his uu-
tlioritie (which in thof ■ dayes was greate to them who held that
roome ) expefling that all fliould reverence and obey him, the
other in regard of his defcent, kindred and abilitie in his coun-
trey, ack .owledgeing none but his Prince his fuperior. Here-
hence grew the debate,

— nee Cafar ferre majorem ",
Pompeiufve parern, — — —

which continued long. To John ap Meredith his kindred and
friends clave like burres, foe that then it began to be a pro-
verbe, or a phrafe, to call the fepte ^ and family of Owen Gwy-
nedd, TyJwyth Sion ap Meredith \ which Engiifhed is " the kin-
*' dred of John ap Meredith." This beginning of divifion how-

^ Roome is here ufed in the fame fenfe with place or office. Thus we
find in Rymer, vol. vi. p. iv. p. 69. agrantof Q^Elizibeth, anno 1559,
of the office or Roome of reading the Civile Lcfturcs in the univerfity of
Oxford. As alio ibid, p, 154 anno 1559, of the Roome ox office of Chief
Matter of our games, paftimes, and Iports, ibid. p. 155. See likewife
afterwards a grant to Roger Aikam of the Room or office of Yeoman of
our bears. Ibid.

« This is printed as it (lands in the MS. though it may (hew the au-
thor was not very accu'-ate in his Latin profody.

•■ Ihis word is frequently applied by Spenfer, and Sir John Davis, to
the Irifti families and clans.

ever

[ 3^9 ]

ever bred In the poflciulc of the two houfcs a conceit of dlfllkc
which continued long after In tlie kindred, the one towards the
o:her, but with matches and continuance of time It Is worne
out.

This John ap Meredith was cofen to Owen Tudur, and went
with a hundred gentlemen of North Wales his klnfmen to vifit
tlie fald Owen, being in trouble at Rwfg caftle, called B'r\nbyga^.
In his rcturnc being bcfet with enemies, favourers of the houlb
of Yorke, he made an oration to comfort his people, willing
them to remember at that time the fupport of the honour and
credit of their anceftors, and concluding, that it (hould never in
time to come be reported, that there was the place where a hun-
dred North Wales gentlemen fled, but that the place fhould carry
the name and memory, that there a hundred North Wales gen-
tlemen were flayne. Becaufe alfo fome of his klnfmen had
brought with them all their fonnes, and fome others had but one
fonne to fucceed in their name and inheritance, (as Howell ap
Llewelyn ap Howell, and others,) he placed all rele in the
rearward, out of the fury of the fight, whilft all his lonnes were
in the van ward, which hlmfelf led, where he was fore wounded
m his face, whereof he was called Squier^ graith ^ to his dying
day : but God gave his enemies the- overthrow, he opening the
paffage with his fword.

B In Sir John Price's defcriptlon of Wales prefixed to Wynne's Hifto-
ry, p. 20. Uik in South Wales is faid to be called likcwife Brynbyga ;
Rivjg Caflle therefore fliould perhaps be written 2y U/g or tVfgy whea
it would fignify the Caftle upon the VJk. As this place lies at fuch a dif-
tance from Gwedir, and the inhabitants of the two divifions of the Prin-
cipality have fo little connexion with each other even to this day, fuch a
miftake is by no means improbable.

'' Squicr y graith fignifies Efquire with a fear.

Queen

I : ,'

[ 39° 3

Qiiccn Cathcrlae, being a French woman borne, knew noc
dillcrencc bctwccnc the Enghfli and Welfh nation, iintlll hcf
marriage being publifhed, Owen Tudur's kindred and countrey
were objcdled to dilgrace him, as mofl: vile and barbarous ; whicli
made her dcfiroiis to fee fome of his klnfmen. Whereupon he
brought to her prcfence John ap Meredith and Howell iip Lle-
welyn ap Howell his neare cofcns, men of goodly flaturc and
perfonage, but wholcy deftltute of bringing up and nurture, for
when the Queene had fpoken to them in diverfe languages, and
they were notable to anfwer her, (he fald, they were the gooaliejl
dumbe creatures that everfjefaw.

This being not impertinent to the matter I treat of, and pre-
fcrved by tradition, I thought fit to In fert here.

John ap Meredith had by his wife five fonnes, viz. Morris,
Jevan, Robert, Owen, and GrufF', whereof Robert In his fa-
ther's time was flayne without lliiie neare Ruthyn in the follow-
ing manner. [The reft furvived their father, and have many de-
fcended from them] :

The Thelwals of Ruthyn ' being ancient gentlemen of that
countrey, who came into it with the Lord Grey, on whome King
l^dward the Firft bertowed the countrey of DulTryn CKvyd ^,
were at contention with a fepte or kindred of that countrey called
tlie family of Gruff' Gjch. Thefe being more in number than
the Thelwals (although the Thelwals carried the whole offices of
the countrey, under the Lord tliereof, the Lord of Kent, then
treal'urer of England) drave the Thelwals to take to the calHe
of Ruthyn for their defence, where they beficged them, untill

• Thclwal, who publiflicd t.\\Q. Digcjt of Writs, was of this family, and
dates his work tVom Wx^poor hoiifc near Ruthyn. It is about a mile from
that town, on the xoa^Xio Mold in Flintfliirc.

^ Or the vale of Chvyd, D^'ryi bearing that fignification in Welfh.

the

[ 391 ]

the fiedge was rayfed by John ap Meredith, his fonncs, and kla-
dred, to whome the Thelwals fent for ayde. In that exploite
Robert the fonnc of John ap Meredith was flayne with an arrow
in a wood, within the view of the caftle of Ruthyn called Coed
marcbau ' ; In revenge wherof many of the other fide were flayne,
both at that time and afterwards. Some affirme John ap Mere-
dith to have beene at a field in Pcnyal "' for The' Grutt, which
field was fought betweene Tho' GrulF ap Nicolas and Henry ap
GvvlUim, and the Earle of Pembroke's captaines, where Tho'
Grud' got the field, but received there his death's wound.

Henry VII. minding on his entry into England to clayme the
crown againft the tyrant Richard the Third, wrote this letter,
which is ftill extant, to John ap Meredith in haec verba " :

By the King.

Right trufty and well-beloved, wee grcete you well : and
whereas it is foe, that, through the hclpe of Almighty God, the
nfiiflance of our loveing and true fubjc6ts, and the greate confi-
dence tliat wee have to the nobles and commons of this our prin-
cipalltle of Wales, we be entred into the fume, purpofing by
the helpe above rehearfed, in all hafte poflible, to defcond into

t n

' Coed In WeHh fignifics a wood,

™ Pcnnal, the place where Tho' Gruff' ap Nicholas was wounded, is
knowne by tradition; and licth in W'ttra Bcnnal, in the pariflu ot" Towin,
over againft Llidiart y parkc crachc, and in the midft of the way : being
a little round pavement, and almoft covered witli grals *.

" Mcnry the Seventh, when he churned the Crown of ]']ngUind againft
Richard the Third, landed at Milford llavcn, and marched from thence
thiov.gh South and North \\'alcs into Leicefterfliire, where the battle of
Bofworth was foug'it. He had probably been informed at Milford, that
Johii ap Ml rediih had confukrable inllucnce in N. Wales. [He might
alfo know it iiOm his family, as they were nearly related.] P.

* This note was aJ.JcJ by fomc pcrfon who had periileJ ihe MS. uiUi attention.

2 OUC

m

n _

liii

III' •

ill!

C 392 ]

our rcalmc of England, not only for the adoption of tlie crownei,
unto us of right appertaining, hut alll)c for the oppreliion of tl)e
ftdious tyrant Richard late Duke of Gioccfter, ullnper of our
•laid right ; and moreover to reduce as well our faid realmc of
England into its ancient eftatc, honour, and property, and prof-
pcritie, as this our faid principalitie of Wales, and the people of
the fame to their dear(?/i^ ° liherties, delivering them of fuch mlfe-
rahle fervitude as they have plteouUy long itood in. We deli re
and pray you, and upon your allegiance ftridlly charge and com-
mand you, that immediately upon the fight hereof with all fuch
power, as ye may make, defencibly arrayed for the warre, ye
addrefle you towards us, without any tarrying upon the way,
iintill fuch time as ye be with us, wliercfoever we (hall be, to our
aide, for the effedl above rehearfed, wherein ye (hall caufe us in
time to come to be your fnigular good Lord, and that ye fiiile
not hereof as ye will avoyd our grievous difpleafure, and anfwere
it unto your perill. Given under our fignet at out p, &c.

To our truftie and well-beloved John ap Meredith ap Jevaii
ap Meredith.

Jevan ap Robert ap Meredith, my anceflor, havelng, as afore
is rcmembred, croil'e marled with the houfe of Bron y foci In
Evloneth, had by his wife, called Catherine, three fonnes, Mere-
dith, Robert, and John. After her death he marled Gwcnhwy-
far, daughter of Madog Vaughan, of the houfe of Llwyn Dyrus,
defcended of Sir Gruft' Lloyd, by whoaie he had two fonnes,
Gruff* Vaughan and Jevan, and a daup'iter. Jevan died % being

° erjl, liberties, in all the copies which I have examined. E.
' The date and place from which this order ilfiicd are omitted in
the MS.
5 i. c. Jevan ap Robert, the father. See before. P.

but

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[ 393 J

but one Jiiid thlrtic ycares of age, of the iilaguc, at Kcfclpyfrach
Ills houfc.

In the warrs bctweciic the houfes of Yorke and Lancafler, he
(as all his) were Lancaftiians, and he was one of the capta'mes
who laid waftc the Duke of Yorkc's cfcatc in Denbigh land ; in
revenge whereof, the Ivlng lent Will' Herbert, Earle of Penbrokc,
in Edward the Fourth's time, who came with a grcate army to
recover the Caftlc of Harddlech % held I David ap Jevan ap
liinion for Jafper Earle of Pciibroke, then beyond the feas. He
alio wafted with fu'e and fword all Nanconway, ahd the whole
countrey lying betweene Conway and Dovi. He grauntcd at the
fame time a protetStion or fafe condu6l to Jevan ap Robert ap
Meredith, and to his followers to come to parle with liim, which
.1 have tQ ihew, under his feale of amies, in haec verba'.

Nil

'■'•'H

' When this town is thus fpclt, it is faid to fignlfy t,bc beauiifu! or high
rock '•' ; when in the common way \liarhch\ it may be rendered ihi [■^■:vn
upon the rock. As unfortunately the lately publUhed Memoirs of Lord Cher-
bury are become exce.nvely leurec, it may not perhaps be improper to in-
fert from thenee an anecdote relative to this fiege of Harlech. The gover-
nor being fummoncd to furrcnder, fent an anfwer to the following cffccl: :
" That he had held out a caftle in France till all the old wo'uen in Wales
" talked of him, and that ho wouUl dcfeml his Welib ealllc, till all the
" old women in France Ihould hear of it."

' OMNI IV, 8cc. fulelibus ad (pios pfens fcriptum jivencrit, Giiilicl:-;i'
Comes Pembrochiic Jullic' dni regis in ptibus fuis North Walli.i-, fal.:-
tcm. Sciatis nos dedilie & p pfentes eoneeffiile Jevan ap Roijt de coiiiu-o
Evioncth in Comitatu Carnarvon falvum &; feeurum conduchim intrand',
veniendi, aml)uhunli, cxjieChmdi, comorandi ac falvo eund' £: redcun li
p (k infra Comitatum de Carnarvon Sc Merioneth p fe, boiiis, & caraihs,
fine arclbitione, moleftatione, impeehimeato, damno, vioientia, manu-
eaptionc, pturbatione, feu gravainine alicjuo tarn ad feiftam dni reus,
ipiam ail feiltam partis alterius pfonee cujulcumq' a die confeCllonis pfea-
tium ([uoufq' p nos habucrit pmonltionem fix dieruni. Datum fub
figiiio nollro quarto die menfii Novembris anno regni regis Edwardi 4ti
poll Coivpicftum oftavo.

* See Ll\'yi's'5 Arch;colog. p. 276. article A^/V.

M

Ec

He

t

( ;

gn

li.: '

[ 394 J

He was a moft goodly man of perfonage, of grcate flaturc ^,
(as may appeare by the Welfh fonges made unto him), and moft
vahant withall. Bcfides the turmoylcs abroad, he fuftayncd
deadly feud (as thenorthernc man termeth) at home iu his doore ",
a warre more dangerous than the other.

His fifter, having been married to Howell np Rys, dl^ul witliin
few years after the marriage, Icaveliig noe iffue male : and Howell
ap Rys marled Tudur ap GrufT ap Einion's daughter of Ai dydwy
a courageous fllrring woman, who never gave over to make de-
bate betweene her hulband and his next neighbour and brother-
in-law, my anceftor. Many bickerings palled betweene them,
either makeing as many friends as he could, and many men were
flayne, but commonly the lofle fell on Howell ap Rys his fide.

David ap Jenkin being a neare kinfman to Howell ap Rhys,
and then an outlaw, a man of greate valour, came to aide his
cofen againft my anceftor, but prevailed not, though they came
upon the fuddaine on my anceftor's houfe, and whilft he was from
home. Thereupon (as we have It by credible tradition) David
ap Jenkin wifhed his cofen to keepe friendship with his brother-
in-law, for, faid he, I will not come with thee to invade tliis
man's houfe when he is at home, fuice I fuide fuch hot refiftance
in his abfence.

This woman ^ cr.ufed the parfon of Llanwrothen ^ to be mur-
thered, beaufe he had foflered ^ to my anceftor ; but God fo

wrought,

li

' i. e. Jevan ap Robert. See before, P.

* A mode of expreflion which fcems to explain itfelf.

* The fecond wife of Howell ap Rhys, before mentioned. P.

y Llanwrothen is a parifli in Merionethfhire, which borders upon
Tracthmawr fands.

'- The ftiong connexion and afFc£tlon between the Fofter-father and
fon fecms to be now much dropped in Wales : it continues however in

full

' 1'' !

[ 395 1

wrought, that the muitliercrs, being three brethren, were nil
flayne attcrwardb by my anceilor, in revenge of the parfon's un-
worthy ckath.

I have a number of obligations wlicrein Howell ap Rys iknd-
deth bounden for the obfervatlon of the peace, and awards touching
that controvcrfie ; but the plap;uc taking away my anceftor, ended
the ftrilc bctwcene tlicm, which was likely (if he had lived) to
have ended wltli the death of one of them or both. Soe bloody
and irefull were quarells in thofe dayes, and the revenge of the
fword at fuch libertie, as almoft nothing was puni(hed by law,
whatfoever happened.

The caufe of this mortal liatred betweene them grew (as it is
credibly reported) in this forte ; John ap Mereditli and Howell ap
Rys were ever highly at variance ; my anceftor having had bring-
ing up with his cofen John ap Meredith, affe£led him beft, though
allied nearly to the other, which was taken foe heinoufly by
Howell apRhys, that he converted the fumme of his rancor upon
his brother-in-law and next neighbour. This quarell, my ancef-
tor being dead, never ended till, in aflliulting the houfe of the
f .id Howell, by the fonnes of John ap Meredith with their cofen
Gruffith ap John ap Gronw (a gentleman of great account, who
had been captainc, as is reported, of a company of launfiers in
Aquitainc) : the faid GrufPth np John ap Gronw vras flayne,
being Ihot into tl\e beaver with an anew out of the houfe,
whereupon the faid Howell was faignc to leave the country to
;;Voyd the func of tlie rr. cnfMncnt of blood.

"^'M

4 1

full forco In trie uncivili/cd parts of Ireland. In a letter from Mr. Wynne
[penes 1'. Panton, Kiq. ] to his furlicr, and dutcJ in 1623, he dcfu-cs that
the widow of an Evim Tiiomas may be be bcjlozved on hisy;y?o"-brothcr
who worked in the garden atGwedir.

Ee e

Ju

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[ 396 ]

i:

In the partition of tlie inhciitance of Jevan np Robert ap Me-
redith betwccne his five fonncs, according to the cuftome of
Wales ; Henblas in Maetlibrood and all the land in Llanrwfl:
in Denbigh land dcfcending unto hiin, (as afore is mentioned, as
cofen and next heire to Robin Vaughan ap David ap Howell ap
Gruff'), fell to be the parte and portion of Gruff' Vaughan his
fonne, who maried the daughter • of Gruff* ap Madog Vaughan,
who was grandchild to Rees ap Einion Vaughan, viz,, his daugh-
ter's daughter. You are to underlland, that though Robin
Vaughan did not defeat his cofen and next heire Jevan ap Robert
ap Meredith of the land held in the Wcllh tenure, yet minding'
the j>referment of his daughter, as much as law would luffor him,
he charged the land with a mortgage: of J^. 12. to Rys ap Einion
Vaughan his foiuie-in-law, which the fald Rys ap Einion
Vaughan did releafe to Gruff' ap Jevan ap Robert in parte of his
mariage goods with his cofen, the daughter of Owen ap Gruff'
ap Madog : the very releafe I have in my cuilody.

God hath fhewed fuch mercy to our kind, tliat ever fmce the
time of Rodericke the fonne of Owen Gwynedd, Lord of Anglc-
icy, our common anccllors, there lived in the commonwealth in
eminent foite one or other of our name, and many together at
times. I have in my mlnde, in the peruial of the whole courfe
of the hiflory of our name and kindred, compared or likened
God's worke, in that to a man ftriking hre into a tinder-box,
by the beating of the flint upon the ftccle there are a number of
fparkles of fire raylvd, wliereof but one or two takes fire, the
reft vanifhing away. As for example, in Euiion ap Cariadog,
Gruff' ap Cariadog, and Sir Vv'ill' Cariadog alias Willcocke Cari-

'■' Fhc is called foon after tliis the Daughter of Owen ap Gruff' ap
;iuoe. It is here '.nven n'ore coiuraiflcd. F.

adog.

[ 397 ]

adog, brethren ; Eliilou ap Carladog as (Tiould ftemc the elder
brotlicr, was Lord of Pcnychcn, Fcnybcrth, and Bahidevlyn.
His Ibnne, Tudur ap Elnion, died wltlimit iflue of hla body, and
his lands were begged by the Queenc, King Edward the P'irft his
wife, as appcarcth in this hillory. Gruffith, the iccond brother,
was Lord of Friwlwyd, Yflrad, and Eikibion ; he had iflvie David,
which David had three fonnes ; David Chwith ap David, Mere-
dith, and Howell ; which are mentioned before to have exchanged
their cftate at Denbigli with Henry Lacic, carle of Llncolne.
Will' alias Wilcocke Craidog, the third brother, marled an inhe-
retrix in Penbroke(hlrc, where his pofterltle have remained ever
fnicc, haveing, from tlie houie called Newton, named thcm-
felves Newton Craidog, both in Pembrokefliire and Somerfet-
fhlre. Some of the Newtons claim their lineal defcent from
Howell ap Gronw, Lord of Yllradtowln, an'o D'ni i loo, de-
fccndcd from Rytherch ap Jeftln, Prince of Wales. Note,
among thcfe three brethren, the pofl-eritle of the one remaines ;
of the other two, the one is vanlfhed, and the other gone out of
the countrcy. Of Gfuffith '' his grand-children, only the polle-
ritle of riov,'ell are extant, who was before iLited to be the
youngefl of the three fons of Gruffith J .ord of Friwlwyd. Lnflily,
in Jevan ap Robert ap Meredith his children, which were five,
only the pofleritie of Meredith are extant, and of account.
Whereupon comparing things paft with tilings to come, I pre-
fa:j^c God's mercy to the kindred hereafter, as heretofore.

Now after this large digrcilion, to returnc to the courfc of
thic former liillorie, ivvs ap Eiulon Wuighan haveing had warn-
ing, as aforeiald, tiiat Henblas"^ fliould be redeemed, hailed lo

'IP

< I

'' i. c, GiufTith ap Cariuloff's grand-children. P.

• hcubldt, as \\\il :n I^rynlullrv, is i!ri:cr.M'.n.ls dcfci-ibcd, as hC\v.zi in
the Lcrdlhip of IXnbigh. It is fuppofcd iXm llcnbUu is the fame witli
IHajhiUa or iTZ-t' old inaiijiin.

bu!:d

li-Ut^'

i

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ill'

[ 39« ]

liuilil Biynfullty, before that Michaelmas appointed. I havcfcciic
iin ohl man in my time called Jevaii ap Jolin a{> D.ivid Vaugluii
at Icaft: of ninety jears old ; tliis man's mother ferved Rys ap
Eingan Vaughan at that time, and fhc was wont to Vcportc,
that corne '' fayling them to build' the houfe, they reaped the
come that grew in the raine ' tt) ferve that turne, as the corne in
the ridge was not readie.

The warrs of Lancafter and Yorkc beginning this fummcr,
made Jevan ap Robert ap Mereditli forgetfiiU of lils promifc to
redecme the lands ; for iti the time of that civill warrc land was
not ought worth, neither was it redeemed during his life. In
thofe warrs Jcvan ap Robert ap Meredith, even In the fixth of
Edward the Fourth, with David ap Jenkin and other captaines of
the Lancaftrian fadlion, wafted with fire and fword the fuburhs
of the town of Denbigh. In revenge of this, Edward the Fourth
fent William Earle of Penbroke with a great army to wade the
mountaine countreys of Carnarvon and Merioneth fhires, and
take the caftle of Hardlech (held then by David ap Jevan ap
Elnion, for the two Earles Henry Earle of Richmond, and Jafper
Earle of Pembroke) which Earle did execute his chardgcs to the
full, as witnefleth this Welfh rime.

Hardlech a Dinbech pob dor

Yu Ciinuev, , .

Nanconway yn farwor

° 1, e. to be uftd as ftraw. P.

* i. c. to thatch it.

f Raine, in feme parts of England, Is ulltl for f:irrc,:v, or the lever
part of the ridge. Wormius derives the word Rune (Iroui whence the
Kunic charaiHer) from cither ryn, a furrow; or ryn, a gutter or channel.
See Ictt. Rtiriy p. 2. 1636. cited in tjicNew Tranflation of Mallet's Den-
mark, vol.1, p. 363.

Mil

i|l"^i>

r I! I

m

I 399 ]

Mil a phcdwarcant mne Jor
A thrugain ng wyth ihagor^.

In that expedition Jevan ap Robert lay one night at the houfe
of Rliys ap Einion at Hcnblas, who was maricd to his cofcn
Catlicrine daughter of Robin V'auglian ; and fetting forth very
early before day unwittingly carried upon his finger the wrcft''
of his cofcn's harpc, whereon (as it feemcth) he had played over
night, as the manner was in thofe days, to bring himujlfc
afleepe '. This he returned by a mcflenger unto his colen, \\ Itli
this mciHige with all, that he came not into Denbigh land to
take from his cofen as much as the wreft: of her harpc : whereby
it appeareth, that by his means neither her houfe, nor any of
her goods were burnt, wafted, hurt, or fpoyled. Thus, both her
houfes, Henblas andBrinfyllty, efcaped the Earle Herberte's de-
folation, though the fame confumed the whole burrough of
Llanrwft, and all the vale of Conway befides, to co/d coa/s ^,

e " At Harddlech and Denbigh every h jufe was in flames, and Nant-
*' convvay in cinders ; 1400 from our J.ord, and fixiy and eight more."
This tranflacion was made by a learned Divine, well known in the literary
world lor feveral publications. He was alfo fo obliging as to add the
following metrical vcrlion in the itilc of Sternhold and Hopkins :

" In Harddlech and Dinbech ev'ry houfe

" Was bafcly fet on fire,
** But poor Nantcomvay futFcr'd more,

" P'or there the flames burnt higher :
*• 'Twas in the year of our Lord

" Fourteen hundred fixty-eight,
** That thcfe unhappy towns of Wales

" Met with fuch wretched fate."

** The wrcft of a harp is the hollow iron with which the flrings are
tuned ; this term Is ftill iifed by the harpfichord tuners for an inih-uinent
which they ufe tor the fame purpofc.

' The oklcil WeHh runes are very plaintive.

'"• 1. e. To cinders : the author hath before ufed cold ajl.^es in the fame

iciue,

whereof

i

:^ ip.-

! Mi

,;i

[ 4-^ ]

%\IuTcor trio print is yet extant, the very T. Jiics of the ruin:.; oi"
manic hal^itatlons, in and along my dcniaynes, carrying- ytt the
colour of the fne. John an Meredith bt-inir cokn pvrnKurs fonnc
ro Jevan ap Kohert ap Mered.th, notwithftanding he was foe
much eUlcr than he, (as the one was in man's eitate, and the
other but a youth), liad the govei-nment of his uncle ', and of
liis livings "' ; during which time of his nonage, Robin Vaughaii
ap David ap Hcnvell dying, as aforelaid, John ap IMeredith came
o\er with his uncle to ilanrwft and the Lordfhip of Denbigh, lO
take poliefiion of the inheritmce lately befallen him, called the
Henblas in Maethbrood, where Rys ap Einion Vanglian and
Catherine daugliter of Robin Vaughan then dwelled, Haveing
furveycd the land, they gave Ry ; ap Einion Vaughan then warn-
ing that he lliould avoyd the land at Michaelmas, for then he
fhould have the twelve pounds mortgage-money paved him. On
this he requeued to be tenant, and was anlwercd by Jcvan ap
Robert ap Meredith, that he Ihould lie there at times himlelfe,
and therefore would not lett it. Whereupon Rys ap Einion
Vaughan built Brynfullty houfe, upon parte of that land which
Henry Lacie, Earle of Lincolne, Lord of Denbigh, exchanged
with our anceflors, and which he had bought of fome of our
klnfmen that had the fame by gavcl-kind. Their name, how-
ever, is forgotten, as is the pcdcgree of two other freeholders in
^laethebrood beiides, which held land in my time in that towne,
lineallie from that grant and exchange. The one was called
Rys ap Llewelyn ap David, whofe porteritie doth yet Inherite
parte of this land : the otiier the wife of one Lancelolt a weaver,

' i. c. Ills Welch Uncle, lor Jcvan was coufin-gcrman to John's
father. P.

" Lhinge hath before been ufcd by the author in the fame fenfe with
eJJiitc,

2 whole

[ 4ot ]

wliofc Inheritance my uncle, Grufl*' Wynne ", bought, being
but a matter of three pounds a-yeare. Into foe little partes did
the gavelkind by many defcents chop our inheritance, being at
fuft large. Conferring oft with the freeholders of the parKh of
Llanrwfl, my neighbours, how they held their lat\ds, and from
what common anceflor they were defccnded ; moil of them arc
fald to be defcended llneallie from Ednyfed Vauglian, la tlic
towndilp of Tybrlth and Garthgarmon. Inquircing alfo of tlicm
whence the freeholders of Macthebrood Rys lievelyn ap David,
and I.anccllott's wife were defcended, they flild they were fo-
reigners, and came from the caftlc of Denbigh, as though the
caftle of Denbigh did procreate men : which flicweth that the
tradition is not yet forgotten, from whence they came. The moll
parte of that towne of Maetliebrood is In our brood, blcflbd be
God!

Robin Jachwr, the greateft antiquaric of our countrcy, being
nt Gwedir with my grandfather, and going one day to a cbuwcv'
fa gampav ", where the countrcy was aflembled at a place called
Gardd y felln In the parllh of Llanrwfl, afked whether he would
command him any fervlce thither. Nothing, fald my grand-
father, having a nofegay In his hand by cliance, but deliver this
nofegay to the beft gentleman thou ict^k in the company, upon
the credit of tliy Ikill ; who deliverf^d the fimic with prottflatioii
of his charge In the prefence of all the company to Llyn ap
David, Rvs r.lyn ap David's father. I cannot however oxt ]iis
pedigree, nor Lancellot's wife's pedigree In any certalntie, to
joync thcni to ours : the reafon is, that poverty foone foroets
whence it be defcended, for it is an ancltiit received laving, that

" Of Rcrth-cUIu. Sec the pedigree at the end of ihe MS. P. Berih-iklu
is in Llanrwft parifh.

° Chiuarcvfa gainpau. Country games or exereifcs.

F^"^" tlicrc

;>i jl-

1 1

') "

[ 402 ]

there is noe poverty but is defcended of nobilitie, nor noe nobilitio
but is defcended of beggerie.

When Adam delv'd and Eve fpan.

Who was then a gentleman ? i

Then came the churle and gathered good,

And thence arofe the gentle blood.

Yet a great temporall bleffing it is, and a greate heart's 'eafe to
a man to find that he is well defcended, and a great griefe it is
for upftarts and gentlemen of the firft head p to looke backe into
their dcfcents being bafe, in fuch fort, as 1 have known many fuch
hate gentlemen in their hearts, for noe other caufe, but that they
were gentlemen. The conditional promife by God to David was,
** that if his children would keepe his laws, he (hould not want
** a man of hh loynes to fit on his feat for evermore." Whereby
he had two things promifed him, propagation of his feed, and
eminence of continuance in the world. The Recabites, for their
obedience to their father's commandment, not to drinke wine,
have the like promife of God i.

During the time the Earle of Pembroke's armie lay in Snow-
don, Jevan ap Robert was faigne to leave his owne houfe, and
lodge at night in the rocke called Ogo filcn, ftanding at Meillio-*
nen, in the parifli of Beddcclert, and continued all the next day
with the fcancaftrians. His friends and followers ikirted the
armic, and Ikirmilhcd with them in the ftrait and rough paflage
of Nantwhynen ■■, untill at laH: he was lent for by the Earle

f A metaphor from deer, a young buck of the fccond year is called a
buck of the firll head. P.

1 See Jeremiah, ch. xxxv.

"■ Nantwhynrn lies within a fmall diilance of BecUl-celcrt. The rough
and Urnit palf.ige, mentioned by the author, foon opens into a moll
pldliirerqiic valley,

under

h -i

[ 403 ]

under his prote£lIoii and received into grace, as may appearc by
the Earle's deed under his hand and feale ; the hkc he did not
graunt to any in North Wales, as farre as I can hcarc.

The begining of the qnarell and unklndnefs between Jevan an
Robert and Howell ap Rys ap Howell Vaughan grew in this fort.
Jevan ap Robert, after his fifter's death, upon fome millike, left
the company of Howel ap Rys, and accompanied John ap Mere-
dith his nephew, and his children, who were at continuall bate
with Howell ap Rys. The fafhion was, in thofe days, that the
gentlemen and their retainers met commonly every day to flioote
matches and mafteries : there was noe gentleman of worth in the
countrey, but had a wine cellar of his owne, which wine was
fold to his profit ; thither came his friends to meete him, and
there fpeat the day in fhooting, wreftling, throwing the fledge,
and other adles of acllvitie, and diinkcing very moderately wlthall,
not according to the healih'mg % and gluttonous manner of our
Uayes.

Howell ap Rys ap Howell d'ld draw a draught ^ upon Jevan ap
Robert ap Meredith, and fent a brother of his to lodge over night
at Kefelgyfiirch, to underftand which way Jevan ap Robert ap
Meredith meant to goe the next day, who was determined to
flioote a match witli John ap Meredith's children at Llanvlhangel
y Pennant ", not farre from John ap Meredith's houlc. This
being underftood, the fpie, Howell ap Rees, his brother, flips
away the night to his brother, and lets him know where he
fliould lay for lilm. Now had Howell ap Rys provided a

^ i. c. Drink: fig of hi'alihs,

' This is a phrafc frequently ulcd by the author, and imports drawing
a p!(J>i, o'C fettling a fchcmc.

" This parifli is very near to Beddcelert. All this part of the country
ii very mountainous, and therefore very proper for ambui'cades.

F f f 2 butcher

i

n

[ 404 ]

butcher for the purpofe, tliat fliould liave mnrtliered him ; for
he had dlredlioii by Howe 11 to kecpc himfolfc free, and not to
undertake any of the company untill he law thcni In a medley,
and every man fighting. Then was his charge to come behinde
the tallcft man in the company (for otherwlle he knew him not,
being a (Iranger), and to knocke him down ; for Howell np Rys
fayd} *' Thou fhalt foonc dlfcerne him from the reft by his ftatnrc,
*' and he will make way before him. There is a foftcr-brother
*' of his, one Robin ap Inko, a little fellow, that ufeth to match
*' him behind : take heed of him ; for, be the encountre never
*' foe hot, his eye is ever on his fofter-brother." Jevan ap Ro-
bert, according as he was appointed, went that morning with
his ordinary company' towards Llanvihangel to mecte John ap
Meredith. You arc to underftand, that in thofe dayes, and in
that wild worlde, every man ftood upon his guard, and went
not abroad but in ibrt and foe armed, as if he went to the field to
encountre with his enemies. Howell apRys ap Howell Vaughan's
(ifter being Jevan ap Robert's wife, went a mile, or thereabout,
with her hufbaiid and the company, talking with them, and foe
j arteil \\ ith them ; and in her way homewards, flie met her
brother a iioifcback, with a great company of people armed, ride-
inj; after licr huiband, as faft: as they could. On this ihe cried
<'Ut upon her brother, and defired him, for the love of God, not
to harnH- her hu(l)and, that meant him noe harmc ; and withal
ikp,-; tu ! i> liorlc, meaning to have caught him by the bridle,
whieli be feeing, turned his horfe about. She tlien caught the
horle bv tlie t.;il, lianging upon him foe long, and crying upon
herlrotbei", tlmt, in the end, he drew out his fliort-fword, and
jlruck at her arme. Which flie perceiving, was faine to Ictt
i]i['pe her held, and running before him to a narrow paflagc,
vxh'.r'.by he muil pnfs tlirough a brooke, where there was a foot-
4 bridge

C 405 1

bridge near the ford ; flie then fteps to the foot-bridge, and takes
away the canllaw % or handftay of the bridge, and with the
fame lefts flie at her brother, and, if he had not avoyded the blow,
fhe had flrucke him downe from his horfe.

— Furor arma minijlrat,

Howell ap Rys and his company, within a while, overtookc Jevan
ap Robert and his followers, who turned head upon him, thouoh
grcatllc overmatched. The bickering grew very hott, and many
were knocked downe of either fide. In the end, when that
fliould be performed which they came for, the murthcrlng
butcher haveing not ftrucke one ftroake all day, but watching op^
portunily, and finding the company more fc.ittcred tlian at fitH
from Jevan ap Robert, thruft himfelfe among Jevan ap Rol)crt's
people behind, and, makclng a blow at him, was prevented by
Robin ap Inko his fofttr-brother, and knocked downe ; God
bringing upon his head the dcftruaion that he meant for another :
which Howell ap Rys perceiving, cryed to his people, " Let us
" away and be gone, for 1 had given chardgc that Ro!;in r,n
*' Inko (hould have been better looked unto :" and fbe that bicker-
ing brake with the hurt cf many, and the d-atli of th:it one
man.

It fortuned anon after, that the parfon of LInnvrothcii> tooke
a child of Jevan ap Robert's to fofler, wh.ich ibre grieved IIou.ll
Vaughan's wife, her hufband haveing then more land in thr-,
parifh than Jevan ap Robert had ; in rcvengo wliereof Hie i^loLted

^ Richards, in his Diaionnrv, renders this word liccordiin-Iv a Ijmo-
rail ulod a;s a fiuc iVnce to a bridge. It a!lb %niii.s u c^^vUl,,- or
attoniey. ■'

y Llanvrothen is a f-P.al! viLhure ;„ M.rioncihlhirc, f.tuateJ n.-r
Tracthmuv.r fands,

the

rm

■II

•f-

■ I t! I- ' i

m

[ 4o6 ]

the death ot' the laid pai<on h this inpi-nci-. SI e ftiit a woman
to alke lodgviiig of the parfon, \v!io ukd iiot to deny any. The
woman being hi bed, after midnight began to fliike and to rave ;
whereupon the parfoii, thinking that Ihe had been diftrafled,
awakeing out of his flcepc, and uondciing at foe fuddauie a eric
in the night, niade towards her and h.is houfhold alio ; then fhe
laid that he would have raviflied her, and foe got out of doores,
threatening revenge to the parfon. This woman had her bre-
theren three notable rogues of the danin'd crew fit for any mif-
chiefe, being followers of Howell ap Rys. In a morning theic
bre'-heren watched the parfon, as he went to looke to his cattle,
In a place in that parifh called Gogo yr Llechwin, being now a
tenement of mine, and there murthercd him ; and two of theni
fled toChirkeland In Dcnblghfliire, to fome of the Trevor's who
were friends, orofakinnc to Howell ap Rys, or his wife. It
was tlie manner in thofe daves, that the murtherer onelv, and he
tlint gave the death's wound {hould flye, which was called in
Wellli a //aivrutA/, which Is a red hand, becaufe he had blouded
his hand : the accefl'aries and abetters to the murtherers were
never hearkened after.

In thofe dayes, In Chlrkeland and Ofwaldflrcland % two feds
or kindred contended for the foveraignty of the countrie, and
were at continuall ft rife one with another : the Kyffins and Tre-
vors. They had their alliance, partifans, and friends In all the
cDuntreys round thereabouts, to whome, as the manner of the
time was, they fent fuch of their followers as committed mur-
ther or manflaughtcr, which wore faftly kept as very precious
Jewells ; and they received the like from their friends. Thelc

%

^ Now called Ofivc/iry : it adjoins to Chirkcland, where ihe Trevors
continue itill to be a very couliderable family.

kind

v»

\ I*' ^^-

[ 407 ]

kind of of people were flowed in the day time in chambers in
theire houfes, and in the night they went to the next wine-houfe
that belonged to the gentleman, or to his tenants houfes not
farre off, to make merrie and to wench. Meredith ap Flowell ap
Moris, in thofe days chief and leader of the fed of the Kyffins,
was a kinne to Jevan ap Robert, and in league with him, to
whome he fent to defire him, to draw him a draught to catch
thofe murtherers ; who fent him word, that he fhould come pri-
vately into Chirkeland only accompanied but with fix, and he
made noe doubt to deliver the murtherers into his hands. As
Jevan ap Robert was in his way going thither, palling by Ty yn
RhosS being a winehoufe, ftanding in Penrhyn Deydraeth,
Howell ap Rys ap Howell Vychan's wife, being in the houfe,
faid to the people that were with her, Yonder goeth Jevan ap
Robert, Hwyr y dial ef el dadmaeth, which is as much as to fay,
** that he would not in hafte be revenged of the vvronge done to
*' his fofter." Being come to Chirkeland, he abode there mnnv
dayes in fecret and unfeene, deeping in the day, and watcliino- all
night. In the end, with the helpe of his friends, he caught the
two mutherers, whom he had no fooner in hand, but the crie
did rife, T^he Trevors to their friends^ and the Kyffims to their
leaders. To the latter of thefe cries Meredith ap Howell ap Moris
reforted, who told Jevan ap Robert that it was impoffible for
him to carry them out of the country to any place to have judi-
ciall proceeding againft them, by rcafon that the faftlon of rhe
Trevors would lay the way and narrow pafliiges of the countrie ;
and if they were brought to Chirkc caftle gate to receive the trial 1
of the countrie lawcs, it was lawfull for the offcnder'ij friends
whofoever they were, to brir.;; /. 5. for every man for a hue to

* Tyyn Rhos^ fignifiei; vs hcufc in t!ic rough common.

the

1 ' r

%,m.

' 1'

I'

[ 40S ]

tiicT.orJ, and to acquit tlieiii, foe it wore not m c.^fcs of tiTafoii.
A damnable cuilonie uftd lii thole daycs in the lordfliips marches,
wliich was uled alfoe in Mowddwy'', untill the new Ordinance
ot" Wale?, made in the ftvcn and twentieth ycare of Henry VII1»
1 lereupon Jevan ap Robert ap Meredith commanded one of his
men to ftrike oft" their heads, which the fellow doeing faintely,
the oftender told him, that if he had his necke under his Iword,
he would make his fvvord take better edge than he did : foe refo-
lutc were they in thofe days, and in contempt of death ; where-
\ipon Jevan ap Robert in a rage ftepping to them, ftrucke off" their
heads.

David Ivlwyd ap Gruffith Vychan, grandchild to Jevan ap
Robert ap Meredith, in his youth waited upon Hugh, fonne to
Mr. Robert ap Rys at Cambridge, eledled Abbot of Conway by
his father's procurement m his minoritie. He being at Plas
Jolyii% at the houfe of Mr. Robert ap Rys, an old woman that
dwelt there in Rys ap Meredith's time, fold him that fhe had feene
his grandfather Jevan ap Robert at that houfe, both in goeing
and comeing from his voyage into Chirkeland, and that he was
the tallefl and goodlieft man that ever fhe had fecne : for, fitting
at the fire, upon the fpur % the hinder parte of his head was to

be

^ Mowddwy is by that flatutc of Henry the Eighth now annexed to
Mcrioncthfliire, whereas it was before part of Montgomcryfliirc.

= Plas Jol\ n is in Denbighlhirc, not far from Gelar and Voclas : it
now belongs to 'Mr. Myddelton of Chirk Caftlc.

"^ Spur (or, as it fliould fecm to have been pronounced by the author,
Spere) means that feat near a kitchen or hall fire, which gene-
rally goes by the name of a Settle. It i.- not very obvious however
whence fuch a feat ihould have obtained the name of Spur or Spere. I find
the following paflagc in the Saxon Chronicle, which fliews the word Spur
to he originally a term in that language " namen |-a )-et; por-fpiipe :"
which Bilhop Gibfon renders feabellum. See the Chron. A. D. 1070.

^ i:li

[ 409 ]

be Tecne over the fpur, which (he never faw to any other mnn.
She alloe LikI that in his returne from Chlrkehuid flic law Lcwry,
daughter of Howell, Rysap Meredith's wife, his kin (Woman wafli
his eyes with whlte-wlne, being bloudlhot by long watchlnp, '.

Jevan ap Robert in his returne from Chiikeland, riding home
to his houfe by Gallt y Morfa-hlr by moonfliine (the tide in
Tracth mawr ^ glvclng him noe fooncr palT.ige) talking with lils
men careleily, and out of danger, as he Imagined, fuddcnly
lighted an arrow (hot amongft them from the hill fide, which
was then full of wood. On this they made a ftand, and (liot
wholly all feven tow'ards the place from whence the other arrow
came, with one of which arrowes of thelres fliot foe at randome
they killed him that fliot at them, being the third brother of the
murtherers ; God revenged that wicked murther by the death of
every one of the three bretheren. Howell ap Rys ap Howell
Vaughan, and efpecially his wife, boyling lii revenge, drew another
draught againll: Jevan ap Robert, In this manner. Jevan ap Robert's
mother was of the houfe of Kefnmelgoed, In the countle of Car-
digan, whofe mother was filler to Rytherch ap Jevan J dwvd,
then and yet the greateft family in that countle. It hath before
been mentioned to have been cuflomary in Chlrkelandc and other

It appears from the context to have been the (tool on which an iningc
of Christ was rcpvcrcntcd to phice his foot on, If therefore ti.c woiti
fpupe had been ulcd inftead of jroC-j-pujie, it would fignify a ilat or
bench.

^ It appciirs before that that Jevan had been obliged to watch fov fomc
rime in Chirkland, Ikcplng in the day, and watching in the nii^ht, for
the murtherers, ^cc. P.

' Tracth mawr fignifies th^ grcifrr tra6t of fand, to diftingulfh it froni
the Icfs, which is the road from Peninorva in C 'arnurvonlhiie to Harlech
in Merionethiliire. Thefe fands are not commonly palfibie till the ti^ie
hatli ebbed nearly three hours.

[.!

i' '■■'"■

^l

^^M

m

GgS

j^arts

[ 410 ]

parts of Wales, for the L'aivrtidih b to rcfort to the mofl power-
full of tiic gentry, where they were kept very cholllly. llowcll
rp Rys iinderftaiuliiig- tliat Jevan np Robert ;uul his people hail
occafioa to goe to Carnarvon to the alhfes, thought it lit time by
force to enter on his houfe ; and to apprehend all thofe, and to
bring them to Carnarvon to be hanged ; for there was none of
tliem but was outlawed of niurthcr. To this end, to llrengthen
himfLlfe In this purpofe, he ient for his trulllcft friends about
him, anil ;.moi"g the reft procured David ap Jenkin his cokii
german, then a fimous outlaw in the rockc of Carrcg yWalch'',
with his crew and followers to aflill: him, and fr.ddenb,' came in
a morning to the hall of Jcvan ap Robert's houfe, where tluy
were in out-houfes about, and Itowed in upper chanibers in tlie
lower end of the hall, r.iul none to be fecne. Thefe people of
Jevan np Robert's that wire in the hall rr.yfed a crie, and
betooke tb.cmfelves to their weapons; whereupon the outla\\es
awaked, aiid betooke themfelves to their weapons, and bclVn-rcd
thcmfclves handlomely. It hap|xncil the fame time that Jevaii
up Robert's wife flood at the fire iide, lookeing on her mayd
Ijoyling of worte to make metheglyi, which feething worte was
beflowcd liberally among the allai'ints, and did helpe the defen-
dants to thrufl backe them that were entered, and afterwards to
defend the houfe. The houfe was aOalted ^vith all f )ree, and
pierced in dlverfe places, and was well defended by thole that
were within ; for having made dlverle breaches, tliey duiil: not
enter, a few refolutc men being able to make a breach good againll:

i

c The fignhleation of the word IlazvyucLl hath before l;ccn c::pl;ii:ied
by the author, and to inipoit a red or hlooclj band, or the murderer who
hail given the bhjw.

'' There i", a reel; on the road from Shrewfljury to Ofwcdrv, v.hieh iv
to this day called K)'vc<Jlons C'.ve, from its havinr; b^ea a receptacle to
foatc robbers of that naiae.

manv*

[ 4.. 3

m.iiiy. Upon thl.; the eric of tlie countrlo il'ul rife, and JlV.iu
ap Robert's tcnaMt.^ and iVlcnd; alicniblal In j^rontc nvmibcrs,
{whcrcoF Kobin ap Inko was capta'uu), who tout'jit with the
bcficsTors, and in the ciul with their arrows ditl drivo the beiiercrs
from the one fide of the lioufe, who continually alliailtedthe other
fide. After they had continued all that day and all that ni;',ht in
that niaiuier, the next morning, feeing they could prcvaile little
to enter the houfe, they came to a parley with Kobin ap Inko,
who advlfed them to be gone in time : " Kor," laid lie, as foon as
" the water of Traeth mawr will give leave, Jcvan Krach, my
" mailer's kinfman, will be here with Artlydwy men, and then
" you ihall be all llaine." (This Je\ an Krach was a man of
greate account in thole dayts, in Ardydwy', and dv. Lit at Kelli
lydan, in the parKh of Alaentwrog.) Whereupon they gave
over their enterprife, and returned to J^ion y ioA, to Howell ap
Rys ap Howell Vaughan his houfc, where Ua\id ap Jenkin ad-
vifcd his cofen ILnvell ap Ryr, to take Jcvan ap Robert for his
brother-in-law, neighbour, and friend : " l'\)r," laid he, " 1 will
" not be one with you to afiault his houfe when he Is at home,
" feeing I find fuch hot rcfiftance in his nbllnce."

Dayly bickerings, too long to be written, pafled betwcene foe
neare and hateful neighbours. In the end the plague, which
commonly followeth warre and dcfolation, after the Earle ot
Pembroke's expedition, tcoke away Jevan ap Robert, at his houfe
in Kcfelgvfarch, in theflowere of his age, being thirty-one years
of apc ; whofe death ended the flrife of thole houfes ; for his
three ekleft formes were filler's fonncs toHowcU ap Rys ap Howell
\'au!?-han.

' Ardydwy Is a diflrid in the north-weflcrn part of Mcrionethflilre.
JJan-.vroi^ is alio a paiiih of the fame county, not lar (.lilf-.nt from .Ar-
dyd'.vy; it adjoins to Idanvvrothen, the parfon of which the author hath
before had ocealion to mention.

Gg

g 2

Eiunitic

"f

f

ii3.!

0^

\M-

1 >i

fl!

1

li.'

Etmiiilc dill continue l)(.t\\cciic Howell ;ip Rys r,p IIo\'. Jl
Vaiighan, nnil the lonncs of John ap Meredith. Alter the death
of ft van ap Roheit, CirulMth ap John ap (ifunw, (ei)/cn gcrniau
to John ap Meredith's lonnes of (Jwynfryn,) who had lo.-ig lervcd
in France and had charge there, comeing liome to live in the
countr^y, it hajipened t!i:it a ferv.int of iii:i comting to fifli in
Stytnllyn '', hio iilh was takm away, and the fellow hcaten hv
Howell ap R^'s hla fervants, and by his comnKindnunt. (hulfith
ap John ap Gronw tooke the matter in i'uch dudgeon, that he
cliallenged Howell ap Rysto the field ; which lu' refuting, andaf-
fcnihling his collns John ap Meredith's fonnes and his friends
tosiether, alVaulted Howell in his ownc houfe, afier the manner
he had lecne In the French warrcs, and confunied v.itli lire his
harnes and his out-houles. Whilli he was atterwards aliaulting
the -hall, which Howell aj^ Rys and many other people kept,
being a very ftrong lioufc, he was Ihot out of a crevile of the
lioul'e, through the light (;t liis beaver, into the head, and flavne
out-right, beiiig otherwife armed at all points. Notwithlland-
ing his death, the atliuilt of the houfe was continued with great-
vehemence, the doores fired with great burthens of Araw ; lic-
fides this, the fmoake of the out-houfcs and harnes not farre dif-
tant, annc^yed greatly the defendants, foe that moft of tlicm lay
luider boordes and benches upon the floore in the hall, the better
to n\'oyd the itiioake. During this fcene of confufion, onely the
e'lvl man Howell ap Rys never ftooped, but Hood \aliantly in the
mitldeil of the flcKMV, armed with a ^/^cY' ' in his hand, and called
uiito them, and bid them " arifc like men, for fliamc, for he

'■^ St\ mlbn is on the Carnarvonfliire conft, not fir from Crckictli.
There is a iirc't\- hirgc pool of water near the fca, where there arc feme
good troui)^, and in uhieh rhis fifliing probably li;ippencd.

' GlcTC fij^nifies a Iword, from the French Glaive.

" had

»ni

((

((

[ 413 ]

had knowtic there as grcatc a Imcnkc In th,\t liall upon aCIuifl:-

11

las cvcii." In the ciul, li.cln|'; the IiduIc coiikl noj longer de-
tlnd them, being overhwed with a muhltudo, upon parley he-
twcene them, Howell np Rys was content to yeald himfelfc pri-
(()ner to Morris ap John aji Meredith, John ap Meredith's eldefl:
r^nne, foe as he woidd Tweare unto him to bring him fafc to
Carnarvon calUe, to abide the triall of the law, for the death of
CirrulV' ap John apGronw, who was cofen gcrmnn removed, to
the faid llowell ap Rys and of the very fame houfe he was of.
Which Morris ap John ap Meredith undertakeinp;, did j)ut a guard
about the laid IIowcU of his trufllefl friends and fervants, who
kept and defended him from the rage of the kindred, and cfpc-
clally of Owen ap John np Meredith his brother, who was very

cacer anam

ai

um.

r\

lev ixi

{\ld I

iv lei

fure tl

icnce,

//■/{■

c a Ciitui

to Cu'narvon ; the whole couiitrle being aflembled, liowels
friends ported a horfe-backe from one place or other by the wa

)(-d that h

lio brougnt wocci tnat lie was come tlutlier late, tor they were
in great fear left he fliould be murthered, and that Morris ap
Jolui ai> Meredith could not be able to defend him, neither durlt
any of Howell's friends be tlicre for feare of the kindred. In the
end, being delivered by Morris ap John ap Meredith to the con-
fhib'.e of Carnarvon-cafllc, and there kept fafcly in ward untlU
tile aliT.s ; it fell out by law, that the burning of Howell's houfes
and -ilVavdting him in his owne houfe, was a more haynous ofl^ence
in M>)riis ap h)Iin nji MereJ.lth and the reft, than tlic death of
(,.i;ii]' ap jolm ap Cironw in Howell ap Rys, who did it in his
c'..:'.,- defence ; v.h>-reupon Morris ap John ap Meredith, with
th. iv n\ -• uKM-c, were indicted of felonie, as appcareth by the
(•')!-le o I.''. i:uiK'^mciit, which 1 liad irom the records.

-1

■' i. c. L k.- aa army, '.vir;:h nv.ikcs regular encampments during- their

Ho'Aell,

1.

^.i^i

ti

[ 41-1- ]

I

I Ml <lll >

Kl'

ij!!f'?1

II.rA'cll, ilellvcrcJ out o'prllo'i, never ilurri: conic? to hi;' or/nr
lioiilb in Iv, loiieth, [)Ut came to Pcnniacluio % to his motlicr's
kindred, Rys Cret'iiu's lonius, and tl^Tc diLi.!. It is a.j^ote worthy
obiervation that the houfe hv littL- and little decayed c\er iinc-,
ixither luilh aiiv or' his poileiiLy i)eene iHuai-d in liia owiie lepul-
ihr.-', b.iii;;- tour d.. Icciits bJ'dcs hinilelte.

Rvs a;> lIo\SLil an Uvs lii. tonne, coll n rernian to my preato
graruhatiur MeiLdirli ap Je\au ap Koh^rt, inaried to his ihfl; wife,
an iiih'.rLtiix oi" the Trvor.^ by wlunv.c !ie had rreate polit'ilions
in ibjxilind ". He afterwards, by the procure inent of nn- great-
sTandfathi r, maried Alaryarct, daui'liter to lIuL'h CiMuwy the
cider, Reinalt ap Meiricke's widdow, his next neighbour in
Gy>edir, and v..;s overfecr vi' his woi-kes wdicn he built Ciwedir-
houle, as Willia.ni David ap lllllis Eytyn his ciieu, v.'ho li\ed
with him in thote d-ives, tokl me. He \%'as burled on tlie ri'ht
fide in the chancel In Llanrwil ; and was taken up at the bury-
ing of Cadwalader ap Robert Wynne of Ha\od v maidd'', as
my uncle Owen Wynne guell'ed by the greatncls of the fame.

'i'hiOmas ap Rys ap Howell lold all ins mother's lands and //'iv-
/"//j in Ilopelland, and a great part of his owne, and was buried in
Hopeldale.

Cadwalader ap Idiomas, his ion and heire, lying at Chellcr,
died there.

l'2Uis ap Cadwalader, (wlio had mariid my colen gc rman, my
uncle Owen Wynne's daughter), my kind colen and fiiviul, a
man endued witii many good parts, being ficke of iin impollume,

iih'i

" TVnmachno is a ilnall village in Carnarvonfliirc, on the road hot .vecn
Idanruil anvl Feiliniug.

^' Hopcil.md is a [)art ol' rTintlliirc, fituated in the hundred of Rhew.

P Havod v MLildd is a farm in Dcnbighlhire, nut l\\y iroin Cacrydr; idion,
it fignlfics the ifZ't'j' faiaiL.

went

[ 415 ]

went to one Dr. Davlcs ncarc ]'>rcc':nock, nnd thcvc dictl. Tlils
man's name I am bound to make an lionourauk- mention ol", lor
divcric kindncllcs lie ilicwcd unto mc, and ejjicciallv' Tor the wile
advice and counlcll he was \\()nt to cive me. Anions many,
one eiju'clally is by me and my jH:)fK rity to be remembred, which
1 doc thlnke worthy to be recorded in %vrit; ing. Unkinthicls and
Aariance bcfaHlng I etweene n.i_\iLlte and mv up.cK O^ven W'viuie,
bein'i neighbours, lor wave.; croiie vav froi

io;- the carrviM"- ol

I

]is ha\' Irom

thcK

ing s meadow m 1 lelriw to his liouie wt C

t)

v:v-

nudwr, I grew to a great heat, and laid that he lIiouKl not p.ill

tliat wav wiiluivt the kiiie ol men

nvi

\V\

icreupon.

he I

J'
)Cino-

prclent, and wiih.ing well unto us both, reprowd mc lharp;;h

Vvilliins?- mc to follow thccouile of mv ancell

or?, Vvho v>ith wil

dome, unanimitv, an

-It.

;[Kr;>p.cc, li-'.)m tinie to tun

ad ra.ikt

1

tneir Icrtuiic;

all

ureing n\e his an;. Jiors might be an ex.minlj

unto m;
if]

of tl

u' coiitrai-x', who vv"itli heaumcls and ra

ihnA

S Ulfl d!'

nuniiJi and uiinauT

coiuilel of 1

us

r

tO(

tl

KU'C C

llatc

s ji-om time to time. V

V nicn

>k

IRC tie

PC

rootv

n r.ie eVer alter, ai

U!

tt) my

great good, 1 bridled riiy choller, wlierciinio I was mnch i

un-

icc

fl.

Owen Ellis, tb.e fonne of Fdlis Cadvv-alader, died bv a fdl from

his 1
tl

lorie

roun"' home t^'om

Crik

.ith lii the niji'it

lere a

11 tl

gnr, navemgheem.

le ilav drinicuu

Ellis Ellis, his fonne, kl! niad, and continued 1

e'-c a lonjT time,

an

d at

kivitli

/// lb.!/ cjlc ■ (.lied

Owen I'dl's, nis j'oiuu

a young !-i\an, newlv markd.

roinu" horn

LI

liU

Here

n tUe nil'
his v.'if: ii

It 1

ietu\e!ic

liii\ curr

>anhoren and Vacr
by her one dai

on

III

Iter.

aii>

' ' . ''.

mmmi

1 1 ins is :i iiii;

ir ractliod oi exiireriir.

Ifunfe

rcnueat I

lur

is the vN Wkllern pcniiifuki of Carnarvonliuvi

t'ie autlun-

-'.aWKl;

:|-

i '

[ 4r6 ]

IcAveing her grcato with child, (wliicli after proved to he a fonne),
bv a fall from his liorle, upon the way, died.

Thefe three were buried in their ownc fepulclires in the cluirch
of St. Katherine's in Crikeith, after this booke was by t'ne author
w ritten.

It niay be a queftiiin here, and a doubt to tlie reader, wherefore
the huid of Robin V;ui<:!;han ap David ap Howell lh('ukl ikfand to
Jcvan ap Robert ap AIe)\ lith, his colin and next heire, he
liiU'cing' a daupjiter and iieire of his ownc hotly lawfully legot-
ten ? To anlwcre this (|Ucftion, vou are to underOand that Ilcnry
J.aeie, Earle of Lyincolne, upon the conqucil: of Wak::, havxinj^
received of Edward the Firil jiis gift tlie countries of Ros and
Rovoniog, now Denbigh land, and planteil th.e fame with di-
vcrfe Englinnnen, who heki tlicir lands, as well as tluir poile-
ritie, by the iLngliih tenure ; the w'.\ of the WcHhnien, loaded
with many bail cutlomcs, held their lands in the WcKh tenure.
One condition tin ivof was, that the inheritance ihould not de-
I'cend to daughters, but fhould goc to the heirc male of the houfe,
if there were any luch within tbr/r ' degrees to the dead man, and
if n(-it, that it fhould efcheatc to the T/mxI of the foyle ; yet in re-
fpeOft of the pofhbilitie of ilfue male, which the owner of the
land might b. ve while he was alive, the cuilnme of the countrie
did permit him to niortgage the land to i'erve his need, without
the Lord's leave. You lee hereby that Robin Vaughan did what
he could, according to the cuftome of the countrie, towards the
preferment of his daughter, and the reafon whv Jevan ap
Meredith his next kiniman and heire, had the lands. Whicli
proveth alfix that Robert ap Meredith was cklell: I rother to yeva!\
np Alercdith, John a-p Meredith's grand father, which his

'/..-

rec, perhaps.

w

hich

1'1

[ 417 ]

poftcritlc greatly gaiiiial-J. ' ; for it Jcvan np Meredith luul been
elder brother, then John ap Meredith (luniUl have inherited this
Icind, and not Jcvan ap Ivobert his father'^; ct)lcn.

Moxtlitli, liinnc to Jevan ap Robert his eldefl lonne, in t!ic

time ol his t'ather, was taken to nurl'e by an lionell tVceholder in

the hundred ol' Vleoruni. Iil'urv;\l ", \\\iO \v;is owner of t!ic

Creigiaw in J.,lanvaire, and the beil man in the parilh, and ha\e-

ing noe children of his owne, gaw his inheritance to his follcr-

chilih C'rcli'e llandeth' lomc fixtetn miles from Kefelt>;\farcii,

vvher'. b>" it may appeare how delirousmen were in thi)fc daves to

have a [tatron that could defend them liom wrong, though tlu'7

fouirht him never luc far ol!'. Creisie llandeth betweene Carnar-

\ on and l^angor, two miles off from Carnarvon. In thofe davs

Carnarvon fiourilhed as well by trade of merchandife as alfoe for

that the Ring's exchecpier, chauncery, and common law courts

for all North Wales were there continually rcfiding, whilft the

way to London and the marclKS was little frequented. By this,

civility and learifnig flouriHucl in that towne, loc as they were

calletl, ihc hvivxcrs cf Cdiiuirvon, the mere hands of Beazvmares^

and the ^cnih'inen cf Ccn\vay. I heard divcrfe of judgement, and

learned in the lawes, to report that tlie records of the King's

Courtes, kept in Carnarvon in thofe dayes, were as orderly and

formally kept as thofc in Welf minify r. Thither did his foilrer

father lend my greate grandfither to I'chool, where he learned the

Englilh tongue, to read, to write, and to underftand Latine, a

matter of great moment in thole dayes. For his other brethreii

lofmg their father young, and nurfed In Evioneth, ncare their

father's hoi:!e, wanteil all this; ^<)c as to tiie honeil man, his

ifiK

' This is n rvp^ririon of what huth bccimiciuioned before.
" \\\ Caiiiarvunllfive.

II hh

toder

tl

u.

^1

i:t.

m

8 (ill

If!

IJ'

[ 4.S ]

fof!er and ilconcl father, (for he gave Iiini \\Ith lirecding alfoe !i',t-
inheritance) may be attributed liis good fortune ((jod's provi--
dencc always excepted) which fometymcs worketh by fecondnrv
jncancs, whereof this man was the inftrument. Havcing liveu''
there till the age of twenty yearcs, or thereabouts, his fofter- father
being dead, he^ fell in liking with a young woman in that towno,
who was daughter-in-law to one Spiccr, the reputed daughter of
WilHam Grutfith ap Robin, fheritie of the county c-f Carnarvon.
This Spicer was a landed man of /\ 50.. per annum, which de-
fccnued to liini from ins ancefiors, yet Inid an olRcc in the Ex-
chequer % and dealt with trade of merchandifj ahijc, that lie he-
Game a great and wealthy man. Mis fonnc, John Spicer, was a-
iuftice of tlic peace in the tirft: commililoni after t!u* new ordi-
nance of Wales, and was lirother by the mother to- A lice William,
the wife of Meredith ap Jevari ap Robert. I'hcir mother is faid to.
be of the Bangors, whom I h.ave knowne often to have claymed
kindred of me by that woman. At Crleg he began the worlde
wltli his wife, and begatc there by her two daughteis, Jonett,.
thefirlf, marled to Edmund Griffith, and afterwards to Sir John
Pulerton ; and another called Catherine, marled to Rowland-
Gruffith of Plas Newydd ^ After this, fmding he was likely
to have more children, and that the place would prove narrow
and ilralght for him, lie was minded to- have returncti to his in-
heritance in Evloneth, where there was notjiing but killing and
figliting. whereupon he did purchafe a Icaic of the cafllc and

*,Tlic authornicrns the Exchequer for the Principality, then kept at
Carnarvon.

>' Phis New. cid fignifics //'o' vcio I^lniifcH or Ccntlrmnn^s hrAifc ; tl.o
n^.me is therefoic very eoinir.ou in WVilca, cux! it is diiticultto d-.terniiiie
what IMas Ncwydd rjie author al!;:des to. It ihould fecni that our modern
cvprelfion of a Gent!:niani PLicc h t.ik^n fruui this W':l(htcrni.

frithci

[ 4'9 1

frithor, ' of DoUvyddclan, of" the executors of Sir Ralph Berkuinet.
1 find in thi- records of the Exchequer of Carnarvon, the tranfcrlpt
of an a£l of rcfumption enrowled, made in the third yearc of
king Henry the Seventh, hy which aO: all king Richard's gilts
are refunied, excepting one leafe of the frith of Dohvyddrlan,
granted to Sir Ralph iVarkinnet of the countie of Chefter, knight,
Chambcrlalne of North Wales. Haveing purchafed this leale, he
n moved his dut lling to the cafrle of Duhvyddclan, which at that
time \\ MS in ]iart thereof habitable, where one Howel ap Jcvan ap
Rvs(ieti;in, in the beglniiing of Edward the h^ouith lii.s ralgnc,
cajitaine of the countrcy and an outhnv, iiad dwelt. A gal lift this
man David an Tonkin role, and contended with him for the fov-
raigtiety of the countrcy; and being fnperiovn' to him, in the
tnil he drew a draught for him, and took him in hi? bed at
Penannicn with his concubine, perforniing by craft, what lie
rould not by force, and I rought him to Conway caAle. Thus,
after many bickerii;gs betweene Howell and Davitl ap Jenkin,
he being too weake, was faigne to fiie the countrey, and to goc to
Irehind, where he was a yeare or thereabouts. In the end he
returned in the fummcr time, haveing himielfe, and all his fol-
lowers clad in grcene', who, being come into the countixy, he
dilperfcd here ;ind there among his triends, lurking by dav, and
vs'a;kein!.\" in the niL^.ht for feare oi his adverlaries ; and lucli of the

'■ Frith is a very common tcrni in Wales, and llgnifics gcncTallv a
fmall ilJ.d takcf. our of a eomnion. There is a market: Ioad in Dcrlu'-
Ihirc c.'.llcd C'/.>.'/),7 i/j //;.' }■) i,'/:i, \vl-;ch is ihuarcil in ;i v.ilU-y an-ion(^lt fuch
inJofu'.-iS. Tlic term u{ fnti: is oii;,;in.il!y Saxon, henei.' t:ci;j'j jnb lig-
ii-'flis a U)ri''l widi its bouni'''. ( hron S;!\'. A. T). io86.

■• 'I'lie rrailiilon is wcl! known, tliai; Kobin [-loocl, and the fiuflawei
his iollowcrs, were cla:i iii the la'Me livery. As thev i2;eLir!allv lived in
feavllp, perhaps it mighl: be cui':eeivc(l that they uerc lets (liUinL';uil]ial/lc
\\ hen dreUed in t.hit; eoiuiir.

H h ii 2 counticv

it

!

[ 4-'o ]

Goiintrc-y as hnjiixncd to liavc a iight of him and his followers,
faid they were the fciulcs, and fbc ran away. All the whole
coLintrcy then w;!s hut aforcjl:, rough and fpacious, as it is ilili,
hut then wafle of inhahltanfs, aiul all overgrowne with v\ oods ;
for Oweii Glyndvvr's warrcs hcgiiining in 1400, continued fifteen
yeares, which hrought luch a ddolation that greene gralie grew
on the market place in Llanrwfl, called Iiryn y hotten, and the
deere fled into the church-yard, as it is reported. This defolatiou
arofc from Owen (ilyndwr's policic, to hring all things to walle,
that the Englidi fhould find no ftrcngth, nor relllng place. The
countrcy being brought to fuch a delolation, could not be re-
planted in hafte ; and tlic warres of York and Lancafter happen-
ii^.g foine iifLccn yeares after, this cotintrey being the cbitfefl
firlinefs of North Wales, was kept by David ap Jenkin, a caplaine.
of the Lancaflrian facfion, fifteen yeares in Edward tin. Fourth
his time, who fent diverfe captaincs to beliege him, \\\\o walled
tlie co\iiiti(.y while he kept his rocke of Carreg y Wakli ; and,
lafilv, by the Earlelierbert, who broutilit it to utti-r ueiolatioiu
Now vou are to underhand, tliat in thole davc?;, the cor.:iti\y of
Nraitconway was not onely wooded, but ahoe all C;'.rnaivon,
I\kr;onctl;, a;ul Denbigh Ihircs kerned to be but tr.ie forreil
]::-:\-e:'i2,' '.Iw inhabitants, tbou^Ii of ail otlurs Naritconway had
fi.e fe\^'eil', bv.in;; the worll: then, and the leat uf tbc warres, to
\'. bom t;i. counirey about j^aid contrllr.u'i'in. iM^orn tbc townc oi
C: :jv,\.y to jjala, and from >Ta;itcoir.vay to Denliigh '', (whui
v.aiT.': did happen to ceafe in Ilu'wetliog, t!;e countrcv adjoinii.'g
\.j Is.'.KtLonway), there was continually foflcrcd a wai'p's neli,
V. j.ieii troubl'.d tlie whole countrcy, I mean a lordflfip belonging

^ .Ml r];"/; I aft of ccninlrv is mour.i-ainous, rhoucli no': vcrv rock\' ;
ir ■::! !V tlu i\ lore have b^'cn iormcrlv eovcrcd uith wood, aeeordiii^'j to
;!,'.. ;.i:tu-int, ihuu^h iheic is at picfeac I'lUle er none to be ken.

7 to

\ .Y

[ 4.:r ]

to St. T

olins of

fern fa k

cm, c.i.lkci Spytty Jcvan, a

1.

tl-.

in<r.

whieli had ]M-i\ !!',._r;o oflaii'ilu.uy. '^rh'i,-^ p culiar iurik'ict'nin, not
goviriiLcl In tiic kiiiu,'s lawcs, became a ixceptacic of ililcvcs and

niurtlK;ivi\s who 1

ifcly hi.

ma' war ran

ted t'

h.-rc 1)'/

L

made the

phicie tho;-ou<;'nly pcopkd. Noc fp-ut within twenty nfdcs was
lalv. ti'om their incmiions and rohcrics, and wliat t'ley rot witlfui
their iimits was tlieir owne. They had to their hackllay friends

d

and receptors m all the county ot ivkriuneth and Powisknu
Thefj helpinj2,' the former doli)kui(;ns of Nantconway, and pnv-
in<;n|ion thrit couutrey, as tlieir next neighbours, kept moil part

of tl

lat coui

itrcy all wafte and without inh.ibitants. In

lilU

c it ate

Hood the hundred of Nantcijnway, when Meredith remoycd his

dwell

inn- thithe

beuu

(as I

•iUeiie

)ab

out tl

lour

d t

\yentietii

A'earc ot hi.-

and in the bceimfui"' of k

nur

k

nry the bt\

itk

his time. Ij.inn- quelfioncd by his friends, whv

4
leave his ancient houl

way

man

e au'.

h1

I habitat

ion, ai
1,

meant to

id to dwell in Nantcon-

i warming with thieves ana i)ondm-.n

•!..-,

CO

f tl

icro are

aniwcrec

y in the kinp,e's lorJlhij-) and tov/nes in th.at huiidred ; Ik
i', '• tluit he flioukl iind clbowe roomc iii t'lat vail coun-

trev anion p' t!i(

be

ondmen,

uul

that ho had ratlier tia-ht w;

('

:)U

rk

nc

.1 tl

lU

'CS,

tn.ui witn his owne h

ior 1

fl

lel-

o^vne Kimm

lood and kiivdred ;
vioiietlr, I iiiuil either kill mine
a or be killed by tlvem." Wherein ho iaid very

;vc m mine houie in

l:

■ ,■■;>),

M^

hi ■

' I'owij-land formerly incluucd a firpc diilrici of eountrr, chielk'
iMontgonierxflfirc. The Iui^:/!i of this part of Nortli Wales arc lliid to
have been buried at jM\ tord lii that coaniy, u'lfich is ikuated on tiic river
Vurnwv.

'' N;u-.lco;vw;-.v ugnifics the vallc\' fituated on '.he Conwav.

*^ I'^viu.iclh i^ a lu!;v.!ved in ^he ;-. W'ekeni part of C 'rn uvorr,'J".!.rc : it
is l\ipjio;ed ro have obtained this na.iue froin. its l)cing v/atered I)',' a "rcat
nuiiilier oi hn..;!i riveis. Th.' lame el\ luoU^'^' i; '-iveii b\ l/Jand to ihe
piovhvoc ot Acp.Litaiiic :u krance.

t:

■'O

'••'.''>

[ 422 ]

1 • J

y'

t

truly, as the people were fucli in thofe tlayes there; for fohii
Owen ap fohii np Meredith, in Ills father's time, killed Howell
apjNTadoc ^ aughaii of Bcrkin, for noc other quarrell, hut for the
niafKrv oi the coiintrey, aiul for the firfi: good-morrow ; in which
trngedie M^ rotlith had likely heeiie an ador, if he had lived there,
for the reaUMir. aforciiiid. lie and his eolrn the heirc of 15ron y
foci, were huth outof thr countrey, Morys ap John npMereditli
ami Ovven ajt Jolin ap Meredith were alfo ^rowne old men, 1oi»
as there wjs none in tlic eountrev, that ilurfl: ftrivc witli John
Owen ap John ap .Mereditli, hut Howell ap Madoc N'aui^han of

>]o

Mkin

whieh

eoll

lu:ii hh; hie.

Howell ap M.idoi^' X'aviphan his i'raiul mother, was Tevan au
Ro'.ert ap ^ileiedith his fiiler, i'oe lie was c'ofen Sherman's lonne to
Meredith. John Owen that killed him was eofen qcrmati to mv
grandmother, heinp the daiigh.ter of Monls aji John ap Meredith.
In rcfpctt of the feudc of my I'^randhither he could not ahide nnv
(kicended of Owen ap John aj-> Meredith, neither coukl Ihe ahidc
any of his kiiulrcd ci Ik-rkin. 1 write it hnt to fhew the manifold
divifions in tliofe days among foe pri\ate friends.

Howell ap Madog V^aiighan haveing nuyfr valiantly fought out
with his people, received his deadly wound in the head. Iking
downe, his mother being j^relent, clapjied iar hand on his heiui,
meaning to ward t!ie llroke, and had halfe her hand .i.'ui three
of her fuiger,^ cut oil" at the hlvvv.;.

David Jdwyd Cuulfitli X'yehan, my uncle, toki me, that his
father dwelhni)' at ("uniftrallvn in E\ioMitli, heairiiie. of the ;ii7ra\ .
Init not of his colen'.^ death, (for Howell ap IVkalog \'\chai-! our-
Ji'.'ed the fr:iy certaiiu- d lye •), 1, i:r him, heint)^ a cliild, to f.-e how
Lis cokn ilid ; and he coming to jj-rkin found him k:\d in \ui

' JjLikiii (or Al erkin) i:. :iui:Ued ia the n.ivifa uf Lknultindwv,

l.'cd.

[ 423 ]

Otxl, ami his woiuicli'd men m grc;\t luunbci' lying in ^ cocbauc* .
a'oovc the degree near tlic liigh tabL", all in hivailih ot" his hall,
all goivil ami wallowliig In theire owneblooi!. lie lihLwile law
the gcntlenian's milch kine hrom^ht to the hall ilooif, ami th. if
milk carried hot from the kine, to the woundea nun, hy them to
b^; drmicke iox the rclToring of tlu'ir blood.

Howell Vangh:i!i, upon his d. ith-bed. did fay, " that th'M
*' qu.nrell (hould never be ended while his niotli.r lived ; and
•' looked upon her hand." Which way true iiuli\d; for ihj jur-
lecuted eigerly all lur time, amf John Owen was kept in priii)a
fcven vears in Carnarvon caftlc, for ibc Ion"- (he inrvlvcd her
fonne, and his life was laved with much ado. After her death the
tcude war5 compoinulal for ''.

John Owen and his followers were exceedlnglv lore hurt in that
bickering; foe that returning to his father's houfe from tlu.'frav,
and his aged father fitting or walking before thedoore of his iioufe,
and feeing his Ion and his company all hacked, wounded, and
befmcared with their ownc blood, he laid unto them, l^rivo- yiv'r
clrcfn VDiii^ a 'wnacthoch chivl clch ^^weth ; which is as much as to
liiy, "• You are in an ilI-favo\n'ed pickle. Ilave you done nnthin<r
** worthy yourfelves :" " /','' l^'ld the fonne, " I learc m : v,c

!1

(1?

5 This rcrni feeius to be derived from an old frcneh wcm\1 coucbe>ic ; ii:
may therefore iignity a long boarded betl, placed v, itli a [proper Incliiia-
tion from the lide (^f the room, which was rlu con.nion lionnlLorv (j ' the
llrvants. A llaclf of board'; thus difpoled might anfver the purpolc of
what in Inij^laiui was formcrl)' calleii a p.ili.t, arid llantin;;; iliclves of
this fort are Ibmetlmes uled in b;;i racks lor the loldl/ts ro ikcp upon.
As for whai. is incnrioned ot" its bring , uore the ut_^, tv in, r the l;;^': i.it'/r.
It. is well known that the prineip:d taidr in an ancient hall is ahva) s r.iilld
a ilcp or f.\o, as it contiia.;(\- lo be in uiod eolkgcs.

'' Sueh eompc'lirions ui.ve eeuar.on in Wales before the Scuiu'cs of
Henrv the Midith.

' / is probaidy uiod here for i:;j, as k is throughout the folio eiliilons
t)f Sivaklpeare. 1*.

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[ 4^4 ]

" liavc J.')ii.? r(^() mucli." " Ir that bo loc," I'lid Owen .ipjolin.
Mcrcdit:!!, " 1 u\;o tni^ in()niln<i' the bell: m.iii in my countiw

Lil,

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jiict;

but iK)\v 1 know not \s ho "b

To i;:K!crlla!iil, that in Evioncth of oKI there wcri: tv.'o
ll'dts or kiiiurctl, tlic one lineally cklcciukd of Owen Ciu ynetlJ,
Prince of W'ak-;, conlillinp' then and now of four hoihes vi/.
Kefel'c!,\l*art!i, v ! .1\ :i vnsvJK fii v fann, now called YlVmakefiid,
Cknennv, and lh\'iikir, Glasfrin or Cwmrtrallyn ; t!ie oilier fect
dcfcended of Collwyn, whereof arc five houlcs or more ; vi/.
Whelog, ]>ron y foel, Berkin^ Gwnfryn, Talhcnbont, and the
lioulc of IIui',h Gwyn ap John Wynne ap Williams called Pen-
naidd, all dcfcended of their common ancellor, Jevan ap Einlon
nji (nulFith. Ills brother was Iknvell ap Ii^inion a]i (irudlth,
that worthy jientleman called Sir Howell vfwvall'% who be-
haved hlniielle Co worthyly at the field of Poitierri ', (where John
tlie Freiieh King was taken by the Blackc Prince), that he re-
C'.iwd of the Prince in gulft the couflablelhip of Criketh calUc,
and other great things in Xortli Wales, alloc the rent of Dee
iiiilles in. C'lieiler ; and, what was more, a mclle of meat to be
ler\ed before !iis battle-axe or partllan forever, In ]>jrpctual me-
mory of !;:> good fervice ■". This mefle of meat was afterwards
carried ilowne to be given to the poore, and had eight yeomen*
attendants found at the Kii'"'" charoe which were afterwanls
called yeo'ucn of the crownc ; who had Sd. a day, and lafled
till the bcginnirig of Queene Eli/.abctirs time. Sergeant Roberts
of Havod y bwch, nearc Wrexam, was, at his beginning, ycc-

1. c.

he axe.

' This cireumftanco hath been before mentioned by the author.
See p ,4 c,

■' Ou'- ninhor licrc repeats what hatli before been ftatetl, of i\hic!i
then- are foiiic other infiaaiccs v, hvn the matter was particularly i;>

tereiling.

man

[ 4^5 ]

man of the crownc. He maricd Sir William Gerard's lialfc-fiftet
by the motlKV, as did Robert Turbrldgo of Caervallen, ncarc Ru-
thyn, Elq. another : to whom he told, " that being yeoman of
" the crowne, he had heard it by tradition in the King's houfc,
*' that the beginning of their order was upon the occafion as is
" afore remembred." This did Robert Turbridgc relate unto nic,
upon the credittc of the other man. The countrcy people,
grounding upon the fonges, which fay, " that he bridled the
" French King," will have it, that he took the French King
prifoner : a matter unlikely, as the one fervcd on foot, and the
King on horfeback". But the foot captaine is a brafen wall of the
army, and may be faid truely to winne the field.

After

" Notwithftandlng the author's doubts with regard to this tradition, ic
fecnis fcarccly to admit of a cavil, as fuch an extraordinary and cxpcniivc
cltablifhment could not have been granted by the crown, but for moft
meritorious fervices. As for the impoliibillty relied upon, that a foldicr
on foot could not take the French King on horfeback, this cireumllance
is moft fully accounted for by a MS. given to the Lord Trealurer Oxford
by Mr. Hugh Thomas, and now dopofited in the BritiHi Muleum.
" Sir Howell ap Fywall, ap Gririith, ap Howell, ap Mere-
dith, ap Einion, ap Gvvgan, ap Meredith Goch, ap Cothwyn, :ip
Tangvo, cdWcdS'n J lozvcll y Fzvjidl/, ox S\x Hozvcll Pole Axe, frona his
conftant fighting with that warlike inftrument. — It is faid he dif-
mountcd the French King, cutting cff his horjl's head atone blow with
his battle axe, and took the French King prifoner ; as a trophy of
" vyhich viftory it is faid that he bore the arms of France, with a battle
« axe in bend finifter, argent." llarl. MSS. N" 2298. p. 3^8.-- the
reference in the printed catalogue to p. 21. of this number being inac-
curate.

The conqueror anciently had a right to quarter the arms of his prifoner.
This apjiears by a treatife on heraldry, printed by Wynken de Worde,
without date, in which there is the following iwUIige : " We have armys
" by cur meryts, as very playnly it appearoth by the adds'cvon of the
** arms of Fraunce to thole of En<^lunJe after the taking of K.John of
" Fraunce in the battaylc of Poy,rtiers, the which ccrtayn addition was
«< lawfull and ryght, and wyfelye uon:. And 011 tt ' fame m.,nner of

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After Mcreditli liad lived certninc yenres at DoUvyddelaii caille^
he builded the lioure in Peuanmcn, being tlie principal hefl ground
in Dolwyddelan, and alfo within certaine yeares after, he re-
moved the churcii of Dolwyd Iclan from a place called Brin y
bedd, to the place where now it is, being parte of the pofleillons
of the priory of Bethkelert. He alfo there new-built the i'ame as
it is now, one crofie chapell excepted, which my uncle Robert
Wynne built. It fhould feeme, by the glnlle window there, that
it was built in anno 1 5 1 2 ; but whe^'hcr it was in that yeare
glazed, (which miglit be done lo!ig after the building of the
chnrch), I am unccrtaine. The church, which is very llrongly
built, the caftlc, and his houfe of Penanmen ftaad throe fquarc.

■I'- ■'■■!

!^ii

*' wyce a poor archer might have taken a , prynco or noble lord,
" and fo the £rms of that priloncr he may put to him and his heyrs."
Book of St. Albans, by dame Jiilian Bcrncs.

The author kcms alfo to have forgotten fomc Welfli vcrfes which arc
infertcd in the margin of the MS. commemorating the grant of the mels
of meat to be ferved at Sir Howell's table, vvhilft tne battle axe fol-
lowed.

Segir fy feiger vvyall doeth honn garr bron y brenin '

Gwedyr macs gwaed ar y min ; i dyfaigaidcwifwr^j • '

Ai diod oedd waed a dwr.

Kowydd * 1 Jc>;'an ap Meredith O Cefelgyfarch

Howell ap Reignalt aicant,

" Place on the table my fewer, (bearing the axcwhleh came from the
*' prefenee of the king, with blood on its edge) the two diihes which I
♦* have chofen. The drink mull be blood and water.

" The poem in praife of Jcvan ap Meredith of Cefelg) farch, by Howell
«* ap Reinalt the Bard."

hi'

* Towydd (or diftlcli) was inferted in the margin by a different hand from that of
the copier: it is faid to be very incorreft, and coniequently not pcrfcd'y intelligible.
The above tranflation is i'uppofed to be nearly the knlc ot it.

f like

r : fi

[ 427 ]

like a trivctt, either a mile dlflant from each other. Queftloinng
with my uncle, what Ihould move liun to demolifti the old
church, which flood in athickctt, and build it in a plaine, ftronger
and greater than it was before : his anfwer was, he had reafon for
the fame, becaufe the countrey was wild, and he might b^ op-
preflcd by his enemies on t!ie fuddaine, in that woodie countrey ;
it therefore flood him in a policle to have divcrfe places of retreat.
Certaine It was, that he durfl notgoe to church on a Sunday from
his iioufeof Penanmen, but he muft leave the fame guarded with
men, and have the doorcs furc barred and boulted, and a watch-
man to fland at the Garrcg big, during divine fervice ; being a
rock whence he might fee both the church and tiie houfe, and
raife the crie, if the houfe was aflaulted. He durfl not, altliougli
he were guarded with twenty tall ° archers, make kiiowne when
he went to church or elfewhere, or ooe or come the fame way
through the woodes and narrowe ^)laces, lefl he fliould be layeJ
for : this was in the beginning of his time. To flrengthcn him-
lelfe hi the countrey, he provided out of all parts adjacent, the
tallefl and mofl able meii he could heare of. Of thefe he placed
colonies in the countrey, filling every empty tenement with a
tenant or two, whereof mofl was on the Kinge's lands. Many
of the pofleritie of thefe tenants remainc untill this day. One
William ap Robert of It'corum, being one of his followers, he
placed in a tenement of the townefhippe ofGwodir, called Pen-
craig Inko, now worth ^T. 30. per annum, who paid for the fame
onely a reliefe to the King or lord, which was ioj. 4^.

Such were the lawes in tiiofe days, and are flill, that if the
King's tenant holding in freehold, or freehoivW holding under

° Tail at this time often fignifits Jloutf and is ufed by Shakfpcare in
that fcnfe. W

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I 428 ]

any other Lord, did ceafe for two years to do his fcrvlce to the
King or Lord, the fald may re-enter. The wrltte is called Ce/fn'
lit per bicnn':um\ the cxaitlons were, in thofe dayes, foe mani-
fold, that not oncly the bondmen ranne away and forlboke the
Kingc's land, but alfoe fretlioldcrs their owne land.

Here to lay downe in particular ihe Welfli cuftomes would
make the volume too great.

Owen ap Hugh ap Jevan ap William, great grr;ndchlld to the
fald William, enjoyeth the land to this day ; though in my
grandfatlier's time it was in fute, by the contrivance of John ap
Madog ap Ilofticll, but It is now recovered by tlic meanes of my
grandfather. Elnlon ap Gruffith ap Jockes, a freeholder of Fef-
tinlog and Ll-^nvrothcn, he placed in the King's frith at Bryntirch,
of whom are defcciulcd many in Nantconway, Feftiniog, and
Llanvrothen. Howell ap Jevan ap Pellyn, a Denblgfhire man,
and a tall archer, of wliom are defcended the race of the Pellyns,
he placed in the tenement of Garth. He alfoe placed Gruffith ap
Tudor, a Denbighshire man, in Rhiw Goch ; as likewife Jevan
David ap Ednyfed, an Abergeley man, (who felled, in on'e day,
eighteen oakcs, towards the building of a parte of Penanmen-
houfc), in Bwlch y kymid. Laftly, he placed Robert ap Meredith
in Hcrthlos, whofe fonnc John ap Robert was dayry-man there,
luitlll the beginning of my time.

In Ddanhadog he found Rys ap Robert, a tall ftoutman, who
being originally (as they fay) a Vaynoll Bangor p man borne, and
a freeholder, killed a man there, forfook his land, and fled thither.
I\} tliarch and Richard ap Rys ap Robert were my father's fofters ;
and from the faid Richard ap Rys ap Robert is lineally defcended

r So cnllal from being near Bangor, to diHinguifla it from other places
bearing that name.

Humphrey

■•fii'

[ 429 ]

Humphrey Jones of Cravelcyn, Gentleman. DIverfe other tall
and able men dwelt in the countrey, which drew to him, as to
tlieir defender and captaine of the countrey, foe as witliin the fpace
of certain'? yeares, he was able to make feven fcorc tall bowmen
of his followers, arrayed, as I have credibly heard, in this man-
ner. Every one of them had a jacket or armolctt coate, a good
ftcele cappc, a Ihort fword and a dagger, together with his bow
and arrowes ; moft of them alfoe had horfes, and chafing flavesi,
which were to anfwere the eric upon all events.

Whereby he grew foe ftrong that he began to put back and to
curbc the fandluary of thieves and robbers', whi"h at times were
wont to be above a hundred, well horfed and well appointed.

It is to be noted likewife, that ccrtaine gentlemen and free-
holders dwelt in the countrey, but not many, who were' to au«
fwerc the eric, and to come alfo upon the like d'flreile.

I lU

The Tflue of Meredith apjEVAN ap Robert of Kefelgyfarch

Gwedir, com. Carn.

By his firfl wife Alice, fixth daughter of William Griffith ap Robin
of Cochwillan, he had,

I. William Wynne, who died without iflue,

II. John Wynne ap Meredith of Gwedir.

III. Rces Wynne.

IV. Rytherch.

1 Q^/?,r:'i'^, i. c. hunting fpcan. P.

' 'J his was bei'orc dcfcribcd to be Yfpytty Evan, which belonged to
the Knights Muipitalcrs, and is not far Irom Dohvydilohin, where this
chiettain reiidcd. Thefc knights had St. John tor their patron, ;.ihI
hence it is poffibly called Yfpytty Evan ; it is now a fmall village lituuted
on the Conway . Dr. Davis renders Ylpytty hofpitium,

V. Mar-

mi

U ', '

[ 430 ]

V. Margnrct, wife firftof Recs ap David op Guilllm of Aiiglc-
fey, then of Jevan apjobn ap Mcrt'dith of Bryiikir, aiul after him
of Robert ap Meredith of liroiiheulog.

VI. Jonct, wife firfl: of Edmund Gruffith, fon of Sir. William
Gruffitli the elder Knight, after him of Sir John Pulefton,
Knight.

VII. Catherine Lloyd, wife of Rowland GrufFitli of Plafe-
nwldd.

VIII. Catherine Gwinniow, wife of Lewis ap Jevan ap David
of Fcitiniog.

IX. Lowry, wife of Rythcrch ap David ap Mt-redith of
Bala.

X. Margaret, wife of Thomas Griffith Jenkin.

By his fecond wife Gvcnliovcr, daughter of Gruffith ap Howell
y Farf, relidof Robert Griffith of Porthaml,

XI. Elizabeth, wife of John ap Robert ap L'hi' of Penllech.

XII. Ekn.

By his third wife Margaret, daughter of Morris ap John ap Mere-
dith, he had,

XIII. Humphrey Meredith, of Kefelgyfarch.

XIV. Cadwalader of Wenallt, father of Thomas, father of
Cadwaladcr, father of John Vaughan, father of Cadwalader,
M. A.'

• This contr.idtlon is probably forl^lcwcHn.

• Degrees were at this time eonficiered as the higheft dignities, and it
may not be improper to obfervf, that a clcrgvman who hath not been
educated at the univerfitics, is ftill tliftinguilbed in ibnie parts of North
Wales, by the appellation of S/V _7oA//, Sir WUIiam, he. 1 Icncc the Sir
Hugh Fvans of Shakefpcare is not probably a Wclfli knighr, who hath
taken orders ; but only a Welfli clergyman, without any regular degree
from cither of the univerfitics,,

XV. Elen,

[

43'

]

XV. Elcn, wife of Edward Stanley Conftablc of Ilaiddlech.
XV'I. Jane, wife of CatUvaladcr ap Robert ap Recsof Rulas.
X\'I1. Agnes, wife of Rolicrt Sallllnny.

XVJlf. Alice, wife of Thomas ap Roes ap Benet of Bodcl-
v.i(idnr.

XIX. Gwcn, wife of Owen ap Relnnlt, of Glynllygwy.

XX. Margaret, wife of John Griffith of Kichlew.

XXI. Elliw, wife of John Nookes of Conway.

By Jonct, daughter of Jenkin Grulfith Vauglian, he had,

XXII. Mr. Robert, a Pricft.

XXIII. John Coetmor, father of William, father of Joiiii
Williams", goldfmith in London ; who had ili'ue Sir John Wil-
liams of the ifle ofThanet, Bart. Sir Edmund Williams, Bart. <:v:c.
From him alloc came Sir Morris Williams, Phyfician to tiie
Queenc.

XXIV. Catherine.

By a daughter of Jevaii ap JohnapHclliu of Pcnmachno he had,
XXV^ Hugli.
XXVI. Jevan.
He died A. D. 1525.

" This John Williams, goldfinlth, was an antiquary of confidcrablc
eminence, and furnilhcd Drayton with many of the particulars rchui\c to
Wales, which he hath taken notice of in the Polyolbion. BilhopNicol-
fon therefore need not have been furprifed, " that it fhould contain a
*♦ much truer account of this kingdom, and the doii:iuif,r. of Jl'tj/.s, than
" could be well e.\pcde(l iVom the jien of a poet." Hilt. I ilir. p. 5.
!Mr. liagford alio in his letter to Hcarnc i)rcfixed to the Firfl; Volume of
Lcland's CoUfdlanea fa\s, that John Williams the gokllhulh lurniflicd
Dravlon with Lcland's papers.

John Willianis was fountlcr of a chapel in Nanwhyncn,, and endowed
it with ;f. 5. per ann. the chapel is now in ruins. E.

It ihould fecm from this, that Nanwhjuun v as probabi)- the p.lace of
his birth.

John

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Oxford, May 12, 1746'.
Mr. DoDSLi: V,

NOTHING which hath lately appeared In print, hath
given mc greater Tatisfadion than the I'uperior merit of our
Engliih authors to the French, which hath been fo ingenioufly
lupportcd in one or two of your Muleums. After the perufal of
them, the agreeable reflexion fo naturally refulting to an Englifli-
man produced in nie the following dream. Methought I was
conveyed into a large library, in which 1 iieard a confufion of
French voices, which, by the frequent repetition of the word
Mufeum with anger, I imagined to proceed from difcontent at
your late criticifms. Seeing however no pcrfon In the library, I
was examining, with no fmall aftonifhmcnt, from whence tins
uproar arofc ; and was not a little furpiizcd, you may imagine,
to find that each book liad the faculty of cxprefllng itfclf for Its
autlior. After I had ttilcrably reconciled myfclf to this unufual
manner of Intercourfe, I found that I was not mliiakcn In my

' The above Kttcr was written at the lime it bears date, and was
adilrcfll'd to the IMitor of a periodical i)ajK'r, intituled, The Mu/ciivif
which was printctl lor Dodfley. I did tlun intend it fluniid have
lullowed two ttillcrtations in that work, which aflfcrttd the fuperiority of
our l'"nglil!i to the French authors; but iVoni kmie circuiullanec, which
I do not now remember, it never reached the I'.diior. I need not in-
lorm the Header that the idea of this enp;ngcment Ijctwccn the writers of
the two nations, is taken from, T/jc Jhittlc of (he Books,

K k k flill

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I

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iiJf

if

If

:i

I 434 ]

firfl: conjc£lure ; for Dcfcartes, defiling tliat he niiglit be lieartl,
after having with difficulty obtained filence, fpokc in the follow-
ing words ; '* I need not mention to you the Indignities offered to
tic whole French nation, and to me in particular, by the author
©f the Mufeum : fhall my Ingenious hypotiicfes be deftroyed l)y
Newton, whofe low ginhis was obliged to depend entirely on expe-
riment for his reputation r Tliis tedious eircunii'pecl manner of
phirofopiiifmg may fuit well with the phlegmatic tenjper of an
Englifliman, but let the French vivacity and genius never
be reproaciied with havuig had rerourfe to i'uch low ami meciu-
nical means of difcovering truth. I would dwell longer on this,
but relcntmcnt will not fofFer me ; my advice however is, that
we immediately take iignal vengeance on the author of our dif-
grace. The Englifh, as they are fo deeply concerned, will un-
doubtedly fupport him with all their force ; therefore let us im-
mediately make choice of a general, and difpftfe of our ftrength
in fuch a manner as to execute our defign in fpite of oppofitioiK
Believe me, we cannot fail of fuccefs, for I will engage that oirr
engineers fhall play fuch quantities of materia fiibtills upon them,
that they fliall dread us as much,, as Nature does a vneuum.^
When he had ended, the French by their (houts approved of hi«
propofal ; but then, every one thinking that he had the jufteil
pretenfions to the command, there arofv* a lecond confufion of
voices, each author proclaiming his own deferts to the aflcmbly.
This continued for a confiderable time : many at lafl: finding tiiat
tlicre would be no end of this diflenfion, unlefs tdiey agreed to
fix upon fome perfon of dlftiiiguifhed ment, Racine, with the
confent of the major part of the afietibly, propofed Boi*
leau. What induced them to make choicer of him fi)r this im-
portant charge was, that he had compofed lome excellent rules
tor military dlfclpline, which, if they ftridly adhered to, they
3 could:

[ 435 ]

could not well fall of defeating their enemies. Every one
now waving tlicir particular prctcnfions, Buileau was upon the
point of being declared Gencralinimo, when Defcartcs, witli
great indignation, reproached them for not making a proper dif-
tinftion between a rhymer and a philofoplier. You cannot but
be i'enfible, added he, that the Englifh will pitcli upon Newton
for their Commander : and who is capable of oppofing him but
myfelf? I have already prepared one of my largeft vortexes to
receive his attack with, in which I will make him fo giddy, that
he Ihall for ever repent denying the exiflencc of them. He con-
cluded with laying, that any one whooppofed his juft pretenfions,
muft expe«^ a more dreadful flite than that which he had jurt
threatened to Newton. The French, whomoft of them thouglit
that lie was able, and would not fail to execute his menaces, in-
lifted no longer on their former choice, and Boileau himfelf,
who was rather more proper for celebrating the adions of hir>
Monarch, than performing any himfelf, fneaked away, and left
his adversary in quiet poflcHion of the command. Defcartes no
fooner found himfelf mafter of the authority he afpired to, than
he difpofed of his troops in the following manner. He refolved
himfelf to lead on the centre of the army : Corneille had the com-
mand of the right, and Boileau of tlie left wing ; the former of
which had in his divifion Racine, Malherbe, the Contefle de la Suz,
Racan, and many others : the latter had Moliere, Rabelais, Sca-
ron, and Voiturc. Defcartes himfelf placed on one fide of him
Voltaire's Henriade and Chapelain ; on the other Ronfard and
Marot ; and being defirous of having fome intelligence concerning
the ftrength and difpofition of the Englilh, he pitched upon Vol-
taire as the propereft perfon for that purpofe, who engaged to
acquit himfelf in this truft to the General's fatisfadion. It was
not long before he returned, and informed him in what part, and

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C 436 ]

by what means, the enemy might be attacked ^\nth the greateft
probability of fuccefs. There is Shakfpeare, faid he, who hath
the command of the EngUfh right wing : now there are fome
parts of his troops, which, if they were not mingled with bad
ones, it would be impoliible for tl:c whole French army to fuftaiii
the ihock of. I fiiould advife therefore that you give orders to
your engineers to charge the artillery which is to be pointed
againft hi-n with -the unities of time and place, which cannot
fail of producing its proper effeSt. This advice had its weight
with Defcartes, who began to enquire further how formidable
he thought his antagonift Newton. Voltaire feemed very unwil-
ling to make any reply to this queftion ; but being much prefled,
aufwered him in the following manner : " I have often with at-
tention confidered the furpriling greatnefs of that man, and you
mud pardon my freedom when I tell you, that if you was to join
to your affiftance all the philolbphers that ever exifted, they
would not be able to withftand even a fmall degree of the force
he is capable of exerting. It is impoflible to exprefs the indig-
nation of Defcartes at this reply ; he turned from him without
vouchfafing an anfwer, and joined the other generals who were
waiting his orders, he there accufed Voltaire of an inclination
to defert, faid he could not put fufficient confidence in him to
entruft him with any command, and defired their advice In what
manner he fliould be treated. Racine, who was fenfible of their
want of ail Epic Poet to make fome linall ftand againft Milton,
gave it as his opinion that the Henriade, being tlie befl: poem of
that kind in their langua_^e, (hould be allowed ro remain in the
place where Defcartes had firfl: placed it ; which as it was very
near himfelf, he might ha,ve a watchful eye over it during tb^^
engagement. This was approved of, and now every thing l)tiug
thus fettled, orders were given to charge. Ilie EngIKh, in the

• ' mean

IH

ilSl

. t 437 ]

mean time, did not want Intelligence of the attack defigned by
the French : there were no faiflions or cabals raifed about the
perfon to be fixed upon as General ; for every one, with a kind
of reverential awe, intreatcd Newton to accept the poll: ; he mo-
deftly complied with their requeft, and begged that Milton might
be joined with him in command. Milton did not decline this
honour, and, on account of his lofs of fight, defired that Addifon
might be appointed to afllft him, for he found that he was Infi-
nitely ftronger when that able critic was near. The whole army was
led on in the following manner : Newton and Milton took their
poft in the centre, in which were likewife Bacon, Locke, and
Spenfer. Shakfpeare commanded the right wing, and had in his
divifion, Rowe, Otway, Drydcn, Waller, Cowley, and Gay.
Pope had under his command, in the left wing, Congrevc, Swift,
Butler, Jonfon, and many more. I have forgot, I beleve, as yet
mentioning one very particular circumftance, which was, that
after Dcfcartes firft fpokc, each book had occafionally taken upon
itfclf the (hape of Its author. The engagement had now begun.
Dcfcartes advanced with great intrepidity, but his troops, every
ftcp he took towards Newton, vlfibly decreafed, and his Vox--
tcxcb, wlilcli he had fo much relied on. Immediately dlf-
appeared. I was a good deal furprifed at this fudden change ;
but looking towards Newton, I f uv that he had a fhicld of ada-
mant prefentcd to him on that occafion by Natural Philofophy,
which the moment any thing falfe, though never fo ingenious,
ftruck againft, it was immediately reduced to It? proper ftate of
nolhhig. Newton, I elng content with having humbled Defear-
tes's arrogance, took pity on his condition ; and no cnemv in the
field being of confequencc enough for him to honour with a de-
feat, he cliofe, like Edward the Tlilrd, to be only fpedator of
the fight, and view with pleafuro the valour of his countrymen.

Locke,

i i

lis

- ■ 7 i

!fr. I

[ 438 ]

Locke, who was bohiud Newton before, now being the firfl: in
the line, attacked Malbranche, and drove Wim prefently from the
field ; then, together with Bacon, finding no more enemies re-
maining, he retired towards Newton, where it was eafy to per-
ceive in their converfatibn, the reciprocal efteem thcfe great men
had for each other. Milton, the moment he was informed by
Addilbn that Voltaire was preparing to attack him in front, while
Brebcuf and Chapdain flanked him, could not help laughing at
their infignitlcancy, and fald tliat he Ihould do right in fending
Sir Richard Blackmore's Prince Arthur to engage them; but as
the enemy had the prcfumption l)y this time to begin the attack,
he defired Addifon only to play the dcfcription of the artillery of
Satan upon them, which immediately occafioned a rout, Spenfer
met with as great fuccefs againlt Marot and Ronfard. Many of
the Italian allegorical poets wcie kvn hovering round him, and
preventing any prejudice that might have otherwife been done to
him by his antagonlfts ; particularly Ariofto, who dcfcejided from
an upper ftielf upon an unruly Ippogrif, and prefentcd him with
an enchanted dart, which nothing coukl witliftand, whilft he
at the ilimc time proclaimed him the chief of allegorical poets
Thus every thing in the centre xvas obliged to give way to the
fuperlor merit of the Englifh. The engagem_ent in the two
wings, during this time, was extremely obftinate. The right
wing of tliC Frencli, as before mentioned, was commanded by
Corncille, as that of the Englifh was hy Shakfpeare ; Shakfpeare,
unmediately upon the found of the trumpet, advanced to attack
his adverfary, but notwlthftanding he behaved himfelt with the
greateft refolution, yet he did not meet with all the fuccefs he
had promifed himfelf ; for the artillery charged witli the unity of
time and place, made a terrible havock among his troops. Ad-
difon, obleiving this, defired leave of Milton that he might aflift

him,

h^'hi

[ 439 ]

him, which •being granted, he charged the Engliih artillery with
ail efl'ay agalnft bombaft declamation in tragedy. This had as
terrible an effcdl upon Cornell le as the other had on Shakfpeare ;
upon this the battle was renewed with ftill greater obftinacy,
but neither being able to obtain a decided advantage over the other,
though Shakfpeare had the fupcrlority, Ccrnellle propofed a ccl-
fatlon, and prefented Shakfpeare with his Cid, who in return
gave hlni his Othello, and both retired to their different parties,
fully convinced of each other's abilities. Racine all this while
maintained his poft agalnft the united forces of Otway and Rowe ;
his were all feled troops, which were headed by the Athalia, and
formed all together a kind of Macedonian phalanx that could not
be broke through. Dryden, feeing this, was advancing at the
head of fix battalions to the affiftance of his countrymen ; but,
upon his coming pretty near to the enemy, being hafty levies,
they immediately went off, and left him dlfconfolate to maintain
the attack alone. Newton, In the mean time, perceiving that
there wns no Impreflion made upon the enemy, fent Sir William
Temple to Inllrucl tlie Engllfb writers of tragedy how to attack
Kaclnc In the moft advantageous manner. Temple, with an
eager zeal for the honour of his country, gave Otway a fword,
round the blade of which was engraved fome fhort but excellent
obJeiStions agalnft reprefenting Turks and Romans with the man-
ners of a Frenchman. This was of ilgnal fervlce to Otway, lor
Racine could not prevent its driving Ibnie of his greatcft lieioc£
from the ticld ; but notwlthftandlng this, with his remaining
force, it was Impoflible to put hlin in dlforder, fo excellent dlf-
cipllne and regularity had he kept up among his troops. Momcr,
who had all this while been fpeflator of the fight, thinking that
the ftruggle had already lafted too long, fent Tallhyblus and
Idaeus, in order to put a ftop to the conteft, which, by their medl-

atloiiy

'n

I ' ■

mm

„■■* !'

1 ■ i

T 440 ]

stlon, was effetfled, to the fatisfa^llon of both parties. And now
the Countcfs delaSuz, Malherbe, and Sarrazin, advanced againfl:
Waller, Cowley, and Gay ; the tender Waller however could
not be prevailed upon to engage any of the fair fex with weapons
that did not fuit their delicacy, and anfwered all the Countefs's
attacks with paflionatc and melting couplets, which made fuch
an impreflion on the lady, that a mutual paffion prefently ba-
nifhcd all national refentments. The difpute between Malherbe
and Cowley was infinitely more warm. Cowley's Pindaricks
attacked with great brifknefs, but their fire however was not
by any means regular, which indeed Is agreed on by mod maf-
ters of militarj- difcipllne to be the propereft method for thofe
kind of troops to charge. Malherbe however ftood the fhock
tolerably well, when Pindar prefented Cowley with a horfe that
had won a prize at the Olympic games ; this Cowley immediately
mounted, and at the fame time cryirgout,

I'll cut through all,

And march the Mufe's Hannibal.

(Cowley's ifl: Ode.)

He ru filed into the thickefl: of the enemy, and bore down every
thing before him. Pope and Boileau were by this time engaged
in the left ving, in which every one on both fides feemcd to
have forgot all animofities, while they were attending to the con-
telt of thefe two great men. The Rape of the Lock, and Ellay
on Crlticifm, immediately fingled out the Lutrin, and Art of
Poetry; and notwithftanding the addrefs of eacli general, it was
difficult to determine on which fide the vifiory would incline.
The Satires 'of tlie French Poet at the fiuiie tunc attacked thofo
of tlic Englllh, which, being afilfted by the Efliiy on Man, began

to

t 44« ]

to make their adverfarles think of retreating, when Homer, who
had fuch infinite obligations to his excellent tranflator, appeared
at the head of 48 battalions, and faid that he (hould look upon all
thofe as his enemies, who oppofed a poet who had made him
fpcak EnglKh with the fame fpirit and force, that he himlelt'
Ihould have done, had he wrote in that language. Boileau, wbo
had the greateft reverence for Homer, was now upon the point
of retiring, when Pope advancing, faid that he had long before
been fenlible of the excellencies of his poems, was now more
than ever convinced of them by tlie late trial, and at the fame
time begged he would honour him with his friendfhip. Boileau
^nfwered his compliments with great politenefs ; and added, with
a fmile, that fatirifts, above all other kind of writers, ought to
live in the ftriclefl: amity with each other, as they generally had
a great number of enemies, who would rejoice at their dlllenfions.
I am much miftaken, continued he, if this engagement hath not
Tilready given great fatisfadlion to Gibber and Cotin. Fontaine,
who was ported ready to aflift Boileau, feeing Chaucer and Prior,
wao attended upon Pope, advanced with reverence towards
Chaucer, and H^/id that if fuch a genius as his had appeared In the
moft elegant and learned age, it could not have been fufficlently
admired ; but as he had lived in a time when the Mufcs were fo
little regarded, he could fcarce refrain fiom adoring, Chaucer
embraced Fontaine, called him his fon, and liit.l he was the only
writer fmcc himlelf that had told a ll:ory with a beautiful fira-
pliclty. Rabelais had now the prefumptlon to attack Swl "t ; but
he only cxpofcd his weakncfs, for Swift with his Tale of a Tub
(which dilated to a vaft fize) immediately covered nine parts
out often of his forces; the few remaining, ralli "1 In Pantagruel,
made fome r rillauce; but Swift producing one of his Bi-ohding-
nag lijii^cs pr.;rentlv put him to flight. Scarr.)n, who waj jull

J. 1 I " " by

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[ 442 ]

by Rabelais, feeing Swift and Butler advance towards him, and'
knowing that to oppofc would be in vain, laughed at Rabelais as
he was fneaking off, and had even the impudence to cut a joi;':
upon Pantagrucl. He tlien began being witty upon Iiis ovvi>
perfon ; and faid he w"as furprizcd tliat Defcartcs could thiiik oi
taking him for a foldler, as he was ibmc feet below the fland.ud
of any nation ; ac at the fnne time made fuch a droll compruncr.t
to Swift and Butler, that they could not help bcg/inning a cmi-
verfatlon with him, in which they were infniitely di-lightcd with
hia wit. Notlilng now remained to be decided but the difpute
between the Comic Poets, which was ']u(\: going to begin with
great warmth on each fide, when Plautus interpofing prefented
Molierc witli a crown. Congreve and Jonfon, notwithftanuing
their merit, acquiefced in this determination, and were advancing
to pay their rcfpeds to tlie French Poet, when thrj Lauren/,.
. thinking that proper regard was not paid to his deferts, frrppcd
abruptly in with an i'itcntion to difpute the authority of Plautus;
but unluckily for him fome enemy of his repeating the firfl
ilanza of his laft Ode, there followed ib unlverlal a laiij-^ , that
it prevented the continuation of my dream..

* >l

THE

f 443 ]

rUE following Dialogue was written at Oxford, during tlic
Tear 1746, having been preceded by lomc obfervatlons upon
Homer; which perhaps fortunately for the reader I have no^v
m.flaul. I had at that time peruled niofl of the ancient Greek
• and Roman writers, and conceived, that amongft their numerous
beauties, there were fome few dcfecls, which the moderns had
been more happy in avoiding.

TIic elegant writers of antiquity become our earlieft models
nor can we have better ; but as our tafte is formed from thefc ex-
cellent examples, Hiould not their miftakes be pointed out to the
voung Icholar, as well as their perfecllons ? Yet everv commen-
tator becom:.. (b zealous a partifhn for the Latin or Gi^ek author
wh.eh h. IS to exp.lain or iHullratc, that we never hear of a
Mem.fh. ; or, If there be a palpable one, it is often defended by
iuch reaf).,s, as the annotator mull himfelf be feufible are very

I could therefore wifli, that wlien any new edition of a claffic
^^•as pn!)ldhcd, the commentator would rather dwell upon the
'inperfeoV.ons tliau perfedions of tlic writer; our preicnt claflical
ckarrs ahv.ys reprcfenting a clear coafl, and never pointing out
the r.icks or (liailows which lie contiguous.

L\\

^ophron.'^

i M:

[ 444 I

Soj>hron.'\ We feem to have fufficiently confidered both the
beauties and failings of Homer : fuppofc we were now to^
examine into the merit of the ancient dramatic writers ? Whether
the Chorus is an advantage or not to the drama, when properly-
made ufe of, will in a great meafure determine, the difpute be-
tween us to which the preference is due, and therefore I do not
think it will be improper to begin with examining a little into the.
nature of this part of the ancient tragedy. The peculiar office of
the Chorus ca'nnot be better explained than by the lines in Ho-
race's Art of Poetry, which comprehend almoft every circum—
that it ever interferes with.

A do ris partes Chorus officumque virile
Defendat, neu quid medios intercinat aftus'
Quod non propofito conducat, & haereat apte,.
llle bonis faveatque & concilietur amicis
Et regat iratos, & amet peccare timenteSj, &c..

f--: •'

m

The exa6t manner In which the Chorus performed its part:
feems to have puzzled the mofl: diligent enquirers into antiquity 5..
and to enter into a difcuflion of this nature would not at all fuit:
our prefent defign. I fliall only fay in general what hath oc-f
curred to me upon reading the ancient tragedies, . with regard to
its having been originally introduced. Thefpis, the firft writer-
for the ftagc that we have any account of, ailing his tragedies from,
town to town * ; and that fpecles of poetry being by no means
carried by him to any great perfe<Slion, his audiences probably
cqafifled of the lower kind of people, who I believe in all coun-

Tgnotum tragicr genus invenlfre Canitrna;
Dicitur, & pUujftris vexifle poemata Thefpis.

tries

' ffl

[ 44; I

tries have been much pleafed with a fong or mufic of any kind ^
Thefpis, findingthispartof his tragedies mofl; attended to, thought,
and perhaps very judicioufly, that no kind of fong or mufic would
he fo proper as that which in general might have fome connexion
with the drama, tlioug^li poflibly he did not inviolably adhere tO'
iiie r»le^

■ Neu quic^ iiedlos intercinat aftus
Quod non propofito conducat, . & hareat apf^..

which Indeed was generally obferved by the later writers of
tragedy, ^fchylus then, and the other poets that followed him,
finding the Chorus already eftablifhed, had by no means the
courage to banilh- it, though at the fame time they muft have
been fenfible that it was not eflential to the drama ; and indeed I
am not at all forry that they prefervcd it, for thefe Chorufes
often are the moft elevated and touching pieces of poetry that we
have any where extant. In tliefe the poet gave his genius the
free fcope, which he indulged with the grenteft fire and happi--
nefs ; and if they are 11:111 confidered as excrefcences, they
are fuch which for my own part I could not confent to lop
off.

Horace lays it down as a rule, that the Chorus fliould keep-
inviolably fecret every thing intrufted to them ; this indeed is •
a moft neceflary injiinifllon, and which I believe hath always

•» It is not contcrKkd by this that what the Chorus faid was always •
fct to mufic, it ohcntimcs is to bo conlidcrcd as a fingle perfon concerned
in the play, which part of its oiEce was jnobably pcrlormcd by the
Goryphffius only,.

2 bleen*.

m

I

ni

[ 44<i 1

li

v

Lccn ohforvcd Iiy tlic ancients; Init this ficklity liowcvcr In tiK»
Cliorus *;t)rh not take from the al)llirdity of the principal charac-
ter,=, in n uOinn thofe Twho fonutlnics Iiave not the leaft conncvflioa
with tlKtri) with thiir moil important fchcmt"? and diiin^wsJ
'I'here is a nioll:flanrp.nt inilance of rliis In the Metlen of Eurij^itles;
Mcdna \:, rcprcfcntod hy llic poet, ac:ct;riling lo her jufl charn<fi:er,
crafty, dilleniLIing, and at the finie time of imjiLicahle revenge;
this ckfi^nin^' woman, who in other parts of the tragcuy fhews
herielf a peifccl miArcf^ of difhmulation, diieowrs to the Clioru.-?
her nfohition of nunxlerlng licr own children and Jafon's fecond
wife, l)y fending her a preient of an envenomed garment ^ The
Cliorur.j though they are bound by no oath of lecrccy, make
their iifual reflections upon this def gn ; ami though Jalon comes
in immediately afterwards, whiJll they CMitinuc upon the flagc,-
conceal it from hun, when thi y mull bo Induced by all kinds of
contiderations to re\eal it. There is in the Ilippolytus of Euri-
jiidc3 another inflance, to the full as lining as this : Pluvdra,
.vho is rejireluited in the gr;-itiil; ily:\i of ilillrefs, tlu'jugh a
paflion which Ihc cannot giatity, is eaiiiellly preiied by her nurfe
to let her know the caufe of the altuation iu her health. Piucdra

* V,'ho c.Ji;ld fujipofc however t'lval; this Chrru--., in winch flic puts fo
eutlic a corfuh nee, are Covini-hian wonicn to whoui fl:t is an utter iuan-
<.',er, and who, as hcin;'; (..'oiinthians, n.i.ll he uippuled to be attaehe.! lo
rhc intivetl of the iHi'kin f;e intenJs to deftro}' ? \\'hen ilie hath alTo
difeovereu to ti-eni ihele lionid hirentions, Ihc at hill intrcats their fe-
erelV by no better rtaUv.is than it **• t'.cy icijh l.\r •;:'., 7, <■/;// inc '.^omciu*

I fivniLl rat'icr liij^iioft, that this abuirdiiy iiiio aicil- from what
was ufual in the tiuic of I hefpis, when there v. as only a Ih'ge of boards,
probabiv lor the actors to perforin ui on, without any retiring room for
the Cliorus, who ware therefore neeeliariiy prefent. Poffibly the whok".
play v\as performed frc m. tlie eart, without any ilagc at all, when x.\n:
chorvis would have Ilih ie s opportunity to withdraw.

'how-

[ 447 )

JiowevtT Ic ohrtinnte, (
foiircc of hc-i- afliiaiaii

.)r n a; 1 1

rablo tim

Not while 1

e, In concealing the
and ulicii doth Hie dilclofo it at laft ?

Jcr nuric,

wliol

c l;

-lity fl-n

can abfolutcly depend

upon, ,, ;,,A, prdlMit, bi]tw!untlicCi,orn3 (a number ofTra,^,
zenian uomen, with whom (he doth not appear to hav. had any
great intimacy) have intruded thjuifdvcs into her preilncc.
How inJinitely better i„ ihh conducl.d in Racine ! where the
confidant ia the fole perion ntt.ading-, whofc afr.aion for her
Phicdra cannot doubt. I proK.icd you I wouKl net dwell lon-r,
on the impcrfeaions of the Choruj, and I Iiave been, I hope at
pod as my word; however, I ca.iiMt help taking a little nJticc
iuic: oi: the ancient prologues, which ibmctimes are made by a
D.ity (as by \'cnus in the lUppolytus) ; and fometlmes by a
gholt (as that of Polydorus in tlie Ilccuba). My cbjectloa
however to thefc prologues Is not their being /poken by deities^,
but tliat they generally clioole to dlfcover and anticipate all thJ
prnicipal eventi in the play, particularly the catailrophe. . This I
take to be excedivcly i.nprojK'r, and very prudently avoided by the
moderns in their prologues, for when the audience is acquainted
•>vith the event, the flory becomes lefs intcreding, and prevents
all the agreeable furprize that might arife from well chofen and
unforefeen nicidents. Deities too are fometlmes introduced Into
the ancient tragedies, when there is by no means any.//p«w ^v•;/-
^'ce nodus, as in the A;«j ^«f;^,^,^,,,f, .where Minerva appears la

^ Not but that perhaps it would be as well if thev were fnokcn hv
mortals. _ But as a prologue is by no means a part of the tracrcdy ^as U
certainly IS not leis a tragedy without it); I ftould imac^ine th"t the- poe
may by the levereft cntic be allowed this libertv, n.rtieularlv -is it 1 ath
tlie ianchon ot Ta^o and Gu ..ni, the firil of-'uLh jlo t7m kes
^rt^^:^^lLJ^^ -^^^-^^> -^^he latter the

.^ Of Sophocles,

tho

liil

't '-■ I

i 448 ]

the firrt; fccnc, and liolds a coiiverfatlon with Ulyflls, without
any aM<i! ;te ncceiruy for the prcllnce of aGoddcfs.

Mi(feodoru5.'\ I admit in general of your ol)jc(5lions ; but while
the ancient tragedies have that fmiplicity of fubjecfl which is almoft
pecuHar to them, (for few indeed of our moderns fecm to have
followed them in this point), fome trifling improprlctios will
never prevent the preference that Is due to them upon the
whole.

Soph."] I moft readily own that fimpllcity in the fubjeiH: of the
drama cannot be too much commended, and that the ancients
have in general attended more to it, than the moderns, but I
believe I may venture to alTert, that many of their fubjedls arc fb
Jimpk indeed that they are almoft entirely uninterefting '. I beg
you would for example confider a little the Rlicfus of Euripides,
which I will allow you is perhaps as fimple as a fubjedl can well
be ; but I do not recolleft a fingle circumftance, or incident in the
whole, that can be faid to be afFeding. The play opens with a
fcene between Heftor and die Chorus, who inform him, that
the Graecians are lighting fires in their camp ; Heiflor imagines
from this that they are going to retire : the Chorus, however,
who do not appear to be of any great diftindion in the army,
but only common centinels, doubt much of this -. he is aftcr-

• It is not pretended by th-is that the fubjfdt's being unintcrcfling pro-
ceeds from its fiinplicity, bur only that by a too rc+'iipviloiis attention to
tiie latter, the play often becomes lb, and this Is generally the cafe when
a writer pitches upon a fimple flory, when at the fame time he hath
not genius and imagination fnfficient to render it affecilipar, for the greater
the fimplicity is, the greater is the ^diflficulty in this point. This is
therefore not a charge upon the ancients for their adherence to this fim-
plicity ; but only for choofing fuch fubjedis as they wanted genius fom<>
tiines to make inKreiling, er perhaps that were incapable of Lcconiing
io, which I take to be the cafe of Euripides's Khcfus.

wards

» 't

[ •M9 ]

wards ovcnuli'd hv /T'.ncas In his fclicmc {o[- ntt.ickiiiii; tli-.' f!Kni\',
and it i^ agreed that a i'p\ (hould he lint into the Cireciaii aiPiv.
Upon thii Di>l(iti oilers hiiiifclf, bargains with He dor tor liin
reward, and is promifcd by him the cliariot of Achilk;;. A nKl-
I'engcr then makes \\\s appearance, and gives an accoinit of the
arrival of Rhcfus at tlie Trojan Camp : Rhefus hinilelf f()IU)ws
immediately after, where he is very- coldly received by Hector,

for h

fo lonii' delayed h

)r liavnig lo long ttelayeu his marcli ; anu tins Iccnc, which 13 ii
pretty long one, and in which the cxpc(5lation of the audienco-^
is rcafonably railed, while thefe two principal charaders are prc-
lent, is as dull and tirefomc a one I believe as was ever penned.
Dlomcde and Ulyfles, in the mean time, favoured by the niglit,.
conie with an intention to furprize Hciflor in his tent; but arq
diverted from this by Minerva, who advlfes them to fall upon
the quarters of Rhefus, which they accordingly do, and fucceed
in killing him while aflecp. This is not done on the ftagc, but tho
audience hath very properly an account of the difafter from a fer-
vant of Rhelus's, who taxes Hcdor with the murder. After this the
AlufelVrpfiehorj laments the lofs of her fon, and I think, reallv,
that fro 'IT a Mull-, one might have expe*fled ibmething more pa-
thetic and touching upon the occafion. Now I api)eal to vou
whether in this whole play there is any fingle intcrcfting cir-
cumflancej and if I was to alk you what the moral was, I auj.
iifrald vou could Lot eafilv find it out.

Pb//.] J recoliecL luiving lead, Ibnie time ago, this tragedy of
Euripid'.s (as it is gencialiy called) and remember that it ap-
peared to me aln.olt bJow criticifm ; but I mufl own, that
for my ow^n part, I cannot hditatc a moment to declare that
the play is not written by that author. There always have
been dlfputcs, I believe, who this tragedy is to be attri-
buted to, and if 1 was accpiainted v.itij the nauio of the v. mil

M 111 m Wilier

m

\ 'Iv

I

4

^ ^ f

ll ■ '

[ 450 ]

^M•'lt•cl• ill tliat age, I fliould make no fcniplc of giving the honour
of that performance to liim.

Af/v/.] Well, this is one way of getting rid of the charge; and
I will not Inful npon many arguments that might be produced
a<:',aini1: thif, liberty of difowning whatever makes for our own dif-
crcdlt. Father Hardouin, you know, will carry this farther,
and prove that none of the tragedies afcribed to Euripides were
written by him. I will not fay of the Alceftis that the fuhjc6l
is uninterelling ; but I believe I may lay, that it is a very im-
proper one for a tragedy ; at lead as Euripides hath managed it.
A wife tliat refolves to fave her hulband by her own death,
■\\iil certainly always prejudice the audience in her fiivour ; but
I b(.licve no woman, under thofe circumftances ever occafioneJ
fo little pity as Alceflis, which proceeds entirely from the impro-
babi'ity and abfurdity of the whole Itory ; fuch a one I think as
a judicious writer would never have pitched upon. The rule of
Horace,

Fida voluptatis causa, fint proxima veris.

can never be too much attended to ;- Euripides however feems
in this play not to have the leaft confidercd it. The piece
throughout is confident (if I may be allov.'cd' the expre/hon) in
impropriety ; for I do not rccolle6l a fingle incident in the
whole which doth not iLock, as being improbable. The even-
ing advances ; but as we return to the houfe I fliall ilate, for
your C'jnlideration another objection to parts of the dialogue in

<■ Ro- ;;i ';■: in anaciMonifm i" not by 'dii:. incurred, as to ruppofc that
ri-;:, lies cov.i ' • ?:ilh- ':.ivc :i'.tep.('0'l t.i v^iii v;:lc, :'.9 laid down bv the
'. -.-Dii i '>c' , bi:t .. iIa :n.\iiu is J ■■;;;. icd on conmioii fcnfe, wlicthcr
i' 'N -.J .L th"- ■ ,ii; or no i\n axiom, every writer ol" tnigcdy fliould not
have ne^l. ::lcJ it.

moll:

i 451 ]

moft of the ancient tragedies, when the charadlers anfwer eacli
other for a confiderable time by a llngl. hue, and oitcn the lame
number of words. This fiiort and abrupt intvrcoui fc luighi :;ow
and then be attended with propriety, by cxp'ciihu^ riiT-er, l)ut
this obfcure dialogue generaHy happens avIich '.he pcvihn^ fak-
ing are in their ufual tcmp.r, and about the .noil indltlbrent
circumftances. I cannot expe^, however, that you Ihould be
able to defend the ancient writers on tragedy upon this ;,cad till
you have examined the parts I refer to in your library ; wheti, out
of many otliers, lean, from a memorandum in my pocket, point
out Euripides's Medea, 1. 663, etjl'j. as alfo his Hippolytus, 1. 80.

^ I have already prefumed to mention fome iminteremng trage-
dies of the ancients, and conceive that I may alfo venture to iay,
that there are few fcenes even that command the involuntary
tear from the reader, which circumftance I fhall always confider
as the true teft of the merits of a tragedy ; as the involuntary
laugh fl-ems to be that of a comedy. Critics may write ingenious
difiertations; but if the reader is not afFeded till he is taught to
be fo, I fhall always diftrufl the abilities of the author.

Mm m 3

IN

'\ %■

&

r

ll|ii'

li

'1

I '1

H;4 'i
•4

[ 4Ji ]

mtt.--\^,cmim'*

IN the year 1773 T traiillatcd and pubUflicd King ^^-:ifi-cu\>
Anglo-Saxon Verfion of Oroliu>, in which the Royal Author
hath made fomc inlertions, which arc not borrowed from the
J.atin Iliftorian.

Amongfl: others an account is introduced of Otlicre's navi-
gation to the Northerly Seas, which I have endeavoured to iUuf-
trate by a geographical map, containing the then ftatc of t!ic
globe, with the Anglo-Saxon names and orthography of the-
countries, and in whicli alfo the fuppoied trads of Otherc arc^
particularly marked.

As I conceive this map to be interefting for explaining thd'
geography of the 9th ccnitury, and may cite no lefs an opinion
tlian that of Monf. d'Anville, for its being fo confidered, I have
directed a proper number of copies to be rolled off from the plate,
for the prefent mifcellaneous publication, as alfo great part of the*
firft chapter from the Anglo-Saxon verfion to be reprinted.

My principal reafon for doing this is, that the number of
copies which I publilhed from King .Alfred's tranllation was very
fmall, and confcquently cannot have fallen into the hands of many
.readers.

/^ U R elckrs have divided all the circuit of the earth into
^^ rhrec parts (quoth Orofuis) comprehending what is fur-
rounded by Oceanus^ which men call Garsecg' ; and they named
thcfe three parts Afia, Europe, and Africa, though fome have
faid that there are only two divifions, Afia and Europe. Afia is
ooundcd to the fouthward, northward, and eadward, by t!ic

Ocean,
» Ihis word fignifios a vaft trad: of Sea or Ocean, and when narrower
is IS always tcrincil rea ox fea, as Fen:)el-)^ea, the Mediterranean, See
d take an early opportunity ot laying, that I am not anlwcrublc for the
. ■ 7

1' . ■«'

■ii

m

m

%

S-'l il'i

[ 454 ]

Ocean, and thus divides all this earth from the eaftern parts. All
to the northward is Ada, and to the fouthward Europe and Alia
are fcpnrated hy the Tanals ; then iouth of this fame river (along
the Mediterranean, and well of Alexandria) Europe and Afia
join.

Europe begins (as I faid before) at the river Tanais, which
lakes its fource from the northern parts of the Ripha^an moun-
tains, which are near the Ocean tliat men call Sarmondifc ^ ; and
this river runs dircvRly fouth, on tiie weil fide of Alexandei s
temples, to the nation of tlie Rhocovafci ". Here riles that^i'^^
(j-Mbich men call Micotls ;) and thence it ifliies with a great flood
near the town called Theodoiia% from whence it empties itfelf
to the eaflward into the Euxine Sea, and then becoming narrow
for a coniidcrable trafl, it pafies by Conftantinople, and thence
Into the Mediterranean. The fouth-weil: •" end of Eurjpe is in
Spain bounded by the Ocean ; but the Mediterranean almorl en-
tirely clofes at the iflands called Gades, where Hercules's pillars

accuracy of cither Alfred or Orolius in this gccgrapKica) dcfcription ;
iiad where luch a number of places arc raentioncd, one after another, it
is ibnuthing difficult to dilcover to which of thcn'i the context relates ;
it is therefore very probable that I have myfelf made fome miftakes alfo
i;i rhe j undUiaticn, upon which much depends.

^ Sannatico Geeano in Orolius : where the Saxon however plainly re-
fers to a known name of a piaee or fea, I generally Ihall tranllate the
Sa.von corruption, by unat is the real, and commonly accepted
name.

c Foxolnni, in Orofius ; and thofe who defirc to knou^ where this
nation was lituatc 1, may confult Havercamp's edition.

'' I have tranilated this literally, by unng the Saxon term pen, as \
fliall in every inftance where the modern Englifli is clearly derived from,
that language, and fliall commonly print luch word in Italics.

" Liteialh', v.Wid^ rucfi call Theodufia ; but as I have given two in-
ftances before of this Saxonifm, 1 Ihall nos repeat it.

'' Wefl-lbuth, in the Saxon, which we never fa\', through fo manv af
our nautical expreffioDS are borrowed from the Saxon, as Hlnrbcarcf,

K '>'n

&c.

3

ftund.

455 ]

Anna. Ill tills fame Moil

hnul ".

iterrancaii, to the \vcn;\v;ml.

5b/-

Ada and Africa are divided by Alexandria (a citv of Ef^vpt) ;
niul tliat country is bounded to tbe fouth by the river Nile', and
then by Ethiopia to the weftward, quite to the fouthcrn Ocean.
Tiie nortli-weOern boundary of Africa is the Mediterranean f.a,
where it is divided from the Ocean, near Hercule.'s pillars ; thf^
true wcftern boundaries are the mountains called Atlas, and tho
iflands For t una t us.

Tiius have I l„ortly mcjitloned the three divifions of this eartli ;
and I will now (as I before intimated) ftate how thefc arc bound-
ed by land and water.

Oppofite to the middle of the cailern part of Afla the river
Ganges empties itlelf into the Sea, whilft the Indian Ocean is to
the louthward, In which is the port Callgardamana. To the
fouth-eaft of that port is the ifland Taprobane, and to the north
ot this port are mouths of the river called Corogorre, In the
Ocean named Scrlcus.

Now thefe are the boundaries of India. xMount Caucafus is to
the north, the river Indus to the weft, the Red Sea to the fouth
and the Ocean to the eaft. Iti this land of India are four and
forty nations, befides the Ifland of Taprobane, which hath ten
borougbs in it, as alfo many others which are fituated on the
banks of the Indus, and lie all to the weftward of India. Betwixt
this river of Indus, and another river to the weft, called the
Tigris (both which empty themfelves into the Red Sea), are the

s This js a ftrong additional proof, that feme of the ScotI came from
Spain, as is alierted by Lhuyd, in his Welch Preface to the Archuor
f':, ''^r^:^ ^.<^ argues both Irom this colony bcin.- c.llcd, in c okl
InihMS.. t.n-Skuit [or the Seottilh nation) as alfo f cm th .re
aihn,ty_ between the Trill, language and the old Canrabrian. See^ the
tranllation ot this Prelace, in Biflwp NicoUbn's Hilh Library.

countries

[ 456 I

■: ^.1

countries of Oracnfliii, Parthia, Anlla, Palltlia, and AJedi;£
(though V. liters call all this land l)oth Media and Alliria) ;
the country is much parched by the fun '', and the roads verv
hard and flony. Tiie northern boundary of this land is Mounfc
Caucafuo, and to the fouthward the Red Sea ; m this countrv^
arc two great rivers, the Ilyllafpes, and the Arbis ; in this land
alfo arc two and twenty nations, though it is all called by the
general name of Partliia. To the wclliward from hence, all that
lies between the Tigris and Euphrates is cither Babylonia,
Chakkca, or Mcfopotamla. Within this country are eight and
twenty nations, the northern boundaries of which arc mount
Caucafus, and Taurus, and to the fouth the Red Sea. Along
the Red Sea, and at the north angle of it, lies Arabia, Sabasa,
and Eudomane. Beyond the river Euphrates, quite weftward to
the Mediterranean, and northward to mount Taurus, even unto
Armenia, and fouthward, near Egypt, are many countries,
namely, Cornagena, Phccnicla, Damafcus, Coclle, Moab, Am-
nion, Idumiea, Judi.ca, PalelVinc, and Sarracenc, though all thcfe
nations are comprehended under the name of Syria. To the
north of Syria are the hills called Taurus, and to the north of:
thefc is Cappad(x:ia and Armenia (the latter being weft of the
former), and to the weft of Cappadocia is the country called the
Lcfli'r Afia, and to the north of Cappadocia is the plain called
Temifcre, and betwixt Cappadocia and the Lefler Afia is Cllicia ■

-..^

If

luno.

w;

ii.Hir

t'-an!

Al'.a Id entirely furroumled with fait water, except to the eaft-
; to the north is the Euxine Sea, but to the weft tlic Pro-

:nd thic Helleffont; whilft the jNIediterranean is to the

la tiiis I'lnie Afia is the hi'j,h mountain of Olv

ympu;

'Xo:i word is bco;:htJ, or bright, which I have ventured to
/■£.•;:'./ i'y il:: jun^ as tlv.s fignification agrees well with the

Tu

[ 457 ]

To the noithwriKl o£ hJibcr Egypt is Palcftinc, to the caflward
the land of Saracene, to the weft Libya, and to the fouth the
mountain called Climax. The head of the Nile is near the c/if}
of tlie Red Sea, though fome fay it is in the weftcrn part of
Africa, near mount Atlas, whence it flows over a large tra6t of
fand till it finks ; it then proceeds in its courfc till it becomes a
great fea ; and the fpot where the river takes its rife, is called by
fome Nuchul, and by others Dara. Hence, at fome diftanc'e
from the wider part, before It rifes from the fand, it runs weft-
ward to Ethiopia, where the river is called Ion, till it reaches
the eaftern parts, where it becomes wider ', and then it fuiks
again into the earth ; after wliich it appears oppoiite to the cli'fs
of the Red Sea (as I mentioned before), and from this place
(where it rifes again) is the river called Nilus. Then runninj^-
'from thence weftward, the Nile divides its ftream round an ifland
called Meroe, and taking a turn to the northward, it empties it-
fclf Into the Mediterranean, where (in the winter fcafon) tlie
current at the mouth Is oppofed by the northern winds, fo that
the river is fprcad all over Egypt, and by the rich earth which it
carries along with it, fertilizes all that country. The furt/jer
Egypt lies along the fouthern part of the Red Sea, and to the
caft lies the Ocean, and to tlie weft is the nearer Egypt, and in
the two Egypts are four and twenty nations.

As we have given a defcription of tlie north part of Afin, now
will we fpeak of the fouth part. We have betbre informed you'
that mount Caucafus is to the north of India, which begins firft
caftward of the Ocean, and lies Tlue weft of the Armenian moun-
tains, which the inhabitant.- of the country call Parcoadrie, from
whicJi mountains the river Euphrates takes its rife, and from

' Litcrjlly a gr cat Jen.
N n n

tl

le

i

• i '

ill

IfflB.

M

iii':;T(.':i

irlMl

[ 458 ]

the Parcoadri.m ridge, mount Taurus continues due weft quite
to Cilicia. To the north of thefe mountains, along the Ocean
(quite to the north-eaft end of the earth) the river Bore
empties itfelf into the Ocean, and from hence weftward along
the Ocean, to the Cnfpian Sea (whicli extcud?. to mount Cau-
cafus) ; all this land is called OA/ Sn't/.'ia, and Ircania. In this
country are three and forty nations, fituated at great diftances
from each other, on account of the harrcnnefs of the foil. Then
to the weft of the Cafpian Sea, unto the river Tanais, and to the
Jen Ma^otis, thence fouth to the Mediterranean- and mount Tau-
rus, and north to the Ocean, is all Scythia ; though it is divided
by two and thirty nations, and the land on the eaftern bank of
the Tanais. The country Is inhabited by a nation called the
^ll/aori^ in the Latin tongue, and which we now name Uiobem^
Thus have I fhortly ftated the boundaries of Alia*

Now will 1 alfo ft ate thofe of Europe, as much as we are in-
formed concerning them. From the river Tanais, weftward to
tlie river Rhine (which takes its rife in the Alps, whence it
runs northward to the arm ofx\\Q. Ocean, that furrounds Bryttania,
and fouth to the river Danube, whofe fource Is near that of the
Nile, and runs northward of Greece till it empties itfelf into the
Mediterranean) and north even unto the Ocean (which men call
Cwen fca) are many nations, and the whole of this trad of-
country is called Germany.

Henrc to the north of the fource of the Danube, and to the
caft cf the Rhine, are the Eaft Francan, and to the fouth of
them are the Suevx ; on the oppofite bank of the Danube, and
to the fouth and eaft are the Beath-ware in that part which is
called Regnefi)urgh. Due caft from hence are the Beme, and to

the

"m

[ 459 ]

th. north-eaft ^ the Thyrlnga?, to tlie north of thcfc nrc tUr.
Seaxan, to tlie north-weft are the Frvflv, and to the weft of
Old Sa>:ony is the mouth of the Elbe, as alfo Frifehiiui. Hence to
thenorth-weft' is that land which is c-.xWt^ Angle , Sillende, and
fome part of Dena ; to the north is Apdrede, and to the north-
eaft the wolds - which are called vEfeldan. From hence eaft-
ward Is Wineda-land, wliich men call Sylyle, and great part
of the country to the fouth-weft Maroaro, and thefe Maroaro
have to the weft the Thyringa^ and Bchemie. as alfo half of the
Beathware, and to the fouth, on the other fide of the Danube i.
the country called Carendre. Southward, towards the Alps
he the boundaries of Beathwara, as alfo Sw^fa ; and then to the
eaftward of the Carendre country, and beyond the weft part is
Bulgaria To the eaft is Greece, to the eaft of Maroara i.
Wifleland, and to the eaft of that is Datia, though it for-
merly belonged to the Goths. To the north-eaft of Maroaro are
•the Dalamenfae; eaft of Dalamenfic are the Honithi, and north
■of the Dalamenlu,' are the Sarpe, to the weft alfo are the
Syf^le. To the nortii of the Honithi is M;egthahnd, and
north of M;egtlialand is Scrmende, quite to the Riph^m
mountauis. To the fouth-wcft of the Dene is that arm of the
Ocean that furrounds Brytannia, and to the north is that arm of
the Sea idmh is Oj} Sea, to the eaft and to tlic north are tlie
North Dene, cither on the continent or on the liland, to the

..lo^^...cvo,-, ...e the poinr ^...Z^V^t^iS: ^^i^^^;^
^ This llioiilu be norrh-cill.

N

n n

eaft

) -'f

\H

m ^

[ 460 ]

enft nre the Afdrcdc, to the fouth is tlie mouth of tlie Elb,
and fomc part of Old Saxony. Tlie North Dene have, to the
norliiward, that lame aim of the Tea wliich is ciiHed OJl^ to the
caO- is the nation of the OAi, and Afdrede to the fouth. Tlie
Ofli have, to the north of them, that fame arm of the Sea, as
well as the Wi^icdae and the Burgundac, and to the fouth is
ILufcldan. The Burgundac have this fame arm of the Sea to the
weft, and the Sueon to tlie north ; to the eaft are the Ser-
mcnde, to the north, over the waftes, is Cwen/a/ul, to the nortli-
weft are the Scride Finnas '% and to the weft the North-
men.

*' Ohtherc told his Lord (King Alfred) that he lived to the
" north of all the Northmen. He quoib that he dwelt in that
" land to the northward, oppofitc the weft Sea ; he faid, how-
*' ever, that the land of the Northmen is due north from that Sea,
and it is all a wafte, except in a few places, where the Finnas
for the moft part dwell, for hunting in the winter, and in
the fummer for fiftiing in that Sea. He faid, that he was
determined to find out, once on a time, how far this country
*' extended due north, or whether any one lived to the north of
the waftes before -mentioned. With this intent he proceeded
due north from ibis country'^, leaving all the way the wajie

4(

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ii

P Hakluyt terms the country Scrick-finnla ; and Richard Johnfon, in
his nccount of Nova Zembla, fays, •* That fouth-eailr of the caftle of
•' Wardhus, arc the Scrick-finnes, who ire a wild people, who neither
** know God nor good order ; and thcfe people live in tents made of
" d<;er fkins, and they have no certain habitations, but continue in herds
•' and companies, by one hundred and two hundreds." Hakluyt,
vol. i. p. 283.

1 pa pop he nop^pite be ojem lanfce, which is not fully tranflated ;
*' atqueca propter l"e refla verfus feptentrionem efle profc^lam." See the
Oxford edition, l)y the fcholars of Univerfity College.

*' land

S-v

[ 4^^ ]

** !<i)id on the ftaiboarJ, and the whole Tea on the Barcboal

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Mo was within three days as far north as tlie VV]iale-Z»/////c/,f
cvir s^o, anil then proceeded hi his courfe due north, as far as
*' he could fail witlun another three days, wlillfl: the land lay
" from thence due caft, even unto the Inlimd Sea, he knows not
*' how far [in tliat dire£lion] '. lie remember?, however, that
** he Hayed there waiting for a wcflcrn wind, or a point to tliQ
" north, and failed near that land, as far as he could in* four
" days, where he waited for a due north wind, becaufe the land.
" there lies due/buib, quite to the inland Sca^ be knows u:t bcrnt
" fiir^ : from whence he failed along the coalT: due fouth, as tar
" as he could in five days. A great river lies up this land, and
" ivhen they bad gone fome way up this rivcr^. they returned ""^ bc-
•' becaufe they could not proceed far, on account of the inha-
** bitants being hoflile, and all that country was inhabited on
'* one fide of this river, nor had Ohthere met with before any
*' land that was inhabited fmcc he came from his own home.
** All the land to his right, during his whole voyage, was a de-
*' fert, and without inhabitants (except fifhermen, fowlers, and
*' hunters)^', all of wiiich were Fin nas, and he had a wide fea
** to his left. The Beormas, indeed, had well-peopled their

^ Or to the left.

* The words in the original are, o^fje fio fea in on {?cEr lanb he nyjre
hpoel^ep, which, in the Liuin tranllation, runs, " Ncfcire autcm fc num
** infra terram illamT// mare ;" but the objcition to this tranllation is,
that there is no word in the Saxon to be rendered ///".

' By this the land and inland Sea before-mentioned is plainly al-
luded to.

» I muft here objeft again to the Latin tnmflation of the following
words pa cynbon hy up on f-a ea, viz. " ad ejus oftia fe fubltitifll-," '
which is by no means the fenie of the paiiage.

* Ohthere hath explained before this refort to have only been oe-
eafional.

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country,

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'* country, for which rcafon Ohtkere did not dare enter upon It ;
and tlie Tcrtlnna * land was all a dclort, except when it wag
inhahitcd by fifliers and fowlers.
*' The Beormas; told hlni many particulars about their
" land \ as well as of the other countries near them ; but
*' Ohthere could not rely \ipon their accounts, becaufc he had
** not an opportunity of feeing with his own eyes ; It fecmed
" however to him, that the Bcormas and the Fltinns fpokc tlie
fame language. He went the rather, and Jljapcd liis courfc to
** eachofthefe countries', on account of tiic ^cr^-whalcs, bc-
caufe they have very good bone in their kccth *, foine of which
he brought to the King\ and their hides are good for Hiip-
ropcs. Tills fort ox whale is much lefs than the other kinds,
it being not longer commonly than (c\cn ells ; but [Ohtlicrc
fays] that in his own country Is the bcft wliale-/^tt;///;;^^, be-
caufc tlie whales are eight and forty ells long, and tliC largcjl^
fifty; that he had killed y'^wf fix; and fixtyMn two days.

«

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" 'Mr. I.yr, in his Saxon Didonary, refers to this word in this chapter
of Orofuis, and renders it Taitnty.

y It niulT; be owned that this rather contradi<fts what is nientioncil in
t'lC preceding period.

* Sc. of the Finras ami the Beornias.

* It is faid that one of thefe teeth, in the iT-th century^ fold for a ru-
ble. Hakkiyt, vol. i. p. 280.

" Sc. ^iLlfred. Froiii this cireumllancc it hath been inferred, that
Ohlhere was feni bv tliis king on this difcoverx', whieli however is by no
means conclulive ; f<;r e\ery traveller, in rclatiiij^ liis voyage, ihcus the
iirndvift i)f tlie count! ies he hath vifiti.d. Rieha-.d ( liancellor, fpcaking
ol" the commodities ef Riiflia, f:i\ s, " -l here arc cdl-b -a full's teeth, which
*■ fifliis called a Morfe." II;iklu\ t, vol. i. p. 237.

'• n^je^ran, \ery improperly rendered in the J.utin tranll.ition «:;;-

^ 1 conceive that pyxa fliould be a fecond time rejieated hen inflcadof
rvNnT, or Irtv ; it would thenonly be i'.lTcrted that //'.v had been taken
^iiiv.o diiv = , which is much n.ore prob..ble than fixty.

' " Ohrhcre

t 463 ]

*• Ohtheic was a very rich man In fucli goocU as arc valuable la
** tiiofe countries Cniuncly, in wild deer), and iiad, at the tim«
he came to the king % fix hundred tame deer, none of which
he had purchafcd ; befides this, he had fix decoy' rhcin-dcer,
which arc very valuable amongfttheFinnas, bccaufc they catch
the wild ones with them.

*^ Ohtherc hlmfelf was one of the moft confiderable men in
thofe parts, and yet he had not more than twenty horned
cattle, twenty flieep, and twenty fwine; and wiiat little hr
ploughed was with horfes. The rents in this country conlift
chiefly of what is paid by the Finnas, in decr-lkins, feathers,
and whals-bone, fhip-ropes, made of whales hides, or thofe
of feals. Every one pays according to his fubftance ; the wcal-
thieft pay the Ikins of fifteen martins, five rhein-deer, one
*' bear's ikin, ten bufhels of feathers, a cloak of bear's or otter's-
*' (kin, two fliip-ropes, (each fixty ells long,) one made of whale's
and the other of feal's-lkin.

** Ohthere moreover faid, that Nortlimanna land was very
long and narrow, and that all of the country which is fit either
for pafturc or plowing is on the feacoaft, which however is in
*' fome parts very rocky ; to the eaft-ward are wild moors, pa-
** rallel to the cultivated land. The Finnas inhabit thbfe moors,
** and the cultivated land is broadeft to the eaftward, and grows
**^ narrower to the northward.. To the eaft it is fixty miles

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' This fiicws, that Ohthere was a man of confidenible fubftance when
he left his own country to come to England, and there is not the lead
allufion to his having been fent to the northward by Alfred, as his voyage
fcems to have h.ippcned long before he was known to that king.

^ 1 he Saxon word is rtajl-plianaj' ; and we apply, even to this t^y,
the woxdjiale to a dead bird, which is placed on a tree in a living attitude,
fUrrouadcd with lime-twigs, in order to entice the wild ones.

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[ 464 ]

" broad, in f(3mc places broader, about the middle it is perhaps
*' thirty miles broad, or fomcwhat more, to the northward
** (where it is narroweft) it may be only three miles [from the
** Sea] to the moors, which are in fomc parts fo wide, that a
** man could icarcely pals over them in a fortnight, and in
" other pario perhaps in a week ^. Oppofite this land, to the
" fouth, is Sweoland, on the other fide of the moors, quite io
" /bij' northern hjnd^\ and oppofite to that again, to the north,
*' is Cwcnaland '. The Cwenas Ibmetimes make incurfions
*' ac:ainfl: the Northmen over thcfe moors, and fometimes the
*' Northmen on them ; there are very large frefli meres amongft
*' the moors, and the Cwenas carry their JJjips ' over land into
" the meres, whence they make depredations on theNortlimen;

their yZj//'j are fmall and very light.

" Olithere faid alfo, that the Jbire which he inhabited is called

Halgoland '% and that no one dwelt to the north of him ' ;

there is likewil'e a port to the fouth of this land, which.

is called Sciriiigcs-heal, which no one could reach in a
*' month, i( be iva!cbed in the n.'gbi'"^ and every day had a fair

♦* wind ;

s Thcfe very minute particulars fcem plainly to be taken clown b^
yElfucI, fiom Ohthcrc's own mouth, as he corrects himltlf moil ilru-
j)ul()uflv, in orilcr to inform the '::ng with accuracy.

" i. c. Normanna land, Ohthcrc's own country.

' Tlicle /hips were probably the lame with the fmall boats to this day
called coraele'S, which arc iifcd both on the 'I'owy and the \\'\ c. They
make them near Monmouth, not to weigh above 45 lb. and ihe\- arc
cafily therefore carried on a fiflicrman's back over fliailows.

^ " The land was full of little iflands, called yEgcland jml ILdgclinif^
hi lar. 66. dee;. N." f lakluyt, vol. i. p. 235. w here tlic following note
is infertcd in "the m.ir{.;in, *' In this land dwelt Ochther, as it feemeth."

' I: Hiould lecm that i! is is to be iinderllood as confined to i Idgeland,
as tlic port to the fouth, which follows plainly, relates to the fajuc
province.

'" I'he word in the original is jncob.'-, which is rendered curfum fif-
" tens;" but it properly (ignihes to go inick, and not flop. I cannot,

therefore.

4(

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[ 465 T

'* wind ; d\u'mg this voyage he would fail near laud, on Im
right hand would be Iralaud, and then the iflauds which ar«
between Iraland and this land. This country continues quite
to Sciringcs heal, and all the way on the lefi, as you proceed
northward to the fouth of Sciringes heal, a great fea makes
a vafl bay, and is Co wide, that no one can fee acrofs
it. Gotland is oppofite on the other fide, and afterwards
the Sea of Siliende lies many miles up in that countiy.
Ohthere further f^\ys, that he failed in five days from Sciringes
heal, to that port which men call .'^"t-Haethum, which is bc-
** tween the Winedum, Seaxum, and Angle, and makes part of
«' Dene,

" When Ohthere C\\\e<l to this place from Sciringes fieal, Den"
** mark was on his left, and on the right a wide fea for three
** days, as alfo two days before he came to Hicthum, Gotland,
" Siliende, and many iflands [thde lamls were inhabited by the
** Angle before they came hither "] ; for two days the iflands
*» which belong to Dene were on the left."

** Wulfftan faid, that he went from Heathuni to Trufo in
*' feven days and nights (the (hip being under {IvU all the time)
*' that Weonothland was on his right, but Langoknd, Lasland,

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therefore, but think that it Ihould be pacobe, and the meaning would
then be, that this port was diftant a month^s fail, if the veffel continued
it's courfe both by day and night. As for this porrt called Scipmi^e)--
heal in order to find out what place is hereby intended, we fliould flip-
pofc it to be pronounced 67'/r/M^«-heal, fory?, followed by the vowels
/■ and e (and fometinics by others) feems always to have been pro-
nounced by the Saxons, as it is by the Italians in the word Sciolto pro*
nounced S/jiolto. Thus we pronounce j-cip Jhip, p;itll /jf//, j-cilt) Jf^ieU,
ycmr^Jhin, j-c\jic JfiiiCf TpMfczj fjhy kc.

" This clears up moft decifively the doubts ift Camden's preface,
pi. cWiii. with regard to the fituation of the Angles.

Ooo *< Falflcr,

[ 466 ]

«* Falfter, aiKl Scoley on his leftv all which belong to Denemar-
** ca, ive " had alfo Burgenda-land on our left, which hath a
** king of its own. After having left Burgendaland, the iflands
" of Becinga, Mcroe, Eouland, and Gotland, were on our
*« left, which country belongs to Sweon ; and Wconodland
*' was all the way on our right, to the mouth of the Wefel.
*' This river is a very large one, and near it lies Willand and
*' Weonodland, the former of which belongs to Eflum, and tlie
'* Wefel does not run through Weonodland, but through Eft-
'* mere, which lake is fifteen miles broad. Then runs the
'* Ilfing, from the eaftward into. Eftmere ; on the bank of which
'* ftands Trufo, and the Ilfing flows from Eaftland into the Eft-
'* mere, and the Wefel from Weonodland to the fouth ; the
" Ilfing, having joined the Wefel tiikes its name, and runs to the
*-' welt of Eftnicre, and northward into the Sea, when it is
" called tlie Wefel's mouth. Eaftland is a. large tra6t of coua-
" try, and there are in it mai^y towns, and Ln every town is a
** king ; there is alfo a great quantity of lioncy and fifli, aiul
*' the king and the richeft men drink nothing hut milk, whilfl:
*' the poor and the (laves ufe mead. They have many contcfls

" It fccms very clear, from this exprcilion of zue, that when king.
JElfred came to this part of Orofius's geography, he confuhcd Ohtheve
and Wulfihn, who had livtd in the northern j>arrs of Europe,, which.
the ancients wtre ib little ai:cjua4nte.J with, and that he took down this
account from their own mouths. For the liuric reafon it is not impro-
bable that there may be fomvj miftakes in the Kino's relation, as thouph
thcl'e nortbern travellers fpoke a language bearing an affinit)- to the
Arglo Saxon, >ct it was ceriatnl'y a diakCt- with iwaterial varijtions. For
proof of this, let a chapter of ihc Spcathwi Rc'^.i/:, writtrn in the 'old
Icelandic, or Norwegian, be compared with rhe An<jlo.S.i\on. This
very turlyus work Was pubUfiieU iU Scroe, in 1-60.

" " rmongft

■J W

[ 467 .}

" amohgft th'emfelves, and the people of Ellum brew no ale,
*' though they have mead in profufion ''< • * - .

** There is alfo a particular cuftoin 'amon^;!! tliis nation, that
" when any one dies, the corpfe continues unhurnt with the re-
" lations and friends for a month or two, and the bodies of
*' kings and nobles' (according to their refpe<^llve wealth) lye
*' for half a year before the" corpfe Is thus deftroyed, and it
*' continues above ground in the houfe, during which time drink-
** ing and fports lafi: till the day on which the body is confuined.
" Then, when it is carried to the funeral pile, the fubftance of
** the deceafed (which remains after thefe drinking bouts and
" fports) is divided into five or fix heaps (fometimes into more)
" according to what he happens to be worth. Thefe heaps are
" difpofed at a mile's diftance from each other, the la'gelt heap
** at the greateft diftance from the town, and fo gradually the
" fmaller at leffer intervals, till all the wealth is divided, fo that
*' the leaft heap (hall be neareft the town where the corpfe lies.

** Then all thofe are to be fummoned who have the fleeteft
*' horfes in that country, within the diftance of five or fix miles
*' from thefe heaps, and they all ftrive for the fubftancc of the
*« deceafed ; he who hath the fwifteft horfe obtains the moft dif-
*' tant and largeft heap, and fo the others, in proportion, till ths
** whole is feized upon. He procures, however, the leaft heap,
'* who takes that which is neareft the town, and then everv one
<' rides away with his (hare, and keeps the whole of it; on ac-
" count of this cuftom, fleet hcrfes are extremely dear. When
«' the wealth of the deceafed hath been thus exhaufted, then they
•' carry the corpfe from the houfe, to burn it, together with the

1 Here Wulfftan's voyage ends in Hakluyt.
' High men in the Saxon.

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dead man^s weapons and cloaths j and generally tliey fpend
the whole wealth of the deceafed, by the body's continuing fe>
long in the houfe before it is buried ' ;: what, however, remains,
and is thus difpofed in heaps eu the road. Is takeu: away by
thefe foreign competitors.

" It is alfoa cuftom with, the Eftum, that the bodies of all the
inhabitants fhall be burned ; and if any one cau find a iingle
bone unconfumed, it is a caufe of anger. Thefe people alfa
have the means of producing very fevere cold,, by which the
dead body continues fo long above ground without putrefyipg * ^
and if any one fets a veflel full of ale or water, they contrive
that the liqjLiors fhall be frozen, be it fummer " or be it winter.'*^

• That is,, by the confequential expenccs.

' Phineas Fletcher, who was ambaflador from Queen. Elizabeth to-
Ruffia, gives an account of the fame pradtice c-^iitinuing in folne parts,
of Mulcovy. " In winter time,, when all is covered, with fnowi fp.many
•* as die are piled up in a hovel in the fuburbs, like billets on, a wood-
" Hack; they are as hard with the froft as a very flone, till the fpring-
" tide conic and refolve the froft, what time every man taketh his dead
<* friend, and committeth him 10. the ground." Sec a note to one pf
Fletcher's eclogues, p. 10, printed at Edinburgh, in 1771,. lamo. See
alfo a poem written at Mofcow,, ty G. TubervilTe,. in the firft volume of
Hakluyt, p. 3S6, where the fomc ciroumftaDce is dwelt upon, and the
reafon given, that the ground cannot be dug. Bodies, however,, are now
buried at Mofcow during the winter,

" This muft have been cffeftcd by fome fort of an ice houfe;. and it
appears by the Amoenitates Academicas, that they have now. ice-hpufes^
iu Sweden. and Lapland, which they build with mofs.

ij,..'.

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JOURNAL

O F

A VOYAGE IN 1775,

To explore the coaft of America, Northward' of California,

By the fecond Pilot of the Fleet, Don Francisco^
An.tomio Maurelle, in the King's Schooner,,
called the Sonora, and commanded by Don

JiUAN. FrAN-CISCO DE LA BODEGAv

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R E

E.

TH E following journal having been placed in my hands
for perudil, I conceived it to be fo interefting for the im-
provement of Gcogra|>hy, that I defired permiflion to tranflate and
publifh it.

I was principally induced to take this trouble, becaufe I fup-
pofed, that the Spaniards, from their mofl: peculiar jealony with
regard to their American dominions', would never permit that
navigators of other countries (particularly the Englifh) fliould
know the excellent ports of the VVellern part of America in
high Northern Latitudes, which are here laid down with fuch ac-
curacy and precilion, together with the abundant fupply of mnfls,
fire wood, and water which may be procured in moft of them.

' That mcfl able Hiftorian Dr. Robcrtfon, after having mentioned,
that moft of the American pajiers arc dcpofitcd la the Archivo of
Simanca, near Valladolid, thus proceeds :

" 1 he prolpetl of fuch : trcamre c>;citc<! -iiv moft ardent curiofitv ;
" but the profpett of It only Is all that I iv.ivc enjoyed. Spain, with
** an exccfs of caution, hath unifofmly thrown a \eil over her tranl-
" aftions in America ; from ftrani^crs they arc concealed with peculiar
" folicitude." Preface to the HiUory of America, p. ix.

*

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C *472 ]

til 4 :i

It appears, by Vcncga^'s Iliftory of Calltbrnln, puhliflicd in
1747'', that <';reat jcalouly was then entertained of our dlfcovcr-
ing a N. VV. paflngcS bccaufc they apprehended we (hould annoy
the coafts of Mexico and Peru.

Nothing however cm be moregroundlefb tlian thefe fufpicions,
for wlieiK ver a N. W. or any other Northern communication i?
fovuid between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, it niny be boldly
pronoj.iiecJ that fiieh paflage will be fo very i)recarious, as never
to anfwer the purpofe of expeditions in time of war, or commerce
du!-ing peace.

Tlie Spaniaixls Ihould, after our late voyages of dlfcovcry
(wiiicli refiecl lo much honour upon his Majelly's reign), be con-
vinced that the Englifh Nation is actuated merely by defning to
know as much as poiiible witli regard to the planet which we
inhiiliir, and to Vviiich our geographical inquiries are necefiarily
bounded.

This dillrufl: on the part of Spain would more wifely be di-
rected a^; linll the Ruiiians, who from Camlkatika might eafily
pftablifti thcmfelves on theW. coalt of America, and from thence
perhaps in lime fliake their unwieldy, and already tottering em-
pire '\

From thefe ill- founded apprehcnfions of what tiie Englifli
may meditate ngalnfl their American Dominions on the Welleiii
coail of that vaft eoritinent, they will not permit an individual,

^ Mulrid, 3 vol. Quarro.

*■' Iguahneiite p.otor'uis lull Lis rindofas^ y p:,)fa.his tentativas de )o3
lns;lejcs, para hallar u:\ paflagc al mar elcl Sur, por el Norte tie America.
Ibid. T. III. o. 225.

■^ I -.'.in aecordino-ly informed, rhat the Eniprefs means to fit out four
veflcls on tlic c oait of Carnrk:it(ka, \>hich are to be employed in dif-
covcrics, during the proper Icafon of 178 1.

even

. ('*

[ 473" ]

even of oiu" nation, to fct hi:, loot in thoir part of Amcnca, even
for fclcntlfic purpv'.lls ".

Notwithllaiulinp, tliij pcrpcturLl dillrv:;!: of this countiy in the
Spaniard.-;, r.iul ouv ii\i.iit \v;;r v.i'.:i thcin, I will v\rau;\' to
liiy, that an att, cL u;),)ii th^- i:ity or provuicc oi M-'vico, v. wuM
not he adviliib!.' on ouv part. ll \.'\c Spaniai\ls i'ldvwl licL.l
wifely, they Ihould thcmlclvcii abandon it, i'w the mines

* The tranladlioii I lu.rc alkulc to is [\\c tbllouiiicr. I,o-d Morton,
as Prcfidciit ol" i!-.c Royal Socict}, apiiiijii lo c!k' iliLii SpanilJ; aii;:u:t-
fador at ovir Court in 1766, for K'avo that an r.ni'Jilli ,Mlr(vio:'Tvr rai^'i:
obfcrvc the Tranlit ot Venus (cxpectej in 1769) on loine j.'.rt ol Cali-
fornia. '1 his was however iviuk 1.1, when his Lordlliip rci'.iciKd, tliat
Father Bofcowieh, a /'jrcT^/u'r and ^oaj Cithjl'nk, mi.'^'it have ihj t'liriC
pcrniiirion ; in which he w s at firlt more ruecifsU:!, but the favour
uas even then granted with many clogs, and the per a on at lalt re-
called, on aico.int of his being a Jefuit, who were at t.,at t.me b.inilhed
from Old and New Spain.

At the fame time Chappc Dauterochc obtalnei! this jn-rniifTion, ;iiid
for the fame purpofc ; the eonle<picncc of which hath beci, t!i:it a tlraft
of the city of Mexico, in its prefent flate, was found anioi.jl hi
])aper5, and publiflied !)}■ his Catholic M.jelly's good v.;iies, the f'ren^h,
for the information of h's enemies.

I once applieil tiiyfelf 10 the late Prince iTsIalierano (fo difervedly
eflccmcd whilll refident as Mlifiiler of Sj)ain in l^nglaaJ) that an in-
genious German, named Kukahn *, might be pciidtteu, vavKr zw:
refiridions, lo go from I/a Vera Cm?:, to any part of tlie province of
Mexico, merely to collcft fpecimens of Natural fliltorw 1 was a'.fo re-
fponfible that he never v.ovikl attend to luiy thing, dui-ing hi-, jou! nies,
but the animals' e might meet with. Though 1 matle this a[iplieat!on
hy a channel \shieh his excellency would have been defnovis to oblige,
vet he excufcd himfelf, from its being a fundamental rule with the
Court of Spain, that no foreigner be permitted to pafs through any p.\it
of their dominions on the continent of America.

* See nn account of his method of prefcrvintj inimals, nml placing them in their
proper attitiKle>!. (Ph. Trnnf.) lie h now c:1ablifbcil in Jamaic;'., and luidi fucceeded ia
r.ufing nviiiy Einopcan fruits, iis alfo prod'.ids of our kitchen-gardens, m luii;e ground
which he hath purchaled, about half v, ay up a mountain.

* O o o ^ within

f--

[ *4/4 ]

11.

%vithlii :iny convcinLnt iliflniicc iirc nearly CNlKUiflcd, wliilll the
charge of bringing quicklilvcr from La V'tia Cruz i.^ thcrch^-
Pjiratly angmentLcl. Vciicgas therefore informs us, that it is
not worth while to work the nioi-e abuiulant mines of SonoiM
to the Northward, from this i!icix\'tfe of cxpcnce. The filvcr in-
deed, at To diftant a period as 1 5oyears ago, was ehicfly brought from
St. Lewis do Sacatecas, which is nearly loo leagues N. of Mexici/''.
This objeclion does not hoUl with regani to the continuing to.
work the iilvcr mines of Peru, as tiic famou:^ one ol-^quickfilvtr,
called CiuuuicalcHc:?, is litiiatred in the fame pro\ince. It is be-
lieved nlfoj that the g'Jd mines in America, as tl.ey arc im-
proj^crly called, anfwcr as little to the Spaniards. At leaft I have
b(.;n informed, by a perlbn who refided two or three years in
j^rafil, uhieh furnifhes t!ie greateil quantity of this precious
metal, that th.ofc who go in fo-arch of it are not paid above ;i
(liilling per day for thiir labours. Gold is never found in the
flate oi or;;, or by digging deep into the bowels of the earth ; tile
adventurers therefore go in companies of Hve or fix to explore
thofe parts where they conceive thcmfelvcs to have the beil
chance of finding it near the furface, but often return after being
out months, with a very fmall portion, by wliieli the fatigues
and dangers tliey have inci>rred ara poorly compenfated..

As little would it anfwcr to take pofleffion of Acnpirlco, for
the fake of an annual (hip which would prcfently change its
rendefvouz for another pert, or of Panama, in order to intcr-

^ To this it niP.}' be audce, that the fituatiun of Mexico is very uu-
lualthy, (Jaid comp.nir.g the mnny canals to thofc of Venice, which
yrc often highly ofllnfne, f See Gage's Survey of the \V. Indies.] It is
alio fiibjc<t't to great inuntiations ; i:nd Don Alzate informs the Acadeiny
of Sciences at Paris, that during the years 1736 and 1768 more than
onctbird of ti:c inhabitants died of the black vomii,

cepc

T

C 475^ ]

ccpt the flotilla, which hy late regulations is never to touch
there ^

The Spaniards moreover (hould learn from what England hath
fiitllred by contiuering Canada for our ungrateful colonies, that
riie Ictllement of a rival nation to the Northward of Mexico,
would poHlbly operate in favour of the mother country.

We have experienced this moft unnatural rebellion witliln a
few years after we had removed the dread of the iMcnch in Ca-
nada from them, and after every follering indulgence on our
part. What may the Spaniards therefore have oecafion to dreail
from their vaft American Empire, the inliabltants of which they
are perpetually opprelilnr, with their enormous duties and taxes ?

Thus much have T ventured to fay in hopes that the court of
Spain will rather promote, than obflrue^, any future vovagc of
difcovery, in the Nortln .11 parts of the Pacific Ocean.

I am lorry that I have not an opportunity of engraving witlx
this journal the nine charls which Ihould accompany it ;. but as
the Latitudes and Longitudes of the new Difcoveries on the coaft
of America are fo accurately Ihited, UhouKMiope that the pub-
licatioH will at leall: convince the Spaniards how little it will an-
fwer the purpofeof myftery to withhold them.

It appears by this journal that the Viceroy of Mexico fent fomc
other (hips on difcovery to the Northward in a preceding year, and

c The filvcr from Peru and Cbiii is cither now fcnt over parr of the
Andes to liumos Ayres, cr ocherwife tranhiiittcd in fmr-le rccr-itcr %,..
round Cape Horn. The cilal.liftnienc of G.,lco;;s lailln-r^jn -i ^{lit
from Cadiz hung now ah"o ahohihcd, Cartb.agur.i, l'ortol]qin -nd
Panama, arc become more ilian ufelcfs to the Spaniards as the ciumtcs
arc had, vvhillt the civil and military cAablilhrncnt at each is vuv'e-
pcnfvve.- ^

th;:.t.

«)3

0

f.ji
II I. ,'■

[ *476 ]

tlmt they proccdcd to N. Lat. §^. Don Junn Peres, wIki ums
c?il!u;n ^ on board the Frigate in die prelciit voyage, ha! lo nc
ilarion i?i the former, niul carried with him n chart ot the coail,
in many ot'tiie parts which were then explored.

I nni lorry not to he able to ihite any further j-iarticuhirs, hut
think it right to mention thus much, in hopes thut it may pro-
duce fome account of til':; former voyape.

I fhould ctnceive, tliat both tlie one and the other were pro-
duced by our attempts to difcover a N. W. I\.l!i'.ge ; bccaufe it
v.ili be found, t!i;it wbieivwr the Spaniard^ Lt;u1ed thev were in-
ftrueled to take pofl'eiiion (though not ttWuep ir) with cverv [mffi-
ble formalitA', v/lfich unJjOuhte'J.ly was to b.- kt w^) as a complete
title apainl!: future claimants, by ri^ht of dilco\erv.

The compiler of th? prcicnt jouri^a', 1). Antonio Maurelle,
ferved on board tlie fchooner employed on tliis voyage (together
with a frigate) under tlie title of Secoiid Pilot of the Fleet '.

In one of the written opinions which he G;avc whilll: thus
employed, he flates, that he liad I'ervaxl ten years in the Bay of
Bifcay '% and feems to have been a moil diligent navigator ; whill},
to his honour, he always advifes the proceeding to as high a
Northern Latitude as pofiible, though lome of his brother oiiicers
almod: defjiair.

At the clofe of the journal a \cK-y accurate table is given of
the fliip's courfe for each day, with no lels than nine columns.

Havlnti' ho\\ever confulted lome mod experienced and able
fea-officers on this occafion, they have ad\ iled me only to print

• ^ Alfcrcz.

' I uiiderilar.-J that \\c have no rank in our m.iiino fcrvicc which an-
fwcrs at all to this.

*■ I'hc exprellion in tlic original is G^'fo r!c its .!?' v/^r.r, or the (hiif of
]\'!ar:s. '1 he Spiiuiarub alio c.iU the giUi" of I\]o\ico Cvljo dc las Uiri.\is,
or Gulf ./Z).:;.

5 a fe\T

[ 477* 1

.1 few of thefe heads ', as rt>mc of them would not be eafily uii-
derflood by any navigator, who is not a Spaniard.

Upon the whole, it is hoped, that tliis account of an eight
months navigation on the unfrequented coaft of America, will
prove a valuable addition to geography ; cfpccially as our im-
mortal Captain Cook had fo few opportunities of examining mofl:
parts of the lame continent to the Weilward'", though his dif-
coveries to the Northward will prove fo interefling.

' It is right alfo to obfcrvc, that (though I give the column which
ftates the Variation of the Needle) ir is not fpccificd whether thu Vari-
atio is Well or Eall ; I Ihould rather indeed luppole it to be the latter,
on the authority of Dr. Halley, though i->erhapj the diredlion may have
altered fince the laft century. This doubt ho^vever will be fettled when
Capt. Cook's laft vo)^age is publiflied.

'" This is laid to have been oecafioned by unfavourable w inds.

I

i'^

!

I J

Hi

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©■■■

[ 47' ]

, «

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♦^-;''

.5V1 sjjf:- VI,, ?i}f;i i-

^'fiij^^iffyr*? '«i !?:;..„.»

PREFACE OF Don ANTONIO'MAURELLE.

-!-V«t^ '-/?" if:

•<il,:\ ftsR?i

FOR the better underftanding this Journal, It will be proper
to premife the following particulars. ,. . t

The charts which we uled during the voyage were thofe of
Monf. Bellin, the one publiflied in 1766, and the other in 17 — ;
the firft of which places the port of St. Bias, 1 1 o degrees W.
Long, from Paris, and the fecond 114, differing confequently
4. degrees. For this reafon I have always reckoned the Weftern
Longitude from St. Bias % and not from Paris.

At the end there is an accurate table, every page of which in-
cludes a montii, with an account of the Ship's courfe each day,
together with the number of leagues failed, the longitude, lati-
tude, variation of the needle (which laft, when attended to, is
marked with an afterlik), and the diftance trom the nearcil
land.

• San Bias is a very fmaU hamlet, on the W. coart of the province of
Mexico, at the mouth of die River S. i'edro It is but vvithia thtfe
few years that the Spaniards have made a fettlement there, fox the con-
vcniency of tranfportlng the troops and provifions they fend to California.
Dr. t'obertfon's map places it about the zid degree of N. Lat. und 88rh
W. Long from Fero. See alfo Chapi>e D'Auteroche's account of his
journey Vrom la Vera Cruz to S. Bias In 1769. The LatltLide of this
port is not fcttkd by this Journal,, nor Longitude except by reference.

Z At

1

H ■

<|£'| '

,1 '■ M '

*' ' ■■'■ .

It

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I : I

'-'-jikll

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C 47O

Tl\e plans of the ports which have been difcovered, foiiow
thefe tables, as alfo a chart of the whole coaft, drawn with the
gfeaceft acCDi-acy, as we always marked the moft diftinguKhftblc
pouits. In order alfo that we might be more exaft, we com-
pared the fliip's courfe with that of the coaft, and repeated our
obfervatio^i,^ both. In faiUng Northwards, and returning to the

South. ■■^'--■'-^^- ■ n^-■.^yz .^

We likewife have omitted every longitude, in which we con-
ceived there had been miftakes, by accidents that had happened,
and when we Ohly doubted in diftanccs of no great moment, wa
have laid them down, making the proper allowances.

The latitudes of the charts ''are marked with the greateft pre-
cifion, in thofe fituations where it may be of the moft ufe,
liaving had fufficlent time to make the proper obfervations, whillt
the allowances for refraftion were attended to, f« •

i*r-* .,•.» . ■ > k J

')»" • • ■ ■

■I to -

^ Thefe charts unfortunately did not accompany the Journal.

>!•■ ■-''^•

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'♦{•fi: . J 1 ,i'! i _. .o-ji.. I,

January

I-

ir i

f !

i''\

[ *73 ]

• " • yanUiJ/y, 1775.

T>EING on board the King's floixfiiip ' tlu S.nUa Rica^ which
•J^then lay in the port of Vera Cruz, I received on the loth
of that month an order from his EKcelicncy the Viceroy "" Don
Antonio Maria deBucarely and Orfua, to undertake the fundion
of firfl pilot in the expedition, wliich was then fitting out at the
port of St. Bias for difcoveries on the Northern coall of Cali-
fornia %

As I have always had the flrongefl: defire to ferve his Majcfly
(be the rifque what it may) I readily accepted tliis commiflion,
and fctting out from La Vera Cruz on the 1 2th of January, I
reached Mexico on tlie 18th in order to receive his Excellency's
further commands. I left Mexico again on the 1 6th of February,
and arrived at the Port of St. Bias ^ putting myfelf under the
orders of the officer, who was to fit out the expedition, Don
Bruno tieceta. The Ihips prepared for this purpofe were a
frigate and fchooners, the latter being 56 feet long'', 12 feet
wide, and 8 deep, commanded by the Lieutenant Don Juan de
Ayala, aliifted by Don Juan Francifco de la Bodega, of the- fame

c Urea.

•^ So. of Mexico.

e Jt fliould kcm from this journal, that the Spaniards deem all
the N.W. coaft of Amepica beyond California to be part of that
province.

* The journey from La Vera Cruz to Port S. Bias is fuppofcd to be
300 leagues, thus divided : from I.a Vera Cruz to Mexico 1 10 leao-ues -
and from the latter to S. Bias 190. ^ *

s Gulcta. . . ■

iS eoilos, each eodo being two feet.

Ppp

rank,

i '\

t ,1j

t 474 ]

rank, and I embarked in the fchooner. It fo happened that the
pacquct-boat S. Carlos was at this time in the port of S. Bhis,
commanded by the Lieutenant D. Miguel Maurrique, who was to
proceed to the eftablifhment at Monterey'.

Wliilft we continued here, we laid in provifions for a year'i
. voyage ; all of which were procured from the neighbourhood.

On the 1 6th of March we had taken on board all fuch neccf-
farles ; and at lo o'clock at night the three veflels fet fail, fteering
N. W. with a gentle land-breeze at N.N.E. but though we did
every thing in our power during the night to keep company
with the other (hips, we were not able, which we conceived
to arife from the cargoe not being properly flowed, bccaufe the
fchooner's reputed rate of faihng, by thofe who were well-ac-
quainted with her, left us fcarcely any doubt with regard to this
being the real caufe.

As foon as day appeared on the 1 7th it grew calm, and con-
tinued fo till three in the afternoon ; when a breeze from the
N. W. arifing, we fleered N. N. E. and towards the coaft, till
fuu'fet, when the wind fell. At this time we caft anchor, and
found curfelves 4 leagvies N.N. E. of S. Bias, and in this man-
ner we profecuted our voyage, making ufe of the fea-breeze
during the day, and the land-breeze during the night, gaining
\eyy little to windward'', and calling anchor when the wind fell,
in order not to lofc ground by the currents ' , after fo little
progrefs, and with fuch trouble.

' The latitude of Monterey is fettled afterwards by this journal to be
in 36 44 N. Lat. and 17 o W. Long, from St. Bias. It is fituatedon the
Wcftern coaft of California, and a miffion of Jefuits is there eftablilhed.

^ Barlovento.

• The currents are fo ftrong in this fea that a promontory S. of S. Bias
is called Corrientes.

On

iNl',

f 475 ]

On the i3tli at three hi the eveiiuig the S. Carlos Pacquet-boar
niade a figiial for help, on which our captain fent a boat, In
which Don MIgnelMaurique (who commanded thePacquet) was
brouglit to our Ihip, when we plainly difcovered, by his aftions,
that he was out of his feufes. On this our principal officers ac-
companied him on board the frigate, that the captain miglit give
tlie proper orders on this occafion, when a council being held,
• and the furgcons examined, as well as ocular proofs appearin<r
of D. Maurique*s madncfs, it was determined to let him on (horc,
as alfo to give the command of the pacquet-boat to Don Juan
d'Ayla, lieutenant of the frigate, and that of the fchooner to
Don Juan Franciico de la Bodega and Quadra, who had the fame
rank.

On the 2oth, the breeze being moderate, it was difcovered tliat
the foretopfail " was rent in fexeral places, which defed it was
neceflary to repair immediately.

Whilft the wind thus continued, the commander of the
fchooner tried many experiments, to make her fail better, one
of which indeed rather improved her rate ; but tiie frigate, not-
withftandlngj was ftill obliged to (horten fail, in order to' keep
us company, and indeed to take us in towe".

On the 24th at noon we had light of the Southcrnmoft of the
Marias', lying to the N. E. at tlie diftancc of three leagues,
which makes the then lituation of our fhip exactly a degree w!
of S. Bias, according to M. Belln's map of 1756, and In N.Lat.
21. 4. m. Now this ditfers from my obfervations, being 26 mi-
nutes too far Northwards.

"■ F.l maftelero de vclacho.

"In the original another experiment is dated, which I have not
tranllated, as I -conceive it would be unintercfting to the reader.
" There are three iflands thus called,

PPP* WhlhT

[ 4/6 ]'

Whllft \vc wcro In tills fituatlDii wc loft (Ight of the pncquct-
boat, but wc coatiiiucd oin- covirfc ftceiing S. W. '' whc-u we ob-
fcrvcd many birds, Ibrae ot winch were black, wltli a whito
Ipot oil their breaft, the wings long, beak rather lafgc, belly
jnominent, and tail like a pair ot' laliiirsi; others again were
entirely white ; whilll i'onie were grey, with a Ihrglc large
feather. We ILkewll'c i"aw other birds, which dived often under
tlie water, named hobos.

During great part of Marcli the wind frcftiencd In the day,
and fell at night, particularly a little before the new moon ',
(which happened on the 29th,). after which we had often calms,
the wind having before blown from the N. W. to tlic N. on thl.^
fame day (viz. the 21^ th) we law an ifland at funfet, which 1$
Paid to be called Socorro', by which name it Is not to be found In
the French maps, nor in the Hi (lory of California ^ W'c had a
view of it whllrt it lay to the Eaftward at the dlftance of 9 or 10
leagues, which with difficulty we gained to windward", wkhing
to fall as nearly as pt)lTible upon the meridian of fliat Ifland.

On the 30th we endeavoured to approach nearer to Socorro,
when it lay \Y. N. W. " at the diltance of four leagues, but

f Sudooflc quarta al ocftc.

^ Tixcra.

' Great attention 10 the moon, and its fuppofcd cfTccIs on tiic weather,
IS tobc oblciveil in other parts of this journal.

' This iflaail, in Dr. RoLvrtlbn's ni:ip, is placed in 19, N. Lut. and
94 \V. LcMig. from Fcro.

' 'i his is probably the hillory of that countrv [Hiblilhci-l by Miguel^
Vcnrg-as (a ]\Ic\ie 'n Jcfuit) at ^ladrid, in 1758, which was tranllatcd
hno linglilh, ami pvintcd at London in 1759. It is not at ail extraor-
dinary however that this illand lliould not be mentioned in that aerouiv,
as Vcnog:is chieily dcfcribes the K. eoall of Calilornia. Socorro is coa-
fidtrably to the South of that I\ninfula.

" Orzando.

■'• Qeart.i al ocftc.

r ■■1

[ 477 ]

\vc could not cfTcd tills on account of the current:; to the S.
which carried us to r.ccward''.

From the 3 ill ot" March till the 4th of April \vc; luuKlflicr
calms or lii^ht brcc/.cs, on which account we coiiKl not lail i";n
thi^r from this Ulaiul than we lofl:' by the cmient,;. For tlils
n-afon alfo we tried hy towing the fchooncr, ami ufuig of our
oars, whether wc might not make fome part of the illand, where
we mig'.it procure water ; but in this wc could not I'ucceed on ac-
count of the violent currents.

Tills ifland, which, as was fald before, Is not named Socorro
Li any maps, is undoubtedly that which was dllcovered by Her-
nando Triabba, who commanded a ihip dlipatched from Guan-
tcpeque, by Hernan Cortes, to explore the coaft of California.

This veflel filled 300 leagues 'and fell in with an

ifland named St. Thomas, which is fo c.dled In the French maps,
though erroneoufly placed, becaufe its real latitude is i S" 53' N.
I^at. and \V. Long, from S. Bias 5" 18'.

On the 4th of April we loll fight of Socorro to the E.N R.
and profecuted our voyage to windward as much as poflible,
without any other accident but the frigate's bowfjtrit being da-
maged, which we foon repaired.

At this time we found that the ily was not f ) clear as before,
we ap[iroachcd Socorro, tl\at the luii did not aj'.jiear Co frecpientlv,
that the mlfts were not lo thick, that the; wind was much more
<;old, and in ihort we experienced a very different tempera-
ture.

Till the 14th, when the full moon happened, the breezes
were flight, and the currents always to the South, after this

y Sotovento.

^ There is a chafm in the J\IS wkh rci'urd to ih.
flvj laikd.

dircillon in wliich
hovvcvcr.

H

!'■;:

t 478 ]

lum-cvcr tlic wind fieflicncd to the N. N. E. fomctimes flitting
to tlicN.E. and blowng more ftiongly from that point. 13/
tljcfc means we had an opportunity of trying the faihng capacitr
of tlic I'chooner, for tlie rougher tlie fea the more fall was fet, fo
that the deck was conftantly two planks' under water to leeward;
wlilch thoroughly convinced thofe on board tlic frigate of our
determined refolutlon to profecute our voyage.

The crews of both (hips, who obferved what a prefs of fail
was carried by the fchooner, from the determined refolutlon of
the officers to proceed as far Northward as poffible, law plainly
that thiy were in fome degree miftaken, by conceiving at our firfl:
departure that the fchooner would be obliged to return to S. Bias
in a fortnight. They however ftlll fliewed their apprehenfions if
fhe purfucd her voyage, whilft fome of the fchooner's company
began to ficken, and wifli themfelves on board the frigate, where
there were medicines and a furgeon. Tlie furgcon however de-
clared, that if fuch feamen were removed to the frigate, they
would be probably felzcd with a fever, on which the Cap-
tain thought it right that this opinion fhould be made known to
the fchooner's crew, as he fuppofed It would have a greater ef-
fect than the threats of any punlfliment. To fay the truth, we
could not but be forry to obferve the horror that the crew con-
ceived of the bad condition of the fchooner, which affordsd
mlferablc quarters for the fick, as the feamen could not do the
bufmefs without being thoroughly wet, except when it was

Thefe diftrcfles would have become Infufferable, had not the
commander behaved with the greateft kindnefs to the crew, he
encouraged them to perfifl: alfo, by giving them frequently fraall

' Tablas.

4

pvefcnts,

<*IHI; I

r 479 ]

pi-eftnts, and" reminded tlicm of the glory they would obtain ou
their return, if they reached the proper latitude \ He added ahb,
that tlie rifquc was nearly equal' to both veflels, and that as cacli
fliip's company valued their lives, they might be lure that it
would not be attempted to proceed furtlicr than wa;, confilKiit
with their mutual fafety. This interpofition of the comniandcr
had at length the proper efFed, and we agreed to live and dvc
together.

On the nth of May the wind began to veer about, and on
every point to the Eaftward, but ended to the E. & S. E. with
many fqualls-^and mifts. The ftrong currents which we Juul
before experienced to the S. were now fcarcely to be per-
ceived.

On the 2ift our commander held a council, m which it was
to be determined whether we fhould continue our voyage, or put
into the eftablifliment at Monterey, and that the refolutions we
(hould come to might be the more deliberate, our opinions, witli
the reafons on which they were founded, were reduced to writ-
ing. As the wind however was very violent, there could be no .
perfonal communication between theofficersof the two (hips, and
our opinions were therefore tranfmittcd by means of a calk.

[Thefc opinions follow, in the journal at length, but as tlicy
would not be very interefting even to the navigator, I fhall only.
ftate that they all agree hi advifing that they fliould proceed as
far N. as 43. rather than put into Monterey. The principal

^ It appears afterwards that they were inflrudcd to proceed as hr N.
as 65 if practicable.

< It mua be rccollcdcd that at this time tlic frirate towed tlic
fchooner. '^

•^ Chuvafcos, which is fuppofed to be 3 term iifcd in rhe Mexicni
Seas.

ri.atoii

ii

[ 43^ ]

i' i

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it

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ronfon for tliis advice is, tliat Martin do Aguilar had dlfcovcrcd a
river in this hititude, where tlicy ho]'«cd coiifcqucntly to water,
and rcjinir tiicir vcfl'ch',]

Wc proceeded on our voyage thei-efore witli hrifk winds from
tlie N. & N. N. E. tlie fca running higli till the 30th, when
the new moon happened during wh.ich interval wc made many
tacks, and did not accurately obferve cur longitude or lati-
tude.

On this fame day we had gentle hrec/.es between N. \V. &
S. W. varying thus for the three following days, after which
the wind was Heady in the W. N. \V. and blew frelhcr as the
moon increafed.

On the fu'fl: of June one of our feamcn was fo drunk with
fpirits that we thought It right to remove him to the frigate ^
where he afterwards died in Icfs than fix hours. On the lame
day we ohferved fome fea-weeds, the top of which much refem-
hled an orange", from the upper part of which hung large and
broad leaves.

At the extremity of this plant Is a very long tube, which fixes
to the rocks on the coaft till it is loofened by the fea, when it
often floats to the dlftance of 100 leagues. Wc named this plant
the Or(ifigc-/:ie(7cf.

The next day wc finv another plant, with long and narrow
leaves like a ribband, which Is called Zcidite del Mar ; we alfo
fiiw many lea-wolves, ducks, and filli.

' In the account of this voyage in 1601, added to Vencgas's Illftory
ofCalitornia, this river is lliid to have been tlilcovcrcd by the pi'oc
Lopes and not by Martin de Aguilar. In fome maps it is placed in
45 N. Lat.

'' B'jcaufc there v.-as a furgcon on board that Ihip, probably,

^ Una naranja.

On

[

]

On the 5tli our towing rope '' was broke; which Indeed had
happened fcvcral times before, notwithftanding the grcateft caro
ot both fhip's companies, on which accident we refolved to pro»
ceed, as well as we could, without this very inconvenient ap.
pendage.

On the 7t]i, from tlie colour of the fea, we judged ourfclvcs
to be in foundings, and wc fuppoled ourfelves to be about thirtr
leagues from tlie coaft.

By noon on the lame day we diftinguiflied a large tra^ of the
coaft (tliough at a confiderable diftance) lying from the S. W.
to the N. E. but we were not able to get nearer to it, by the windt
falling calm during tlie night and the following day.

On the 8 til we faw tlie coaft much clearer at the diftance of
about 9 leagues, and the next 24 hours the currents to the S. in-
creafed ftroiigly, fo tliat there was a ditrbrcnce in the latitude by
obiervation and our reckoning of 29 minutes.

The finne day the wind frefliening, the commander made
fignal for the fchooner to reconnoitre the coaft, which diredion
we complied with to our utmoft, fteering to the N. N. E. and
hoping to do this before the night. In efteft, by fix in the even-
ning, we diftinguiihed many headlands, bays, plains, and moun-
tains, with trees and green fields.

By eight at night we were not more than two leagues diftant
from the land, nor the frigate more than three ; we then failed
towards her, and thus pafled the night.

On the 9th at break of day the frigate made us a lignal to join
them, and by 10 in the morning we followed their courfe till we
came to another part of the coaft, where we faw, with the
greatcft clearnefs, the plains, rocks, bays, headlands, breakers,

'' El remorque.

Q.q*i

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[ 48^ ]

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Tin J trees : here wc rounded in 30 fiithoms, the bottom being a
black ilind. At the liime time we failed along the coall, and
endeavoured to find out a port, being at the dilhincc only of a
mile, and approaching to a high cape, w'lich leemed to promifc
flielter, though we were obliged to proceed cautioufly, as many
fmall iflands concealed from us fomc rocks, which fcarcely ap-
peared above the furface of the fea.

As we now perceived a land-locked harbour to the S, W. we
determined to enter it, making at the fame time a fignal to
the frigate to lend vs an anchor, which however they were not
able to do, from their diftancc, as well as that the wind blew
frcih. For thefe reafons the fchooner entered the port alone,
founding all the way, with the greateft care, and the frigate fol-
lowed in our wake.

W'liilft we were thus entering the port, we obfcrved two canoes
from the N. whicli came clof** to the frigate, and cxchan<icd
their Ikins for bugles, and other trifles, with our feamen, whil/l
in the mean time tiae fchooner cafl anchor cppolite to a little
village '', which was fituated at the bottom of a mountain : the
inhabitants however did not fend out any canoes to us.

After this we founded the interior parts of the port, and
we found futficient depth of water to anchor at a bow's Ihoi from
the land, we faw likcwife the frigate at the bottom of the po'^t,
and faflened our cables to fomc rocks which nature feenied to
have fixed there for this purpole. We took however the pre-
caution to let f dl two anchors on the oppofite fide ; (vi/.. to the
S. and S. \V.) on whicli the frigate followed our cxamrie.

^ Ranchcri:!.

A^

1

[ 483 ]

As fooii as we had anchored, fume Iiuhans hi canoes came on
board, who, without the lead fliynefs, trucked fomc Ikms for
bugles. . .

, And here it may be right to obfcrve the inaccuracies of tlic
Frcncli map ', both with regard to the capes, and the lying of
tlie coaft. It Ihould fcem indeed that the ablolutc want of
authentic materials hath been the occaf on of laying down at ran-
dom fome large bays, which we neither found to the N. or to
the S. as we mufl: certainly have fallen in with them above Cape
Fcntuna, which is placed 18 leagues to the S. of Cape Mendo-
cino "', whereas we were twent}^ leagues to the N. which makes
an error of two degrees of latitude ".

On the iith we had fixetl every thing with regard to oiu'
ancliorage, and we determined to take poflclhon of the country,,
upon the top of a high mountain, which lyes at the entrance of
the port. For tliis purpofe our crews divided into different par-
tics, which were properly ported, lb tliat the reft might proceed
without any danger of an attack. We moreover placed ccnti-
nels at a confiderable dillance, to reconnoitre the paths ufed.by
the Indians, who pofl'efled themfelves of thofe parts from which
we had moft to fear. With thefe precautions the crews marched
in two bodies, who adored the holy crofs upon difembarking, and
when at the top oi' the niountain formed a fquare, the centre of
which became a chapel. Mere the holy crofs was again railed,
mafs celebrated, with a fermon, and pofieihon taken, vvitli all
the rcquifites enjoined by our inftrudlons. We alio fired both

1 Of Monf. Bcllin.

"' l^o called from Mcndozn, a Viceroy of Mexico, vviio fcnt fome
iliips on difcovcry. ]\Ioll maps place this on the N. \V. point of Cali-
fornia.

" De ocho cavos.

Qjiq 2

our

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[ 484 ]

our mulqiietry and cannon, which naturally made the Indians
fuppofe wc were irrefiftible. After they had recovered their
fright however, and found that we had done them no harm, they
vifited us again, and probably to examine more nearly what had
occafioned the tremendous noife which they had never heard
before. As we thus took pofTeflion on the day when holy mother
church celebrates the feftival of the mofl: holy Trinity, we named
the port accordingly °.

The following days were taken up in procuring wood and
water, whilfl: the fchooncr was careened. We likewife cut fomc
mafts for her.

We could not but particularly attend to all the anions of the
Indians, their manner of living, habitations, garments, food,
government, laws, language, and arms, as alfo their p hunting
and fifherles. The diftrufi: indeed which we naturally entertained
of thefe barbarians, made us endeavour to get as great an infigbt
into all thefe as pollible, yet we never obferved any thing con-
trary to the moft pcrfed friendship and confidence which they
feemed to repofe in us. J may add, that their iutercourfc with
us was not only kind, but affodtionate.

There lioufcs were fquare, and built wi'tii large beams, the
roofs being no higher than the furface of the ground, for tlie.

" There is c("rtriiiily fomc ufe to geographers in thfs cuftom of the
Spaniards naming pluces from the Saiiu's day in which they take i)or-
feflion, or make the dilcovcry, as it points out to pofterity the time ot the
year when the event happened.

f Sus aiztJSy whieh like the French word (l-q/fc and Italian raccia,,
comprehends alio fowling. In Sir Alhton Lever's moll capital mufeum
may be fcen what contrivances are ufed by the Lidians of St. George's
Sound N. Lat. 50. on this iamc coafl and for thefe purpoles. There is-
alfo in the fame noble repofitory fomc birdlime from the newly difcovcred'
l^'andwich illanJ.;.

doors.

¥W

doors to which they mike ufc of a circular hole, jufl large
enough for tlicu" bodies to pafs through. The floors of thefc
huts are perfcdlly fmooth and clean, with a fquare hole "i two
feet deep in the centre, in which they make their fire, and round
which they are continually warming themfelves, on account of
the great cold. Sucli habitations alfo fecure them, when not em-
ployed out of doors, from the wind and noxious animals.

Tlie men however do not wear any covering, except the cold is
intenll>, when indeed they put upon their fhoulders the ikins of
lea-wolves, otters, deer, or other animals : many of them alfo
have round their heads ■■ fwect-fmclHng herlis. They likcwife
wear their hair either diflievcllcd over tlieir fliouldcrs, or other-
wife en cajlanna ^

In the flaps of their cars they have rings like thofe at the end
of a mufquet '.

They bind their loins and legs quite down to the ancles,, very
clofely, with ftrips of hide or thread.

They paint their face, and greater part of their body, regularly
either with a black or blue "colour.

Their arms arc covered witli circles of fniall ])oints in tlie
fiime manner that common people in Spain often paint fliips and.
anchors.

r/

1 O'vo or c; c lircrallw

' Una rucdr., literally ;-, f;.irlan(l in the form of a \\hccl,

= The Sinini:iri's apply caihinn:i to a particular inctho 1 of i\;^K\n^
the \rx\x—piiiud<j en cajtaiv.a, 1/t.rally fignifics, hair dniild to rdcniblc
a chi-uuit tree.

' I am informed by a j.M-ntleman long rcfidont in Spain, that it is not
vnufi.'al to have rings io plaeeci, and that thcv are of ule to prevent the
l;:';',ph!ck fron; falling off.

' Azarcoir.

W^

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S'PIl

I ;■

11. ''1:

[ 4S6 ]

The v.'omcii cover the tops of their heads nir'i an ornainei\t
like the crcfl' of a hchiut*, and wear their hair in two trelicsy,
in which they ftick many fwcet-fmelling herhs. They alfo ufe
the fame rings in their caps (which are of hone) as the men arc
heforc defcrihed to do, and cover their hodies with tlic fame (Icins,
hefidcs which they more decently wear an apron of the fame kind,
ahout a foot wide, with feme threads formed into a fringe. They
likewife hind their lc.,o in the fame manner with the men.

The undcrlip of tiicil- women is fwelled out into three Jhfc/'as,
or rifmjT?, two of which iiiue from th.e corners of the mouth to
the lowcft part of the heard % and the third from the higheft
point, and middle of that point to the lower, like the others %
leaving between each a fpace of clear flcfh, which is much
larger in the young than in the okUr women, whofe faces
are generally covered wifh pundlures ^, fo as to be totally dis-
figured.

On their necks they wear various fruits % Inftead of heads ;
fome of thefe ornaments alfo confift of the bones of animals, or
fliells from the fea-coaft.

This tribe of Indians Is governed by a ruler, who direi^s
where they fhall go both to hunt and fifli for what the com-
munity ftands in need of. We alfo obferved that one of thefe
Indians always examined caretully the lea-ihoar, wlicn we went

" Copa dc timbras.

y Colgadas par las mcfiUas.

' That is, I Uippoff, what would be beard in men.

» I muft own, that I do not thoroughly comprehend this dcfcriptlon,
though I ihink 1 cannot have mis-tranllated it.

'' t'icaditra, fo that I conclude thefe fvvcUiiigs on the face, in fuch
forms as deicribcd, muft be occafioncd b}' a fort of tattooing,

•= Rather feeds perhaps.

7 to

[ 48; ]

to onr flilps on the clofe of twilight'', the occafion of which pro-
bably was to take care that all their people (hould return lafe to
their iial)itations about that time.

It ftiould Icem that the authority of this ruler is confined to a
particular village of thefe hnbitatione, together with fuch a dil-
tria of country as may be fup])ofed to belong to the inhabitants
of luch a community, who fometimcs are at war with other
villages, againftwhom they appeared to aik our afiiftance, makiiig
us figns •= for that purpofe. There are however mawy othcT
villages which are friendly to each other. If not to thefe Indians ;
for on our firft arrival more than 300 came down in dilllrent
parties, with their women and cliildren, who were not indeed
permitfed to enter the village of our Indians,

Whdft this fort of intercourfe continued between us, we o!)-
ferved an infant who could fcarcely be a year old, fliooting arrows
from a bow proportioned to his fize and ftrength, and who hit
one's hand at two or three yards diftaucc, if it was held up for a
mark.

Wc never obferved that thefe Indians had any idols, or made
facrifices : but as we found out tliat they had a plurality of wives,
or women, at leaft, we inferred, iviib good }-enJh?j, that they -iv.-rc
pcrJcSi aihcijls.

Upon the death of one of thefe Indians tlicy raifed a lort of
funeral cry, and afterwards burned the body within the houfc
ot th(.ir ruler; but from this we could not pronounce thev were
idolaters, becaule the cry of lamentation might proceed from
affiiaion, and the body might have h.en burnt, that the curj^l-

d Alaonulm, i:i the original, at which time the S}).iniai..b uTlliUv
make a fhorc pi.i} er. '

• Vv"h.it thefe were is not ftatcd.

m

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[ 4SS ]

Ihould not be cxpofcd to wild heads ; or pcihaps this might liave
bcoti done to a\ old the flench of the dcccaled, when putrcfadion
niight conunence.

\Vc were not able to niukrdand one of their regulations, as
they peruMttcd our people to enter all their houfes, except that
of their ruler j and yet when we had broken through this eti-
quette, we could not o!)lervc any thing ditfcrent between the
fii/ijce, and tlic other hut;^.

It was inipoflible for u.-. to undcriland tlieir language, for
which reafon we had no intercourle but by iigns, and therefore
both jiartles often continued in a total ignorance of each other's
meaning : we obferved however that they pronounced our words
with <rreat eal'e '.

Their arms are chiefly arrows pointed with flint, and fome of
them with copper or iron ^, which wc underllood w^ere procured
from the N. and one of thefe was thus marked Q^. Thefe ar-
rows are earrud in ijulvers of wood or bone, and hang from their
wiill or n(.ek.

m

' From hence it may be inlerred, that thcfc Indians pronounce giir-
tnrally, as all the nations of Europe indeed do, except the Engiifli,
iMench, an>.' great part of Italy.

•" Such are to be fcen at Sir Afliton Lever's ^hifcum from K. George's
founil N. Lat. 50. which confirms the Journal in their being brought
from the North. I flioukl conceive that the copper and iron here men-
tioned mull; have originallv been bartered at our forts in lludfon's Bay,
with the travelling hordes of Indians who refort there at ibited times.
S^ome of our own people arc alfo very enterprising in their c.\eurfions,
as one of them within thefe few years hath been as far as N. l.at. 72.
W. Long, from Fi)rt Churchill 24. where he faw an open fca. — hi tlic
fiiiK- nobie Mufeum is a molt particular bow from the \V. coaft of Ame-
rica N. Lat, 50. which exadly refembles one from the Labradorc
Cojlu

But

r^i

[ 4*S9 ]

But wliat tliey clucfly value i:; iron, and particularly kniv.-s
or hoops of old barrels ; they alio readily barter for bugles,
whilft they rcjcdcd both provilioiis or any article of drelk Tlicy
pretended however that they fomctimes approved the fji-mcr, in
order to procure our eftcem ; but foon after they had accepted
any fort of meat, we obferved that they fet it afide, as of no
value. At laft indeed -they took kindly to our bifcuits, and really
ent them.

Amongfl: thefe Indians there wa? one who had more familiar
intercourfe with us than all the reft, fitting down with us in light
of his countrymen.

They ufed tobacco, which they fmoaked in fmall wooden
pipes, hi form of a trumpet, and procured from little gardens
where they had planted it ^

They chiefly hunt deer, cibulos, fea-wolves, and otters, nor
did wc obferve that they purfued any others. The only birds we
m^t with on this part of the coaft were daws, hawks, very
fmall paroquets, ducks, and gulls ; there were alio lome par-
rots with red feet, bills, and breafts, like lories both in their
heads and flight.

The filli on that coafl arc chiefly fardines, pejercy ', and cod ;
of which they only bring home as much as will fatisfy the wants
of the da v.

We tried to find if they had ever fcen other Grangers, or (hips
tlian our own, iiut though wc took great pains to inform ourfches
on this head, wc never could perfectly comprehend what they
laid ; upon the whole we conceived that we were the only foreigners
who had ever vifited that part of the coafl,

^ It need fcarccly be obferved that tobacco is an Indigenous plant in
N. Anicrien, as it is alio of Afia.

' Jn this nnd other indanccs where I do not know the animal alluded
to, I ll:ia,ll give the Jouinalirt'b name,

1\ r r \V(4

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We likcwire endeavoured to know from them ^vlicthcr they
had any mines or precious ftones ; but in this we were likewillj
dilappointcd.

What we faw of tlie country leaves us no doubt of its fertTllty^
and that it is capable of producing all the plants of Europe. In
moft of the gullies of the hills there are rills of clear and cool
\vater, the fides of which are covered with herbs (as in the
meadows of Europe) of both agreeable verdure and fmelP.
Amongfl: thefe were Cadilian rofcs, fmallage, lilies, plantain,
thiftles, camomile, and many others. We likewlfe found ftraw-
berries, rafberries, blackberries, fweet onions, and potatoes, all
which grew in confiderable abundance, and particularly near
the rills. Amongfl: other plants we obferved one which much
refombled percely (though not in Its fmell), which the Indians
bruifed and cat, after mixing it with onions.

The hills were covered with very large, high, andftrait pines,
amongfl: which I obferved fome of 120 feet ^ high, and 4 in dia-
meter towards the bottom.

All thefe pines are proper for mafl:s and fhip-bullding.

The outline of the port is reprefented in Chart the 6th ', which
was drawn by D. Bruno Heceta, D. Juan Fr. de la Bodega, and
mylelf. I'hough the port is there reprefented as open, yet it is
to be underfliood that the harbour is well (heltered from the
S. W. W. & N. \ ^ as alfo from the N. N. E. & E.

[This difcovery was made by the fchooner on the pth of
June.]

• Perhaps the accounts given by navigators of the beauty of a country
or its productions after a long voyage may be not entirely relied upon,
4S they are commonly exagerated.

^ Scfanta varas.

' Thefe Charts, which amount to nine, have never been tranfmittcd to
England,

7. la

In the W. part there is a hill 50 fathoms "* high, joining to
the continent on the N. fide, where there is another riling of 20,
both of which afford protection not only from the winds, but the
attack of an enemy.

At the entrance of the port is a fmall ifland of confiderablc
height, without a fmgle plant upon it ; and on the fides of the
coaft are high rocks, which are very convenient for difembarking";
goods alfo may be fliipped fo near the hill°, that a ladder
may be ufed from the land to the veflel ; and near the fand are
many fmall rocks, which fecure the ihip at anchor from the S.E,
and S. W.

AVe compleated our watering very early from the number of
rills which emptied themfelves into the harbour ; we were like--
vvife as foon fupplied with wood.

We paid great attention to the tides, and found them to be
as regular as in Europe.

We made repeated obfervations with regard to the latitude of
this harbour, and found it was exadly 41 degrees and 7 minutes
N. whilft we fuppofed the Longitude to be 19 degrees and 4 mi-
nutes W. of S. Bias.

We had thus thoroughly invciligated every thing which re-
lates to this harbour, except the courfe of a river which came
from the S. W. and which appeared whilfl we were at the top
of the hill p. We took therefore the boat on the i8th, and
'found that the iTMDUth was wider than is ncceffary tor the difchargo
of the water, which is lofl: in the fands on each fide, fo that wr

'» Tueffas.

" By the water being deep clofe to thcfc rocks.

' Sc. Tliiit of 50 lathonis in height.

f The going thither hath been before mentioned.

I ' i?

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[ 492 J

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could not even enter it except at full tide. However we left our
boat, and preceded a league into the country, whilft the river
continued of the fame width ; viz. 20 feet, and about five
deep.

On the banks of this river were larger timber trees than we
had before fecn, and we conceived that in land-floods the whole
plain (which was more than a quarter of a league broad) mufl;
be frequently covered with water, as there were many places
where it continued to ftagnate.

We gave this river the name of Pigeons, becaufe at our firfl
landing we law large flocks of thefe, and other birds, fome of
which had pleafing notes.

On the fides of the mountains we found the fame plants and
fruits, as In the more immediate neighbourhood of Trinity-
Harbour,

On the 19th of June, at 8 in the morning, we took up our
anchors, and failed with a gentle breeze from N. W. which had
continued in the fame diredtion all the time we were in port. It
fell calm however at ten, on which we caft anchor about a can-
non's fhot from the little ifland, where we had ten fathom water,
and a muddy bottom.

On the 20th in the evening the wind btew again from theN. W.
and we failed to the E. S. W. & S. E. the wind continuing N. \V,
which made the fea run high.

On the 2ifl was new moon, and the wind veered about to the
\V. with fiiiall rains and miih, which feparated the two fhips
for fix or eight hours, during which we made our fignals by
lights, and firing guns.

In order to get into the couife we were to fteer, if the wind
proved favourable, I mentioned to our commander what I had

rend

I

f m ]

read in D.Juan Perc//s journal % whicli had been delivered tu
him, where it was oblcrved that this navigator had the winds
from tiic S. &i S. E. with whlcii it was oaf/ to run along the coafl,
to a high Northern latitude, and for that reafon Perez was of opinion
that the coaft fhould not be approaclied till 49, in wliich I agrc.tl
with him. Our commanders indeed kept as much to windward
as polfible in order to take advantage of the wind, when it rtiould
become fair ; but it foon changed to the W. & N. W. which
drove us on that part of the coafl which we wanted to avoid.
. On this lame day we repaired fcveral damages which our Ihip
had fuffered, with the greateft alacrity, in hopes of profecuting
our difcoverics, and found that flic failed better comparatively
with the frigate than fhe had done before ■■. .

On the 2d of July fome other damages were repaived.

Although we laid great ftrefs upon getting to the Weftward,
in order that we might afterwards proceed N. as alfo difcovcr
fome port in a lower latitude than 65, yet we were not able to
efFea this, as the wind from being W. turned to the N. W. ajid
drove us upon the coaft [too euly].

On the 9th of July I conceivxl myfelf to be in the latitude cf
the mouth of a river % difcovcicd by John de Fuca (according to
the French map) whicli we therefore endeavoured to make for,
whllft at the lame time we obfervcd that the fea was coloured, as
in ioundings; many fifn', reeds 20 feet long,, and the Orange-

t It appears afterwards that this D. Juan Tcrez was o;/7«7; on boar. I
the frigate, and that he had failed in a former vo3agc of diicovcry to a
confiderable, N. Latitude on the W. coaft of America.

■■ The particulars of thcfe repairs, as alfo in what refpcia: Ihc failed.
better, are omitted as unintcrclhng.

' Perhaps ^^u/f [ boca ].

.' Toni/uis, fuppofed tu be porpcfics.

[ 49+ 1

Leads'^ Hkewltc appeared; all of which circumftaiiccs fliewed
that wc wtie not far cUftant from the coafl:.

The lanu' day hoth wind and fca increafcd fo much that our
deck was thoroughly wetted, and our ciftern of water alfo was
much damaged, on which accvount it became neceflhry to ftecr
S. W. from five in the evening till day-break, when the fea
became more calm, and wind more fail ; fo that wc failed N, and
a point to the E. hoping to difcovcr the land.

At fun-fct the horizon was more clear, and the (Igns of ap-
proaching the coafl: greatly increafcd ; as we could not diftinguifh
it however we kept in the wake of the frigate, by very clear
moonlight.

On the nth at day break' the fky was very bright, there was
an appearance of foundings, much fea- weed, many birds, and the
grcatefl: flgns of being near land. In effedl at ii the fun fhone,
and we diflinguifhed the coafl to the N. W. when wc were about
1 2 leagues from it.

In the evening both wind and fea rofe fo much that the frigate
thought it right to keep us In fight, and we were much fatigued
by the violence of the wcatiier.

On the 1 2th wc had got five or fix leagues to the N. of the
frigate, whilfl we were but three leagues from the land, with a
more favourable wind and calmer fea, that wc joined her by
eleven. At fix in tiie evening the coafl was not more diilant
vrhan'a league, when we diflinguifhed various headlands, many liiiall
ifiaiuls, as alfb mountains covered with fhow.

Wc likcwlfe found a barren ifland about half a league In cir-
.•cuHifcrence, which we called de Dolores.

'" A fca-plant before dcfcribed.

Wc

[ 495 ]

We now carried nil the Hill we could to follow the frigate, Imt
tve could not do lo at the proper diftaiice, in lb much that at fuii-
fct wc lofl fight of her, and although during tlic wiiole niglit
we hung cut lights, fired our guns, as alfo rockets, (he never
anfwcred our fignals, from which wc concluded that tlicy could
not be dlfringuiflicd by our companion.

On tlie 13th however the frigate appeared at a great dillanc?,.
and fccmed to be making for the coaft.

We now founded, and found 30 fathoms of water, cafling
anchor two leagues and half from the land. At twelve on the
fame day we liiw the frigate ftill at a greater dlflancc to leeward,
though Ihe endeavoured to approach the coaft. On this we let
fall to join her, keeping at the fame time as near to the land a?
we could, and being not fiuther diflant than a mile, we plainly
diainguilhed, as we pafled to the S. VV. the plains, fmall de-
tached rocks, and low headlands, till fix in the evening. As wc
could not however find any port, and could not bear to lofe the
Northing we had gained with fo much trouble, we determined
tocaft anelior near a point, where wc thought we fhould be able
to procure wood and water, as well as marts.

The frigate was now not more than half a league dillant, and
we therefore made a lignal to her to cafl anchor, having eight
fathoms of water xipon founding.

After this I loon went on board the frigate, the Captain of
which told me that the Commander of the fchooner fliould come
to him, in order to hold a council, whether the fchooner fliould
proceed or not to a higher latitude, as every minute we ftaycd
longer on the coafl, would fubjed us to greater i-ilques, both
from the winds and fca. This was alfo the more to be dreaded,
as the wliole crew of th;.- frigate had been fick for tlie tuo laCt
days, whilll; the commauder himlclf was tar from \'.ell. The

captalii

t ■ 'n

i

1^,'.

i'^;;

[ 49<5 ]

cnptain of the fcliooner therefore '.vas to keep near, and jointly
take jX)flcf]ion of this part of tlic coafl:. laccordinglv carried tliclc
orders to rk, lliioor-cr, \vk.orc captain dlrc£lcd that the next day
we ilicvjld join the frigate.

In the niean while nine canoes of tall and ftout Indians ap-
peared, wlio invited tlic crew of the fchooner with great cordiality
to eat, drink, and flcep with them.

Our commander took care to regale them in the heft manner
he could, and particularly their chieftains, as well as thole who
came the mort readily on board, giving them whatever tl. cy
iccmcd mod to dcfi.e.

The Indians, being obliged by thefe clvillcies, rowed near to our
fhip, making friendly figns, and as we anfwered by the fame
civihties, they left us at nine, and foon returned with fifh of
mn!iy lorts, pii^ro^ whale, and falmon, asalfoflefh of fcveral ani-
r\^ak;, well cured under ground. Thefe prefents, in fufficient
abundance, were offered to our commander, after which thcv
returned to their villages, leaving us in high admrration of their
noble proceedings.

On the 14th in tli;^ morning the fea ebbed fo low, that the
ridges of rock? appeared along the coal>, which prevented us from
then failing, and obliged us to wait for the full of the tide,
which was to happen at i 2 at noon. During this interval the
Indians traflieked with us for various Ikins of animals, forwhicli
they cxpeclcd fome peices of iron in exchange, which they mani-
fefled by putting their hands upon the rudder-irons" ; our people
therefore procuied them fuch, from old chefls, after whicJi they
returned to their village, making the fame fgns as they had done
the ilay before.

" Lo.-> Miichos<ki timon.

Oi

[ 497 ]

On the I ft of July we were to go on (hore by ortler of our
conimaiulcr ; and as \vc were iVill to continue our voyage for
ibmc time, it was necefliuy we flioukl procure a fufficlent quan-
tity of water (fo much being iifed lince we failed from Port'
I'rinity) though hitherto we had not been able to elFcdl this
from want o£. a proper tide, which at the fame time prevented
us from getting wood and a mail. For this rcalbn fuch part of
the crew was pltch.( J upon who were likely to be mofi: p.etive in
the fervice, each of them taking a gun and piftol, and fome oi
them a cutlafs^' and cartridge-box, the whole party being put
under the command of Pedro Santa-Ana ', who always dillin-
guilhed himfclf upon fuch occafions. They alfo took with them
hatchets, and were direiled to fend us back the boat, that we
might fdl it with calks, after which they were to carry thcni to
tiiat part of the coaft where they could fooncfl complcat their
watering.

Our detachment therefore contrived to land wlicre there was
the deepeft water, and the ncarefl: poflible to a river. They had
fcarcely done this, however, when the Indians rufhed out from
the mountains to the number of 300, and lurrounding our fea-
tnen immediately, we concluded that the whole detachment
would have been cut off, as we only perceived a fnigle fire from
our people, and that two of them running to the Ihore threw
tliemfelves into the fea, whofe fate we could not know on account
of the (hallows of the coaft.

As we therefore could not help our comrades, by "not having
fufficient depth of fea for our veffel, we fired our great guns and

y Sabre.

* He is {latcd to have been coutro-macftrc, or perhaps maflcr's

mate.

1

"A ' "

f

1

j

I

ill

niip

rt

m^r

S s s>

mufkcts ;

I*: I

[ 498 ]

muikets ; but as our fhot did not reach the Indians, nor coirld
they know what damage we might do them at a lefs diftancc,
they did not move at all, or defifl: from their treacherous attack.
On this, not being able to fuccour our comrades, wi; hoiflcd a
fignal of diftrefs, which the frigate being fo fiir off could not
diftlnguifli. T!ie Indians however at eleven returned to their
villages, whilft we neither could fee our feamen ov their
boats.

By twelve at noon it was full lea, and we endeavoured to reacb
the frigate, every one exerting themfelves to the utmoft ; our
whole crew, indeed, now confifted of but five men and a bov^
who were in liealth, with fo.wr that were fick.

As- Iwn as we had fet fail, nine canoes of Indians, with an
iiicreafed number of men on, board, placed themfelves at a fixed,
diftance from us, whilfl one of them, with only nine chieftains*
on board, rowed pretty near to the fide of our veflcl, offering us.,
whilfl: their bows were unbent, fome handfome jackets, andprac-
tiling their former arts of deceit, by tempting us with the provi-
fious they had. before fupplied.

But we were now upon our guard, and preparing for our de-
fence, though we flill thought it right on our part to entice them,
nearer, by ihewing bugles and other trifles, wl.iich had as little
effed upon our enemies, who contrived however to make figus
that we fhould go on Ihore. At laft they were tired .)f thefe
overtures, and knowing the fmall number of our crew, they
made a (hew cf furrounding our veHel ; holding their bows bent
againfl us.

On the other hand, thougii we had but three on board able
to handle a uifquct (viz. our Captain, his fervant, and- myfelf)

So the oiiginal ; and I concludc^tiic meaning to be, that in this cano«

cone
there 'A'crc none but ehieftaias

vet

[ 499 ]

yet we foon killed fix of the Indians, as alTo damaged tlu-.it
canoe. Tliey now experienced how much we were able to annoy
them, and feemed to be alloniftied. They afterwards covered
their dead with their jackets, and at lad returned to fuch a dil-
tance that we could not reach them with our fliot ; in which
retreat they were ailifted by the other canoes, who had not before
fupported tliem. Tbey then held a council, which ended in
their going back to their village.

Our commander, in the mean time, hearing the dlfcharge of
our mufquets, thought we fhould want ammunition, and feat us
ii)nie in the launch, in which we caft anchor along fide of the
frigate. We then went on board, hoping that we Ihould bp
pc -n^ltrcd to ufe the launch, land with an armed force, dcflroy
the villages of the Indians, and try to recover thofe of our own
people, who perhaps had hid themfelves in the woods, or had
iaved themfelves by fwimming.

On this point we held a council, at which the commander
ftated our dangerous fituation, the difficulties In landing we were
to expeft, both from fea and weather, and the diftance of the
village ; he alfo added, that the deftrudtion of our people \\as
almoft dl(lin(flly leen, and tlierefore that there could be little
probability of any one's having efcaped.

D- Criftoval de Revilla and D. Juan Perez were of opinion
we (hould diredly fall, all'iough the commander "^ and myfelf
prefled taking fome revenge for the butchery of our comrades,
as likewlfe wailing to know the fate of thofc who niight have
lurvived by fwimming, anil who mull neceflarlly furrender them-
felves to the Barbarians. We alfo dwelt upon the ftrong pre-
fumption, that it would be agreeable to his majelty that the In-

'I';l ,.^'

b T

he commander fccms to have given difll-rent advice before.

S 3 s 2 dians

C 5«o ]

' !fl

m

,

Hi $.

m

1

i ■

dians fiiould feel the fuperlcr force of his arms, who would other-
wife treat future difcoverers h\ the fame manner ; we added, that
thoifgh the vilhige was not near, yet if we waited till next day wc
might reach it, whilfl; it might be expcdicd that the windo would
not blow with violence at the new moon.

The reafons on both fides having been thus urged, the com-
mander readily confented to follow the advice and wiihosoftlie
majority.

When this point was decided, our commander took our opi-
nions with regard to the fchooner's proceeding, as (he was in fa
bad plight ; when (except D.Criftoval de Revilla) we all agreed
that file fhould continue to profecute her voyage. Tliefe our opi-
nions were reduced into writing on the 1 6th,

[Thefe are again omitted, as probably uninterefting to the
reader : but both the captain of the fchooner, and the journalift
agreeing to proceed ;]

On the 14th of July we failed, at five in the evening, from
this road, which lies in 47. 21 N. LatS the wind being N. \V.
and N. N. W. by which wc left the coaft, fleering S. W..

On the 19th our captain received fjme letters from Don Juan
Perez (enilgn '' of the fiigate) as likewife the furgeon, in which.
they ftated the then health of their crew, and defiring our opinion
thereon. , . ,

[Mere follow the anfwers of the captain of the fchooner and
Maurelle the iiuirnallft, who, to their great credit, pcrlill; in their
voyage of dilcovery.]

••■ The longitxklc is not flatcil, but !)}■ the fliip'$. reckoning I find that
the \V. Longitiulc Iroin St. Blus was zi 19,

^ AUVrcz.

TiU

[ S0< ]

Till the 24th the wind conthmcd N. W. & N. when the
fchooner received from the frigate a can!ion, with abox of powder
and ball.

From the 24th to the 30th we fleered N. W. when at funfet
there were great threatenings of a ftorm, and the weather becom-
ing dark, the fea ran fo high, that we could not dilVmguifh
the lights of the frigate, and were obliged to make our fignals by
guns and rockets.

On the ^rfl It continued to be fo dark tiiat even during the day
we could not fee the frigate.

On the I ft of Auguft at day-break we had the fame dark wea-
ther, fo that we could not diftinguifli at half a league's diibnce,
nor had we fight of the frigate : we kept on liowever (the wind
abating) with a Wefterly courlc, till the 4th, when we fuppofcd
ourfelves to be 1 7 leagues W. of the continent.

On the 5th the wind began to be favourable from the S. W..
and the frigate ftlU not appearing, our captain coniuhcd us
whetlier we Ihould profecute our difcovcries. We had indeed
for the lalt two months been reduced to fhort allowance of pro-
vlfions, and a quart of water each day, fiiicc welefttlie laft land ;
our bread alfo wasalmoft fpoiled by the lea getting Into the brcad-
i:oom, and the fealon for lalllng .to the Northward began almoft
to end. Yet notwlthftandlng thefc, and other ol^jeclions, wc
tontlnutd unanlmoufly of opinion to execute our orders ; as, if
we did otherwilt',. his majefty muft jiavc Incurretl the expencc
of a frelh expedition, Our crew likewlle was now animated, and
• every one agreed to contribute proportlonably for a folenm nvals
to our Ladvof Bethlem, intreatlng.her th.it vv-e iiiight le a'nle to
reach the Latitude enjoined by our ln(lru:ti(jn;-. 'I'lii-, propoliil of
t!ie crt;w bung couuriiinlcated to the eiij-aln, li'j applaudul
much their arc!t>ur and devctluii, vv4*ich was rewarded I etorc
tv^ii'n.^', b\' the winds blowing truni a t.iyo.aable qiiartei'.

On

r4

[

502

]

i; »

On the loth there was a full moon, and the wind blew frcfli
from the S. W.

On the 13th we conceived ourfelvcs to be In foundhigs from
tlie colour of the fea ; at the lame time appeared Orange heaas^
many flags, many birds, with red feet, breaft, and beak, as alfb
many whales ; all which were certain figns of our nearer ap-
proach to land.

During the 14th and 15th thefc Ti^^ns increafed, when we
found ourfelves in N. Lat. 56, 8. & 154 leagues W. of the con-
tinent, and 69 leagues from an iiland to be found in our chart %
which likewlfe pointed out an archipelago in the fame parallel.
This fearch however was attended with great difficulty, as tlic
wind blew with great violence, whilft the mifts did not permit u^
to diftinguhh any diftant objetft.

At noon on the i6th we law land to the N. W. at thcdiflancc
of fix leagues, and it foon afterwards opened to the N. E. pre-
fenting confiderable headlands and mountains, one of which ^wis
of an immenfe height, being fituatcd upon a projeftlng cape, and
of the moll regular and beautiful form I had ever feen. It was
nlfo quite detached from the great ridge of mountains. Its top
was covered with fnow, under which appeared fome wide gullies,
which continue till about the middle of the mountain, and from
thence to tlie bottom are trees of the fame kind as thofe at
Trinity ^

We named this moutaln St.Jacintbui^ and the cape del Kngan-
both of which are lituated in N. Lat. c,y. 2. and by two

«o'S

* I fhould rather fuppofc that this was the chart of D. Juan Perez,
who was on board, and had been on a former voyage of dilcovcry.

^ Before dcfcvibed to be pines.

e There is a monaflery of St. Jacinihus, at a fmall diltance from
Mexico. Giige's Survey of tlie W. Indies.

'' Or of deceit.)

repeated

■^

Uh\

I 5^3 1

repeated obfervatlons at a mile's didaacc wc found the W. Long,
from St. Bias to be 34. 12.

From this cape we fixed the principal points on the coaft, as
will appear by our chart.

On the 17th the wind blew moderate from the S. by means
of wiiich we entered a bay that was three leagues wide at its
mouthy and which was proteifled from the N. by cape di'l Enganno',
on the opp)lite fide to this cape we difcovered a port more fhan
a league wide at the entrance, perfe£lJy feeure from all winds
but tb.c S.. We nearly approached the fides of this bay, and
never found lefs than fifty fathoms in depth ; but we could not
perceive any kind of flat or plain, as the mountains come quite
down to the fhore. Notwithftanding this wc diftinguiflied a
fmall river, which (it being night) we did not further attend to,
but caft anchor in 66 fathoms, the bottom being a clay, as we
found upon drawing up our anchors.

This port is lituatcd in 57. 11 N. Lat. and 34. 12. W.Long,,
from S. Bias; which, together with the headland, we named
Guadelupe.

On the iSth we failed again, with Httle wind; when two
canoes, with four Indians in each, appeared (viz. two. men and
two women) who, however, did not fecm to wi(h to come on
board us, but only made ligns that we ihould go on fhore.

We continued our courfe however (the wind being N, W.)
till nine in the morning, when we entered, another port, not fo
large indeed, but the adjacent country much more defirable to
navigators, as a river empties Itfelf here of eight or ten feet wide,,
v/hilft the harbour is prote£V.ed from ahnoft every wind, by
means of a long ridge of high iflands, almoft joining each other,
with anchorage of 18 fathoms, the bottom being a fand. Here
we caft anchor at a piflol's (hot from the land, where we faw, on

tlie

'^-4

W\

[ 504 J

Mf^

the bank of the river, a high lioiifc, and a parapet' of tuiiher
fupjioitcd by ftakcs drove hito the ground, where we obferved tea
Indian men, beildcs women and chiklren.

\Vc named this port ck los RcmedioSy and found that it was
fitiiatcd In ^j. 1 8 N. I.at. and 34. 12 W. Long, from St. Bias.

Tlie fame day, having prepared ourfelves for defence againfl:
the Indians, five of us landed about noon, when, having ported
ourfelves in the fafefl: place we could fix upon, we planted the
crofs with all proper devotion, cutting another on a rock'', and
dilplaying the Spanilh colours, according io our inJlruSlions on that
head.

When we had thus taken pofleflion of the country we ad-
vanced quite to the bank of the river, in order to fix upon the
nioft convenient place for water, which we were in great want
of, as well as fllll greater of wood ; fo that we were under an
abfolute neceflity of providing ourfelves with both. Having
fixed U]ion the proper fpot, we now returned to the flilp, the In-
dians having not come forth from their parapet.

We foon however perceived them approach the place where we
had fixed the crofs, which they took away» and hxed it on the
front of their houfe, in the proper dirciflion, whllfl at the
fiime time they made us figns with their open arms, that they had
thus taken poifefiion of our crols.

On the 19th we landed at a point fomewhatdlftant, to procure
wood and a mafl, whllll: we fecured our retreat by a proper
dlfpofition of fv.'lvels and mufquetry.

Afterwards A\e returned to the mouth of the river, to fill our
barrels with water, wheu Uic Indians hung out a white leaf '/rom

» Probably this was a flage for cuiingfilh, of which thefc Indians foon
oflcrcd a prefent to the Spanianls.
^ Pcnna. ' Oia.

we

[ 505 }

a polo, filled very near to their lumfL', niid ;ulvanc'mg to tlic op-
pollte bank without any arms, they mntlc fcvcral ligns, which
\vc dill not comiM-clicnd. \Vc however liu'iilticd to thciii in the
bcfl: maimer we could that wc came only for water "^ ; on which
the clilcftain of the Indians, conceiving that wc were very dry,
brought with him a cup ot it, with fome cured fi(h, as far as
the middle of the river, where It was received by one i)f our
leamcn, who duvvfled the Indian to jM-elent the water and fiili to
our captain, v. ho Immediately returned lilm In exchange bugles
and fmall pieces of cloth. The Indians iun\ever were not to be
ib fatlsficd, but inllfled on other barter for the water, which wc
rcfufing on our jiart, they tlnx-atened us with long and large
lances pointed with filnr, which we paid no other attention to
but that of fecurlng our port. Our afliillants at laft finding that

wc

'" The bclinviour of rhcfe IiuUans in their intcrcourfc with the Spa-
niiu-ds Icenis to prove w rather Uips-rior degree ot eivilizution, than is ge-
nerally experienced from iiarbarians.

^Ve find by this account, that the Spaniards, having fixed a crofs
upon their ground, the hidians rcllnt this mark of ownerfliip, and (as
a Spaniard woull have done in his own country if his neighbour thus
endeavoured to make good a claim) immediately remove the crofs ; in
which the laws of 1 Airopc would certainly have fupported them. ']"he
leaving any fymbol of poliinion upon an uninhabited and uncultivated
diftrit't may indeed give a right againft pofterior claimants who cannot
fet up a l)ctter ; but this part of the American continent was not only
peopled, but wc are iniormcd a liouie and filhing-Itage had been built
upon it.

Wc find by this journal, that the Viceroy of Mexico mofl: particu-
larly enjoined by his inlbuctlons that poUlUion fiiould be thus taken,
conceiving probably that the converting hulians to the Chrifiiian tait'.i,
entitles the eonvcrter to every thing which may belong to the converts,
lliis fiimfy riglit however could not be maintained an ii^llant even upon
this ground, in anv Court of common fenfe, for the Spaniards neither
intended then, or hereafter, to make a fettlement in this Noithcri I/ati-
tude, without which it is impoffible that fueh pious intentions could bo
accompliflied.

Ttt The

Hi
91

m

i

W.

!'t

we did not wlfli to fiurouiul thciii, but hclil them In contempt,
went back to their Iioufes, as we did to our fliip, having procured
the wood and linglc mart which we wanted, tliough not lb nuicli
water as wovild have been convenient ; but \vc did not think It
right to carry away more, tliat we might not iurthcr irritate the
inhabitants..

At the mouth of the river tlierc was abundance of hOi, of
which our people caught many whilfl: we were on flioar, and wc
could have procured a uilficicnt quantity to have lafted us a great
while, had we been prepared with proper tackle. Tliey were
well taftcd, and in vafl: numbers.

The mountains were covered with the fame fort of pines as at
1'rinily: the Inhaliitants alfo ufe the fame drefs, only rathei
longer ; they likcwife wear a cap over their hair, which covers
their whole head.

The Spaniards, after this, inform the Indians, by i*.gns, that they
want water, on which one of the Americans lirings a cup thus filled,
with feme cured filli, half way accfa the river, and ilops there till
a Spaniard advances the other half to receive it, whilft bugks and
other trifles are offered in exchange by the Spaniards, and refufed by the
liidians, who iniilt on a better foit of payment.

Jt is evident, by the prcfcnts of the cup of water* and cured fifli,..
that the Indians vv-ilhed to fupply all the wants of thcfc Grangers as
far as they were able, notwithftamling they had thus emieavourcd to
gain a wrongful poiTe.I.'on ot rheir country ; they feeni therefore to have
had a right to that fpccies of barter which they flood molt in need of.

This contempt for bugle?, and other trillcs, offered by the Spaniards,
is a further proof of the civili/.ation of thefe Lulians, whofc progeni-
tors, it fliould feem, muft be rather looked for on the Afiatic, than
Labradore coaft, as I am informed that they have beards, which the
Indians of the central and Eallcrn coaft of N. America have not. It is
laid indeed by fome, that thcfc Indians eradicate their beard iVom its
eurlieft uj;[)'"ar,3nce ; but I can as little believe that this can be efie(fied
by any indulh-y, as that thcv could by any art or paias make hair grow
upon the inilms of their hands.

* [am infi. rnvxl, that the inh.ibUar.ts of K. George's S ui'.d, on il.is f.imc coafl, inriUcd

We

upan Ciipt, Coi-k's P^ji'g 1^ r the j^i-.h he hau tv::

0

[ S°7 ]

We fovind the weather orccHlvcIy coUl, widi much rain and
fogs, nor did we lee the fim for tlie three days we continued
here. At the fame time wc had only flint land-hreezes ; from
all which circumftances, as well as the great fatigue of our
feamen, little cover from the bad weather, and great want of
proper cloaks to keep them warm, our fliip's company fo fickciicd,
that we could only nuifter two men for every watch.

On the 2 1 ft we fteercd N. W. the wind being at S. E. in
order to difcovcr whether there was any land to the E. when wc
might reach two degrees of higher latitude to the N. or whether it
did not lie to the W. which wc conceived to he more probable.

On the 22d we knew, by our reckoning, that we mud: be near
the Eaftern part of the coaft ""^ as wc found ourfclves by an obfer-
vation at noon to be in 57. 18 N. Lat.

At two in the evening the wind blew frefli at N. W. when we
wanted to gain fo much Wcfting as to permit the reaching a
higher Northern Latitude, in which attempt we mull: have there-
fore loft many days, whilft the foafon for profccuting our dif-
coverics drew fo near to an end. To this it muft be added, that
the fickncfs of our crew increafed every day, by their great fa-
tissues, on which account we defiftcd from our Northern courfe,
and fteercd S. E. approaching tlie coaft at a Icfs dlftance than a
mile, and endeavouring to oblerve every projcclion of it.

Though we now therefore determined to return to S.BIas, yet
we comforted ourfelves in having reached fo lilgh a latitude as
58 ", bevonJ what any other Navigators had been able to eftcdl
in tliofe leas, though our vcficl failed fo indifferently that wc
often had thoughts of quitting her.

IS laid down by Bellin.
" P,y the tabic only 57. 57. Capt.Cook however is faid to have traced
the W. coaft of America bc)ond 60 N.],at. when it runs for fonic de-
grees nearly E.

T 1 1 2 In

li

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IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

1.0

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1.25

lis 1^

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1.4

1.8

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Photographic

Sciences
Corporation

23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580

(716) 872-4503

4^

[ 5o8 ]

In failing along the coaft we took indefatigable pains to obferve
with prccifioii how it lay, from which innumerable objections
offered themfelves to M. BcUln's Charts.

This engineer hath chiefly founded himfelf upon the tracks of
two Ruffian Navigators, Bcering and Tfchirlkow, who were fent
upon difcoveries in 1741. It is evident however that the Ruffian
maps are not to be depended upon, for if they had been tolerably
accurate we fhould have fallen in with the land to the VVeflward,
more eafily than to the Eafl ".

BcUin is not lefs erroneous in laying down the American coafl,
and indeed it is not at all extraordinary that his errors fhould bo
fo numerous, as he had no materials for his charts, but his
own fruitful imagination ; no navigator having vifited many
parts of the American continent in thefe high latitudes buJ
ourfelves.

We now attempted to find out the flraltsP of Admiral Fonte,
though as yet we had not dlfcovered the Archipelago of S. J^iza-
rus, through which he is faid to have failed.

With this intent wc fcarched every bay and recefs of the coafl,
and failed round every headland, lying to during the night, that
we might not lofe fight of this entrance ; after thcfe pains-
taken, and being favoured by aN. W. wind^, it may be pro-
nounced that no fuch flraits are to be found.

On the 34th at 2 in the evening, and being in 55. 17 N. Lat.
we doubled a cape, and entered into a large bay, dlfcovering to

" Thejournalifl fecms to fpeak here with regard to the then fituation
of the (chooncr Other objcdioiis iollow to Bellin s map, which cannot
bo coni[)rchcndcd without havhig the chart before one.

f Entrada, or entrance into them rather. In a map which I have pro-
cured, this entrance is hud down in N. Lat. 48. and faid to have bctn
difcovcrcd by Juan de Fuca in 1592.

1 It muft now be recolkftcd that the fthooncr is returning to S. Bias.

1 the

f 5C9 ]

the N. ail arm of tlie fea, where the temperature was very
unpleafant% but the fea perfedly cahn, being (heltered from tha
tvind. This arm alfo affords excellent water from rills and pools,
whllft the anchorage is good, with a vaft plenty of li(h. It \l
delineated in one of our charts.

As we were now becalmed, the fcliooner rowed till we cafl;
anchor in the entrance or mouth, the water being 20 fathoms,
and the bottom foft mud. At this time we were not more thaii
two mulquet (hots from the land, and wiOied to lay down ths
Interior parts, but were not able to efted this for want of wind;
We now experienced a pleafant temperature, which probably
arolb from fome large volcanoes, the light of which we perceived
during the nigl't, though at a confiderable diftance. This \m-
expeded warmt/. totally reftored the health of our crew '.

As we thus lay at anchor, and fomuch to our fatisfadion, our
Gaptain gave me orders (being himfelf indilpofcd) that I ihoiild-
land with fome of our crew, and with the fame precautions as at
Ljs Remedlos. He alfo dircded me to take poflbflion for his-
Majefty of this part of the coaft, and name it Bucarelly '. I ac-
cordingly obeyed his inftrudions in all particulars, without fccin^j
a fingle Indi-n, though there were the following proofs of the
country's being Inhabited; viz. a hut, fome paths, and .1
wooden outhoufe ". On the 24th we went a fecond time on-
Ihore, and provided ourfclves with as much wood and water as wo
wanted.

^^

' It is to be i'';:pT)ofe(.i on account of the cold.

« Itmua be rccoliedtcd, that they were row fheltcrcd from the v ind
as well as warmed by the ^'ulcanocs.
* Then Viceroy oi Mexico.
" Corral.

We

[ 5»o J

We made two obfervations on difterent days, ami found our
latitude to be 55. 1 7. and W. Long, from S. Bias 32. 9.

The mountains near this port or inlet are covered with the fame
trees as thofe at the other places, where we had landed, but I can
fay nothing with regard to the inhabitants, from what hath been
before ftated.

To the S. we faw an ifland of a moderate height, at the dif-
tance bf fix leagues, which we named S. Carlos, and failed on
the 29th with a gentle breeze at N. but which fell calm at noon,
when we were oppofite to a bare ifland, which fcarcely appeared
above the fea ; there are many rocks however, both to the E. and
W. Here we anchored in 22 fatiioms, and about two leagues
diftant from the ifland of S. Carlos.

In thi'j fituation we cbferved a Cape, which we named St.
Auguftinc, at the difl:ance of four or five leagues ; after which thj
coaft trended to the E. fo much tliat we loft light of it. We
found alio that there were here fuch violent currents in oppofite
directions, that we could not found. As thefe currents rofe and
fell with the tide, it ihould feem that this inlet hath no commu-
nication but with the fea.

This cape S. Auguftinc is nearly in ^^ N. Lat. and we having
heard that in a former voyage D. Juan Perez had dlfcovered an
arm of the fea in th.is fame parallel, where there were many cur-
rents, we juftiy concluded this muft be the fiunc, though feveral
feamcn who were in that voyage, did not rccolledl either the cape
or mountains in the neiglibourliood, but this probably arofc from
their not approaching them in the fame diredion.

What we obferved on this part of the coaft ftrongly Inclined
us to have a more perfe<fl knowledge of it; the wind however (it
being new moonj became variable, and fixed at laft in tho
S. W.

We

ilvh'

[ 5>> ]

We concluded that It would thus continue till the full', which
would prevent us from approaching the mouth of tills bay, and
confequently make it impoffible to explore the fides of it. We
likewifc confidered that we were now in fuch a latitude that we
might eafily reach 60 degrees if the wind was favourable % that
moreover we were provided with what we had occafion for, that
the health of our crews was rc-eftabli(hed, and tliat for all thefe
reafons it would be better to attempt reaching the liighcfl Latitude
we could.

To thefe arguments It was ac'rkd, thnt we fhould have fewer dif-
ficulties In this trial from our knowledge of tlie coafl ; and this
mcafure being thus refolvcd upon, the two fhlps divided fome
cloaths ' (which the fchooner had on board, to truck with the In-
dians at Port Trinity) fo that our people feemtci now to have for-
gotten all their fufferlngs. We accordingly failed, {leering N. W.

On the 28th the wind was variable, obliging us to approaclv
thecoart at ^S- 50. when it fixed in the evening to the S. W. ac-
cording to our wlfhes.

On the 29th and 30th the wind was S. thougli often veering
to the S. W. with occafional fqualls and tornadoes, accom-
panied by high feas, whicli drove us on the coalt in 56 70 froiTi
whence we clawed off with the land brce/.c nnd tornadoes, in
which difagreeable fituation we continued till the firft of Sep-
tember.

During the two preceding days fix of our crew were ftizcd
with flrong fymptoms of tl:c fcurvy, which not only fhcwed

» The Spaniards, durijig this vo^'ngc, fccni to have paid great atten-
tion to the moon, as having an clicct upon the wind.

r A S. VV. was fo

» This additional cloatlunp^ was probably thought ncccfllirv, as the
£hips were now to fail JN. wiiilit the winter was approucliing.

klclf

.iiiia

[ 51:^ ]

Killf in tliflr glim?, I ut from tlic great fwclllngs on their legs
tlicv liatl ]o(\ tlic ufl- of them. From this calamity we could
only nuilKr two on cacli guard, one of which ikcrcd, and the
other liandlcd the \\\\U. W'e unfortunately caught this terrihic
(lijleni}cr from the fianicn of tlK- frigate, with whom we had
oecalional commiuiication. In confcquence of this diftrefs we
agreed now to return, making as tnany ohfervations as we could
in relation to tlie lying of the coafl.

At the heginning of Septemher the wind was variahle, but on
the 6th it fixed in the S. W. blowing with fuch force that at mid-
night wc were obliged to take ia all our fails, and turn the
ihip's head to the S. wliilfl: the wind and fea increafed. In fo
much that at two in tlie morning of the 7th neither veflcl could
rcflft: its violence, though we each endeavoured to keep where
we were, on account of the coaft being atfo fmall a diftance.

Whllft: we were thus employed a fea broke in, which damaged
moft of our I'^ores. [The particulars cf other damage to parts of
the fliip here follows, but is omitted for reafons that have been
before mentioned.]

On this fame day (viz. 7th of September), both wind and
fea became more calm; on which we fleered E. from 6 in the
evening till day-break of the next day, when the wind was
favourable from the N. W. and we purfued our intentions of
falling in again with the coaft, in Lat. ^^. finding ourfelves,
fmcc the ftorm, with only one feaman who could fland to the
helm, whilll the captain or myfelf managed the fails.

The wind continuing favourable, our captain endeavoured to
cheer thofe who were lick, but we could only prevail upon two
of them who were recovering to aflift us during the day ; as for
rlic mailer's mate, wc conceived that he would die.

On

[ S<3 ]

On the iith wc faw land, at the iliihince of eight or nluc
leagues, and in I/at. ^7,. 54. but as we wiilicd not to approacli fo
.near as not to be able to leave it, on account of our having i'o few
hands capable of \vorking, \vc kept at a proper dillance, only
having a view of it from day to day, and not examining its capes,
bays, and ports. '

In Lat, 49. however we endeavoured to draw nearer to tlie
land, both bccaule we were perfuaded that the wiiid would con-
tinue favourable, and that fonie of the convalefcents might now
begin to afTift us ; fo that in Lat. 47 3. we were not farther dif-
tant than a mile, when we attended to all proper particulars', as
before.

On the 20th, at eight iia the morning, we ^vere within hah a
league, prccifely in the fame fituation as on the ijtb of July ; wc
found however 17 leagues ditFerence with regard to our Lon-
gitude.

On the 21ft, being ftill nearer the coafV, the win-^ blew from
the S. & S. W. which, though moderate, obliged us to fail from
the land.

On the 2 2d the wind was N. W. hut as both the captain and
myfelf were ill of a fever, the fhip fteer'd for the port of JMoa-
terey. This our ficknefs made the reft of the crew almoft dc-
fpair ; for which rcafon the captain and myfelf (hewed ourfelves
upon the deck as often as we could, in which efforts the Alraiglitv
aflifted us.

On the 24th, fuiding ourfelves fomewhat better, we dlf-
covercd the land in 45. 27. failing along the coaft at about
the dlftance of a caimon's lliot ; and as we tiierefore could dis-
tindtly fee every confiderable objeft, we lay to during ihe night,

I

III
f

)! ti

3 i

i^

W

*jll

» That is, for laying the coaft. do.vn tn their charts.
Uuu

ho

ping

^^i'Ni

• ,

[ 5'4 ]

hoping thus to fiiul the river of Martin Aquilar, and continued
this fcarch till wc were in Lat. 45- 50. when we diftinguifhed a
cape exactly refembling a round table, with fome red gullies ^,
from which the coaft trends to the S. W. From this p»it rife
ten fmall Klands, and fome others which are Icarccly above the
lea ; the Latitude ot" this Cape hath before been mentioicd, and
its Longitude is 20. 4. VV. from S. Bias. As wc therefore could fee
nothing of Martin de Aquiiar's River in tliib kcond triil, wc con-
clude that it is not to be found, for we mult have Uilcovered it,
if any liich river was on this part of tlic eoall.

It is faid indeed that Aquilar oblerved the mouth of this river
m 43 % but the inftruments of thofe times'* were very imperfefl:.
Allowing the error however to have been in making the latitude
too high, and that therefore we might liave found it in 42 or
lower ; yet this wc can fcarcely conceive to be the truth, as wc
examined all that part of the coaft, except about fifty minutes of
Latitude.

After this laft return to the coaft, we endeavoured to make
for the port of S. Francifco, which having difcovered in 38. 18.
we entered a bay w-liich is fufficiently Iheltered from the N. and
S. W. We foon afterwards diftinguiflied the mouth of a con-
fiderable river, and fome way up a large port exaflly refembling
a dock' ; we therefore concluded this to be the harbour of
S. Francifco (which we were in fearch of), as theHiftory of Cali-
fornia places it in 38. 4.

'' Barancas.

' This is {tated before, when the river was looked o\H: for iathat
latitude.

* Viz. in 1603.
' Digue.

We

IP.

Wc \vl(hed, on this account, to enter tills port, wlilch wr,
fliould have cnfily accompli flic J, it" the Tea hml not rim vciy
high. Wc hcgan lunvcvcr to doubt whether this was rcilly tiu;
harbour of S. Franclico, hccaufc we did not Ice any inhabitant s,
nor the fmall iflands which are fhid to be oppofitc. Iji this ftate
of fufpcnfe wc caft anchor near one of the points whicli we called
de j^rcnas, m fix fuhonia and a clay bottom.

A vafl: number of Indians now prcfentcd thcmfclvcs on both
points \ who oaflcd from one to the otiier in fmall canoes made
of Fw/ff, where they talked loudly for two hours or more, till at
laft two of them came along fide of the fliip, and mod liberally
prefented us wirh plumes of feathers, rofarics of bone, garments
of feathers, as alfo garlands of the fame materials, which they
wore round their head, and a caniftcr of feeds, which tafbed
much like walnuts. Our captain gave them in return bugles,
looking glafles •", and peices of cloth.

Thefc Indians are large and ftrong, their colour being the
fame as that of the whole territory ' ; their difpolltlon h mofl:
liberal, as they feemed to expect no rccompcnfe for what tliey
had furniflicd us with : a circumflance which wc liad not expe-
rienced in tliofe to the Northward.

We were not able to found the interior parts of this port, on
account of our lick, who were to be as foon as poflible huuietl
in a place of fafety, in onlcr that they might have tlu^ better
cl^ance of recovering.

' Sc. Thoicjull now named by rhsjjouriulit^ ^: /renas.

c Some fort of wood, and probably well known ia tlie jnoviiKc of
Mexico.

'' In the former intcrcoiirfe wiih the more N'orthcni Imiians the
Spaniards never produced tiiis article o; i).uter, which leims to have
been ill-judged (rconomv. 'I'hey were now returning however, and muU
have thrown awn\ thele trifles at S. Bhis.

' It is not very dear whether the Journalift mc:iKS l)y tl'i.; of Me.v".;().
or the wlioleN. W'elUrn eontinent of Ameiica. ' '

i Ui

wi

i!

[ 5'6 J

Willi it wo were in this port (which we did not conceive to
l)C that oi S. Frniicifco) wc had no further intercourfe with the
iiiluibitants, and wc prepared to clear the point de las Auenas, in
order that, with a N. W. wind, the next day we might, with
Icfs difficulty, leave this part of the coaft. Having effefted this,
wc cart: anchor In fix fatlioms, the bottom being a clay.

This port, which we named de la Bodega', is fituated in 38. 18
N. 1 /at. p.nd 1 8. 4 W. Long, from S. Bias.

On the 4th of October, at two in the morning, on the firfl:
flow of the tide, in a contrary diredlion to that of the currents,
the fea ran fo high that our whole (hip was entirely covered by
it, at the fame time that the boat on the fide of her was broken
into fhlvcrs.

There is not fufficient depth of anchorage at the mouth of this
port, for a vc(fcl to rcfift this violence of furge, when it is occa-
fioned by the caufes before-mentioned.

If we had been apprized of this circumftancc, we fliould have
either continued where wc were firft at anclior, or otherwife failed
further from the mouth of the harbour.

In all parts of this port, which we had an opportunity of found-
ing, the bottom is nearly of the fame depth ''. The entrance Is
very (aly with the prevailing wind of N. W. but in leaving it,
if the wind blows from the fame quarter, It Is necelTary to get
furrlicr out to fea from the Points '. If the wind blows fromtlic
S. W. E. or S. it Is not neccflary to take this precaution '".

' The Captain of the Schooner. The Latitude of this harbour coin,
cidcs nciirly with that tlifcovcrcd b) >:>ir Francis ihwkc ; but the Spaniards
would fcarccly iiiftrt this br.ive heretic in their Calendar.

'' /\ dnift: was made of this harbour.

' Sc. dc his Arcna:i.

"' Hccuufc then the wind and currents do not oppofc each other.

Wc

[ 5-7 ]

We obferved, that the tides in this Latitude arc regular, as i:\
Europe, it being higli water at noon, when tlie moon is new.

The mountains near this port are entirely naked in every part
of them" ; but we obferved that tliofc more inland were covered
with trees.

The plains near the fea-coaft had a good verdure, and fecmcd
to invite cultivation.

About eight in the morning of the 4th of O^flober tlic fca
became more calm, on which the Indians came round us as
before, in their canoes, offering us the fame prefcut<, which had
the fame return.

At nine we fet fail, and having doubled the point </i7 Coraoti '■
we fleered S. S. W. the wind being moderate, and at W. in oicit r
to reach a Cape, which appeared to the S. at thcdirtancc of about
five leagues.

On the fifth we failed near thofc fniall iflands which tlie cli.uts
and hiftory of Cahfornia place at the entrance of the harbour of
S. Francifco ;. but as we were very clear that the liarbour which
we had juft left, was not that thus called, we continued to llci 1
N. E. (and between fome of thcfe Iflandt-) in order to iv;uh t'n.
Cape before mentioned, when wc Intended to approach the eoaO,
and look out for the port of S. Francifco.

At noon on this fame day we had an obfcFvation, and tiumd
thefe iflands to be in yj. 55. N. Lat. lying to the S. W. of th-
Cape at the diflance of three leagues.

As foon as we reached the Cape we ran along the conft ^vhi^. !i
lay to the E. and N. E. about tlie dlftance of a cannon'o iLor ;
and by fix in the evening we were not above two iull.b dlllaui

" This probably arifcs from then- being expofcd to the N, W. uhicli Is
the prevailing wind.

" This point undoubtedly is marked in t!ic Spanilh Ch.irt.

fix .'in

•i

m

[ 5>8 ]

from the mouth of the harbour of St. Francis ; hut having no
boatP, or ot^er coiwcnicncc for this purpofc, >vc rcfolvcd to
ftand for Monterey, and double another Cape, which projcdcd
flill further from the coafl:''.

At ten at night it fell calm; wliicli continued till the 6th af
noon, when the wind was moilcrate at W. and wo fleered
S. S. W.

By eight at night the wind freOicned {vom the N. W. with
fqualh' and mifls.

On tlie 7th, at eight in the morning, we conceived ourfclvcs
to be in the latitude of Monterey, which we endeavoured there-
fore to keep in, though the weathci was fo mhly, that we could
not fee half a kngue.

At three in the evening wc difcovcred the coafl; to the S. W.
at the diftancc of a mile ; and finding that we now entered a bay,
we foon afterwards difeovcred the S. Carlos at anchor, and
therefore knew that wc were now in the port of Monterey. On
this we fired fome cannon, and boats immediately came out to
us, by whofc aifiilancc we anchored in three fathoms, the bottom
being a fund.

This port is fituatcd in 56 44. N. Lat. & 1 7 W. of S. Bias.

On the 8th wc landed our fick, and amongil: the refl; our
captain and myfelf, who had fdfiered more from tlie fcurvy than
any of them. Not one of the whole crew indeed was free from
tliis complaint.

We immediately experienced the kind officcL' of the Fathers
cfiablilhcd at this n^iflion, who procured for us all the refrclh-
nients they were able, with the mofl perfed charity. In truth,

*■ It having been demoliflied by a heavy {ca not long before.
' f hai is, than the before-mentioned Cape

v.e

[ 5^9 ]

"^'C could not poflibly have fo foon recovered from our dlftrcnoJ
fituntion, hut by their unparalleled attentions to our infirmities,
which they removed by reducing themfclvcs to a moft pitiful
allowance.

Don Fernando dc Rivuera, who commanded at this port, was
equally kind, in fupplying our wants, fo that in about a month
we were pronounced to be fo much better in point of health,
that we determined to return to S. Bias.

We failed therefore from Monterey on the ifl: of November,
and D. Bruno Heceta fupplied us with fome hands from the
Frigate, the crew of which had not fuffered fo much from the
fcurvy as that of the fchooner. At the diftance however of two
leagues it fell calm fo that we continued in fight of the port till
the 4th, the wind being at S. & S. W.

On the 4th at noon the wind was favourable from the N. W.
aud we continued fleering S. till the 13th when we approached
the coaft of CaUfornia in 24. 15. N. Lat. and kept along it till
Cape St. Lucas, which we left at fix in the evening on the
1 6th.

We fuppofe this Cape to be in N. Lat. 22. 49. & W.Long,
from S. Bias 5. o.

On the 1 6th we faw the Iflands of Maria, and on the 20tli
in the evening we caft anchor in the port of S. Bias.

Thus ended our voyage of difcovery ; and I truft that tiie
fatigues and diftrefles which we fuffered will redound to the ad-
vantage and honour of our invincibU Sovereign, whom may
God always keep under his holy protection !

Francisco Antonio Maurelle.

SI.

m

it

SI

Obfer-

[ 5^0 ]

Oblervatioris of the Journalifl D. Antonio Maurelle;
aiiling from ',^•hat happened during the courfe of the voyage,
\vith rogard to the bell: method of making Difcoverics on the
W. coall of Ami: RICA, to the Northward of California.

It

I T may bo cbiciflcd, at the outfct of thefe Obfervatlons, that
tlie c.xperien':o ariliiig from a fmgle voyage in thole leas is not
fufficicnt to form any folid advice on this head, which may be
thoroughly depended upon. To this I anfwer, that our conti-
r.uancc on this coafl was for more than eightmonths, and there-
fore mull have allbrded us fufficient grounds on which to build
reafonablc prefumptions, though I cannot prefume to offer them
to future navigators in any ftronger light.

There is no occafion to give any dire£lions about the pafl'age
from S. Bias to Monterey, lince this couife hath been fo fre-
«]utntly fiiled after the eftablilhment at the latter, and the bell
mcriMKl of making this navigation is therefore fo well known.

Suffice it then to fay, that the fhort paffage to windward, as
far as the illands of Maria, is ncceflary, or account of the cur-
rents, which would othtrwife loon carry a Ihip in fight of Cape
St. Lucas, where probably the voyage would be retarded by
calms.

Some are of opinion, that you Ihould not fall Northward till
you arc confulerai;!y to the Windward of thefe illands ; but I do
not fee the ufe of this lofs of time, and think that it is futficieut
juH to g'.t to the \V. of them, and then ileer Northerly on the
vcfv day you reacli the parallel of'the Marias.

In order to cffctSl: fuch voyage of difcovery, it is neceflliry to
gain as much W. Longitude as the winds will permit, which

blow

[ 5^1 1

Mow from tlic N. W. to the N. as far as 15 degrees \V\ and
which only permit a courfe to the \V. N. W. E. or E. S. E.
whilft often fucli trade wind extends Aill further to the \V.
Notwithftanding this circumftance the fliip Ihoukl nuver he to,
much lefs fleer Eaftward, as thus tlie voyage would be much re-
tarded.

From thefe 15 degrees of Wefting, to 30 in tliu fame direc-
tion, the wind is generally from N. E. to N. which will permit
a N. W. courfe. It may perhaps he ridvifable even to lkL a
Weiling as far as ^^ degrees, if the objeaofthe voyage is to
reach ^^. 60. or even 65 '' of Northern Latitude, becaufe the
greater the Werting, the greater is tlie certainty of S. & S. W.
winds, which will be lb favourable to fuch adertinat'on.

If when this Wefling hatli been gained, the winds fhould prove
variable, I fliould ftill advife a N. E. courfe ^ Under tlie fup-
pofition that the difcoverer wants to tall in witli the coall: of
America, in ^^ N. Lat. he fliould keep between 35 & 37 \V,
Long, till he reaches that Latitude. If, on the contrary, he
wants to explore the lame coaft in N. Lat. 60. I flioukl then
advife a N. W. courfe to be purfued till he hath gained a Wefl-
ing of 39 degrees. If the navigator wiHies to make difcoverics
even fo high as 65 N. Lat. I conceive that he (liould then have
a wefling of 45 degrees, wJien he hath gained this parallel.

With tliele ]M-eeautions I imagine that the perfevcring navigator
would aecomplilh the height of his wiihes.

" i. e. probably frt)m S. El.ir..

'' It ap]iears by the Jouni.il, thai; ihcy were inrtrue>cd to proceed

thus tar N. it" poffible, which iiiea was probably taken iVom ]''Jlii>'s i'rc-

taee to the N. \V. I'aliage, many extracts iVoin uhich arc made by

A'ciicgas, in his Hillor\- otCalirornia, and paitieulatly what relates to ihib

.iu]>poled Latitude ot' 65.

^ in c I primer quaJniuic, ns T conceive the S])anlards make tlie N. V,.
the lirli: (juarter ; the S. E. the leeenc' -, the S. \V. the third; and the
N. W. the fourth.

X X X As

♦

;' i

'■'*

[ 5^^^ ]

As accidents however will happen 1 1 all voyages, which may
drive the fhip w\-^ou the coall: in a lower latitude, I would then
by all means advife to gain a Wefting, as far as 200 leagues
from the land. But it muft be remembered that at perhaps 150
Ic.igucs W. the wind may be variable, tliough I am confident it
cannot be depended upon, as favourable for any time, and would
loon veer to the N. W. For tlicfe reafons I hold it to be abfo-
lutely neceflary, that a wefting of at leaft 200 leagues (hould be
procured, till N. Lat. 50 Is reached.

It' the fliip is blown upon the coafl in lower latitudes,
the crew not only fuffers commonly from fatigue and ficknefs,
but fo much time is loft, that winter comes on before the
great objc£l of fucli a voyage can be compleatcd. I would'
therefore advlfc Ruling from S. Bias at the end of January,
or at lateft the beginning of February ; and for this additional
rcafon, that the crew would not fufFcr fo much from change, of
temperature In the different climates, If without flopping In any
hnver latitude, they at once come upon the coaft of America in.
c,^. Here they might reft a little fiom their fatigues, procure
water, recover by that fine air '' if indlfpofed ; befidcs, that In this
latitude there would be no occafion to lofc time in procuring a
further Wefting, as here the winds are very variable.

It need be fcarcely faid, that the knowing the weatlier, which
commonly prevails In thefe feas, Is of much importance to navi-
gators ; and It is ftill lefs necefl'ary to advife, that particular at-
t( ntlon fhould be paid to the appearances in the horizon which

•• The port of los Remedios is here alluded to, which is in 57. 18. and
where the crew recovered very tail from the warmth of the air, at-
tributed to Vulcanoes in the neighbourhood. S. Bias, being in N. I.at.
■zi. is confequently more cool in January than perhaps any month ot
the year, whilft they would be in ^c, perhaps at Midfummer.

threaten

t S-3 ]

threaten a ftorm. Thefe however are not much to be appre-
hended till N. Lat. 40. as between S. Bias and that parallel, tuch
lowering clouds either difpcrfe themfclves very ibon, or fall in
rain, which lulls the fea.

From 40 to 50 degrees N. (tuppofing the fliip to have gained
a Wefting of 200 leagues from the American coaft,) thefe ap-
pearances arc more to be watched, as in thefe latitudes the
S. wind blows frefli, though pretty conftant.

It is to be obferved alfo, that the S. W. In thefe parallels is
fometimes ftronger than the S. for which reafon I would advife
not to carry much fail.

This laft precaution is ftill more neceffiry in higher latitudes
than 50, fnice the S. W. often blows fo violently that it is pru-
dent to lie to, as thefe fqualls do not laft for any time.

I alfo particularly advife the navigator to guard agalnft the
cfFeds of winds from tlie E. which fometimes are violent in thefe
latitudes ; not but that fometimes W. winds arc equally bluftcr-
ing, yet they are not fo common, nor laft fo long. It fliould
alfo be noticed, that the higher the latitude, the more fuch wea-
ther is to be apprehended.

When the coaft of America is -very fiear, there is no rep-ular
wind but the N. W. and this holds to the Southward from 54
N. Lat. it fometimes blows indeed frefh from this quarter, but
there is no objcdion to this, when the fhip is on its return '.

The fea from S. Bias to 40 degrees N. Lat. runs commonly
high, when the wind is at N. W. or N. but as it does not often
blow with violence from this quarter, thefe fcas are generally

« It muft be remembered, tliat for this reafon the JournaliA advifes
the ivavigator who wants to reach a high N. Laiitud' , to gain fo l.u<rc a
AVcftmg trom the couft of America. '^

^ X X 2 navigable.

i!

[ JH ]

navignble. From Lat. 40 to ^o (when near the coafl) the Tea
often runs Itill higher, meeting the tide from the flioar, but I do
not mean to raifc too great apprchcnfioiis on this account.

At the diitancc however of ico leagues from the coafl: the feas
are oftcji ilill licavicr ; fo that I would advife lying to, if the
wind is not favouralile.

From 50 degrees upwards the feas rife proportionably with
the winds, particularly if they blow from the S. or S. W. but
foon become calm when the weather clears.

[Here follow feme obfcrvations, with regard to the effe<5t of
the moon upon the weather, which 1 fhall not tranflate, as the
influence of this planet in fuch refpedl feems now to be mucli
exploded.]

As approaches to the coaft ought always to put the navigntor
on his guard, he may depend upon the following llgns for its not
being far dlftant.

When the coaft is about 80 or 90 leagues to the E. thofe
ica-plants appear which I have before called Orange hen^s -, but I
mufl now add, that from the flate of them, as they float, one
niav fomctlmes infer, that the land is not fo far diftant.

Its figure much refemblcs the flfhular ftalk of garlick"' : and
froni the top of its head hang fome long leaves, by which the
plant is fixed to tlie rocks. Now if thefe leaves arc tolerably
perfedl, they afford a flrong prefumption, that they have not
floarcd far from tlie coaft. On the contrary, thofe which have
been wafted to a confiderable diftance, have generally loft this
head, and the ftalk becomes more rough, when you may fup~
pole tliat you arc 50 leagues from tlie land,

* The r.ppcp.rancc of ihis [;h'in on the coaft of Californiaj is noticed in
Lord Anloii'^ \ov:-[;,c.

6 At

^i|

' ■',!

\m

i

.-;i

L-^-^f^

V»'

/ Ei'uopi: /

I'l'rfl'i ///i/fni/ti'/i if -*--

l\i.\ti I'.i.in lilt's III
///«:;/'-.» /.♦>'// //;// ///a //,•// 1'/'

<' HO Slf s . (f^

il

_^ f AK f .1 T It f f^i\t jf ^

1^

^^

f

[ 525 ]

At the CiiVAc iliilancc the fca begins to indicate, bv its colour,
that you are in foundings, but tliis circuniftancc requires fome
attention and habit ; wlien you are not more than 30 or 40
leagues from the coafl:, this appearance is much more diftin-
guilhablc, though it you was to caft anchor you would not find
anybotto:.. In this fame fituation you will likewifc perceive
birds, fea-wolves *", otters, and whales, together with the plani.
Zacate del Mar before-mentioned, which hatli long and narrow
leaves. Wlien thefe circumftanccs are obfervcd, you may depend
upon feeing land the lame day, or tliat following.

At the fame time you will perceive, that the lea Is of an iron
colour, and looks as if it had fmall boats, with fiils upon the
furfaceS whilfl; birds rcxembling lories, ^^ith a red head, bill, and
legs, fly around ; their body is black.

As concealed Ihoals arc often fo dangerous to tlie navigator, I
think I may pronounce you may fail in perfea fafety at the dif-
tanccofa league from the moll fufpicious parts of thii whole
coafl;.

If the difcovercr fliould firfl: put Into port in N. L. 5^. i -. he
will find an inlet '\ whicli hath good Ibundlngs in all parts of it
towards the N. and perhaps the beft point' of the whole coafl, if
the fliip keeps at the difl:ancc of three leagues from it.

^ L.obos Marino?, perhaps Seals.

E Unas nguas malas de color morado, que parcccn unos barquicIuieUis,
con l)el;is huinas.
^ Una cntrada.
' The Journaiill c'.ocs not :\v.y further explain Vviiy Ijcff,

.}'

Jl'li

[ 526 ]

^^^

>

D.i) of the
niotitli

March I

4

5
6

7
8

9

lo

II

12

'3

14

'5
i6

17
18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25
26

27
28

29

30
31

Latitude
reckoiuiig

21

20

^9
^9
'9

36
15
5^

25
23

18 56
18 42

Laiicade

by

obfervation

21 25

21

21
21
21
21
21
20

34

39
43
47

34
10

19 49

19 17

19 4

18 42

18 33

W. Long.

fiom
San Bins

I 20

59
2

10

I

37
37

I

3
4
5
5
5

Vari.ition ' Dlft. from

ot the
Needle

4 30*

»

the coaft of
Atneiica

2
I

2
2
2
I

a

3

38

48

73

Z^
86

100

104

t 5V ]

II

my ot
tlic Muiith

April I

2

3
4

5
6

7
8

9

lO

1 1

12

'3

14

15
16

17
18

19

20

21

2'*

^4

25
26

-7
28

29

Lntitudc
ecKoniQg

8
8
8
8
8
8

7

7

7

7

7

7

7

7
8

9
20

20

20

2l

2l

35
56
36

25
2

48

42

43
42

47

54

49

55
28

6

51

33

42

53
8

16

21 24

21 55
-3 31

23 20

24 8

24 4S

25 25

26 q

Latitude

by

obfcrvation

33

^^
48

8 ,5

48

43

7 42
45

35
48

44

44

47
20

fO

j*^

^9
20 19

20 37

21 4
21 21

21 47

22 32

23 22

24 14

24 50

25 17
25 57

W. Long,
from
San Kins

5

:>

5
6

6

37
48

27
8

37

7 3'^

8 36

9 28

O 22{
I

8

42

54'
39

5 35

6 241

7 25i

8 i6i

9 14

20 47

21 341-.

22 15

23 13

23 8

24 13

24 58

25 32

25 3°

26 22

Variation
of the

Nicdlc

5

5 13*

Dirt, from'
ihecoallof .
America.

104
107
102

loS

117

^32
140

148.
^55

166
176
181
J 86
186
190

201.
206
209
2 10
21 I

-1 T -»

2 52

248

259,

277
284

294

300

f

i', w

■ i " .t'l

i

[ 5^8 ]

t •• to ■

' / / J*

Latitude

Latitude

W. Long.

Variation

Dift. fion,

iJiiv of

l.y

by

fium

ot ihc

(lie coall ot

tlif iMontli

rivkiinlng

obfcrvation

S;m Bias

Needle

Aim. riia

h\y I

26 29

26 31

27 07

7

302

^

26 45

26 44

27 19

303

1

J

2^ 55

26 50

^2 ^L

3'^3

4

27 39

27 3^

28 18

304

5

28 39

28 2y

28 12

8

295

6

29 30

29 15

281

3° 9

3<^ U

284

8

SO 19

30 54

284

9

3° 3^

30 45

3' 41

291

10

31 18

32 15

297

II

32 12

32 10

32 50

294

12

33 '3

33 '5

32 45

280

»3

33 57

34 3

3^ 56

261

14

34 29

34 35

30 50

239

^5

34 26

34 30

30 12

231

i6

34 46

34 54

31 6

238

17

34 50

34 50

31 82

240

18

34 49

34 49

3^ ^7

240

^9

35 46

35 45

30 20

220

20

36 42

36 45

28 42

9

184

21

37 6

37 I

27 46

167

22

37 42

37 46

28 4r

178

23

38 9

38 8

29 33

185

^4

37 48

37 46

29 10

183

25

37 29

37 26

29 3

184

26

37 U

37 ^i

28 51

179

27

37 ^^

29 ^'

186

28

37 ic)

29 3

'85

29

37 4B

37 25

28 i5i

^74

30

37 47

37 45

27 21

156

31

I 37 59

1 26 35

JO

145

[ 5^9 ]

'7K. !
otihe \

Day
month

LatiiuJe

fy.

reckoning

by
obfcrvation

W. Long.

fiom
San BbR

Variation

"t the

Nerd.e

Oirt. from
the cturt oi

Amenci

[ 53^ ]

'T/i;-

Latitude

Latitude

W. Long.

! Variation

: Dirt, from

Day of

/•'•

,r^y .

fiom

of .he

the coaft of

tilt Month

reckoning
41 2

obrcrvation

San Bias

Needle

America

jly I

41 I

26 14

^3

100

2

47 17

42 15

26 49

14

90

3

43 25

43 24

26 50

70

4

44 21

26 30I

57

5

44 27

26 10

15

47

6

44 24

-

25 47

32

46 10

26 6

16

26

8

46 S9

47 3

25 47

12

9

47 44

1 47 37

24 20

lo

47 45

47 35

23 281

^7

II

48 32

48 26

22 17

10

12

48 i

47 39

21 53

6

»3

47 41

47 28

21 34

2

14

47 24

47 20

21 19

'•I

47 23

47 7

21 40

17 30

9

i6

47 20

47 '3

-JO 0
-- J

'7

»7

47 ^7

47 9

22 22

'7

18

i8

47 3 !

46 32

23 32

16*

35

^9

46 34

46 26

24 28

5^^

20

46 18

46 17

25 29

61

21

46 6

45 57

27 5

15

82

22

45 50

45 44

28 18

ICO

^3

45 44 1

45 41

29 24

'15

24

45 51 1

45 52

30 32

124

-5

46 4

46 9

29 59

120

26

46 34

46 32

29 52

J99

27

47 6

47 5

29 19

16*

117

28

47 45

47 40

2Q 41

103

29

48 lO

47 50

28 44

92

30

47 21

47 21

29 32

102

^i

46 55

30 9

''7

r 531 ]

'77v.

Dity ot

the Month

Latitude
reckoning

46 34

Latitude
oblcivatiou

VV. Lonjr.
Ironi
San Bias

VarLiiinii
of (lie
Neulk-

Dift. from
ihecoallof
America

Aug. I

3c> 5^^

16

121

2

46 45

46 40

31 52

J
141

3

46 40

46 35

32 46

^57

'57

171

4

46 29

46 16

33 39

5
6

46 47

46 47

34 5

.

47 49

47 5^

34 6

164

7
8

48 26
48 39

48 24

34 12

34 7

17*

159
156

9

49 II

49 9

34 7

154-

10

50 18

34 54

18

160

1 1

51 24

51 34

34 58

1^9

12

52 18

52 27

35

19

i"s8

13

53 39

53 54

35 26

i6r

'4

54 58

55 4

36 7

166

15
16

55 53

56 43

56 8

56 44

35 47
35 15

154
4

^7
18

56 5-^

57 -I

57 2

35 27
35 27

1
i"

19

,

20

21

1.

22

57 55

57 57

38 2

2D

1

23 !

57 10

57 8

35 5^

2 2*

24 :

_ j

5<3 I i

33 4^)

1 * -W-

r

^i '

55 17

55 17

33 24

26

56 6

55 6

33 22

24

27

28

55 36

34 39

^

29

55 55

55 55

34 32

r

30 ;

56 21 :

35

.'.

31

5^^ 41 i

5^ 47

35 32 ■

[ 53^ 3

'77'-

Laiiti'Jt

Lr.fitude

W. Long.

Varintlnn

Di(r. from

Day rf

by

• r^y.

from

of the

the coad of

the Month

reckoning

0 ]fervjtion

San Bias

Needle

America

Sept. I

56 31

16 JO

23

10

2

56 5

56 3

36 22

23 30

n

3

55 45

55 47

3^ 39

23

21

4

55 28

3^J 33

22

5

SS 8

55 7

37 5

26

6

54 4 0

54 42

36 27

22

20

7

54 S3

3^' 5^

23

26

8

55 4

36 5^

26

9

54 39

54 32

35 22

21

7

lO

54 4

54 6

34 6

6

1 1

53 54

53 52

32 19

20

8

12

52 58

31 5

8

^3

52 1 1

52 9

30

9

14

51 H

51 16

29 35

9

15

50 4

50 12

27 2

9

16

49 23

49 21

25 38

9

17

48 51

48 53

24 35

7

18 1

1

48 37

48 33

23 40

19

/

6

19

47 50

47 49

23 10

J

20

47 II

47 12

22 33

i

2

21

46 2 I

21 58

II

2 2

46 20

22 42

10

23 1

45 38

22 35

-J

24

44 47

44 47

21 12

"k^

44 17

44 19

21 2

18

i

26

43 15

43 16

21 20

17

10

'^

42 ^^7

21 41

12

28 j

42 37

21 41

10

29

41 I

40 54

21 41

f

1

39 38

39 42

21 II

j6

I
l

f 533 ]

f!i

Day of
the Month

oa.

I

2

3

4

i

Latitude

^-
reckoning

39 17
58 49
38 16
38 16

37 54
37 45
36 43
36 46

Latitude
oufcrvation

39
38
38
38
37
37
36

^5
4?
16
16

53

43
42

W. Long.

from

San Bias

20 26

^9 5
19 2

19 22

*Q 24

19 4

18 47

17 17

\''trirition

I . '1
Needle

'"6
16
16
16

15
^5
14
14

DIft. from

thecoaftot'

America

I

3
I

) «!

Z 7, 7.

I 5S4 2

^77?-.
Day ot

the Month
Nov. 2

3

4

5
6

i

9

lO

II

12

13

14

'5
16

17
18

19
20

Lntitiide

by
reckoning

I ■! — ^<—

3'- 44
36 28

36 6

34 41
32 50

30 56

29 32

28 52

28 21

27 16

26 i6

i8

25

24
24

23

22

21
21
21

53

2

20

54

45
^6

Latitude

by

obfcrvation

36 42

36 ri

34 36
32 48

30 5/

27 52
27 8

26 12

25 16

24 37
24 I

23

22 22

21 53
21 44

21 34

W. Long,
from
San Bias

17
17

17

17
16

16

15

14

14

13
12

10

8
6

5
4
2
o
o

5

27
42

25

58

2

18

45

13
26

13

46

58
56
25
3
38
46

2

Variation 1 Dift. from

of the
Needle

14

13
12

II

10

9
8

7

7

7

7
6

6

6

5
5

5
5

the conllof
America

7
8

8

23

45
4S
4.6'

45

42

35
24

^^

10

i|

40
10

AD-

[ 535 ]

1

ADDENDA to the other luftanccs of nEACHiNG high
Northern Latitudes, p. 40.

C A P T A I N E L L I O T, of the Sea Horfe Indlaman Cnow
employed as an ordnance tranfport) during the paflagc from
New York to Enghmd in September, 1780, informed Dr. Morris
and fome general ofEcers,

*' That, in the beginning of June, 1756, he ferved as mate oti
" board the King George Greenland fhip, and finicd for whales
" in N.Lat. 82.30. when the fca was perfeAly clear and open.
«' Captain Elliot at the fame time ob ferved, that the attempt to
" proceed to high Northern Latitudes fliould not be made later
*' than the time abovementioned."

There Is a very fcarce trad, In the Bodleian Library, entitled,
N. W. Foxe, or Foxe from the N. W. Paflage » ; to which is an-
nexed, a map reprcfcnting three IQands In 8j. and nearly N. of
Spitsbergen.

Foxe failed on this attempt In 1631, and had a kttcr from
Charles I. to the Emperor of Japan; this navigator having iu.
tended to return to Europe by Lhc Eafl: Indies.

One of the articles to wlficli his crew were obliged to fubfcrlbc
was the followino- :

'' No one fliall fpeak doubtfully or defpalrlng words about tlic
" fuccefs of the vovai2c."

* Q^iarto. London, 1638.
Z z z 2

A D-

[ 53^ I

ADDENDA top. 151. with regard toTuRKiEs.

M O N A R D E Z, who was a phyficlan, and pnbllflied a medi-
cal hlflory of America in 1574'' (where he fcems to have long
rclidcd), makes mention of many Mexican birds, hut not ofturkies,

Torquemada's Moncirquia /;/^//V7;w was printed in 161 5', and
flatcs that he had lived in the province of Mexico 25 years, yet
does not particularize turkks in the famous aviary of Montezuma,,
the account of which he feems to have received from an ancient
eye-witnefs.

There is the fame omiffion In another Spanllh Hiftoriaa infer-
ted in Venegas's Hiflory of California.

Ruyfch, in his hiftory of animals, publifhedin 1718, obferves,.
that the Gallo-Pavus \? Calccntenjisy or from Calecut, which was
fo much the emporium of the Indian ocean, after the Portuguefe
difcoveries, that in the ift. Vol. of Ramufio, printed at Venice in
1554, there is a wooden engraving of a map. In which a fhip is
reprefented under fail, with the following words on the fide,

" Vcido a Calicut.''^

Count Franccfco Ginnani, In his account of the pine forefts
near Ravenna ^, makes the following obfervatlon under the article
Gallina Indica, or Gallo-pavone.

♦' Quell' ucccUo fu da naturallfti chiamato Gallina Indiana^ nott

pcrche dall India a noi prima veniji', pcrche fiella Boetia e Grecia

nafcono Jrequentemente.'' '

An undoubted Baflan was fold at Chrlflle's In 1 780, reprefenting
ji whltidi Tiukey Cock and hen going into Noah's Ark. This

t*

(t

*> Seville. Qjiarto.

^ Roma, 1774. Quarto.

[ Seville, 3 vol. Quarto.

bird

[ S31 ]

bird was therefore hfcome very common in Italv, where it was
probably introduced from Greece according to the above citatioir
from Ginnani.

A defcription of the Animals and Plants of the Indies by Cof-
mas the hermit was publiflied at Paris in 1664, in wliich a Flora
and Fauna Sinenfis alfo is inferted from INlichael Boym ; amongll:
the animals is an engraving of the Chinefe bird called a Yck'i^
named by Boym Gcliina Syheftris, and laid to be very large. As
the bird thus engraved is reprefented with a caruncle of flefli
covering the bill, and a bunch of hairs on the brcafl, tliere can be
little doubt but that this is a turkev.

Le Bruyn ilates that in 1 704 a large turkey was ufually fold in
Perfia for 7 or 8 fols,' when a tame goofe could not be procured
under 40 or 50. Q^howthis is at all reconcileable to Tavernier's
account that thefe birds are not known in Perfia ?

The jd' volume of De Bry's America = mentions that haw^ks and
Eagles where fent from Mexico to the Spanifli nobles, but is filent
as to turkies.

Rabelais wrote his hlflory of Pantagruel in 1533, which was
but 13 years after the conqueft of Mexico, and makes Poulles de
Indc a difh at an entertainment *".

Dr. Grew, in his Catalogue of the Royal Society's Mufeum, ob-
ferves that one of the known gems is called Turcols, becaufe it is
found in that part of Afia, or at leaft purchafcd there. From the
fame circumflance only could this bird therefore receive its appei--
iation.

I conceive, laflly, that fome of the American fowls mentioned by
early Geographers, are the Curafoa birds, and not turkies, as
rhcy do not dirier materially in fize, and are laid to be good'

*■ Printed in 1602.

'■ L. I. ch. 37. b\e alfc I IV. ch. 52. and U V. ch. 7.

meat.

[ 538 ]

meat. The firfl: defcilbers of the anu-nals of the new world are
very maccurate, as they always enumerate lions amongfl: the qua-
drupeds, to which there is no x^merican animal that bears tiie kafl
refemblance.

ADDENDA to the Essay on the Migration of Birds,

p. 174.

STORKS arc a bird ofpafiligc at Perfepolis as elfewhere, and
only flay to build and rear tlieir young. I.eBruyn, vol. IV. p. 306.
This is precifely what they do in Holland, though there are fb
many degrees of difFerence in I^atltudc. In Cyprus they fay,
that during winter ftorks retire beyond the Jordan. Ibid. vol. II.
p. 205. As they thus migrate from all places during the winter, I
rather fufpect that they are torpid during that time. If the fize of
this bird is confidered as an obje(fl:ion, why iliould it not for the
fame reafon be feen fome where during that feafon ?

Birds are fometimes by florms of wind blown from the fea coaft
far inland ; a puffin was, not many years ago, killed upon Thar-
field-common, in Hertfordfhire.

Turnefort mentions woodcocks, amongft other birds of game,
in theidand of Crete, where he happened to be during the month
of July, which fecmes to imply that th.ey were to be found on
that illand after Midfimimer.

AD-

[ 539 ]

ADDENDA to the Essay on the torpidity of the
Swallow tribe, p. 225.

PROFESSOR Fabrlclus of Copenliagen Informed mc, that
fix or feven years ago he faw a Swallow which was fifhcd up from
a pond near that city, and which revived.

Plot, in his Plinius Anglicus, hath an article dc nvihus fub-
terraneis (^fc. hirundinllnis) qui bruraali tempore in mineris Cor-
nubienfibus repcriuntur. This work of Plot's is fuppofcd to be a
MS. and I am indebted for the reference to the Reverend and
Learned Mr. Price, Bodley Librarian.

Mr. Roufe hath likewife informed me, that he was prefent
when a fvvallow was taken out of a hole, by a failor, iu the
winter, on the banks of the Thames, near Long-Reach, who
faid he had often found them there, and could procure more,.

ADDENDA to the essay on Cuckows, p. 245.

I N the continuation -of the Hiftory of the French King's Col-
ieaion, it is afferted, that almoft all the Cuckows killed arc
males ; does not this moft flrongly prove, that the females are
fitting on their eggs ?

P. 247;

I would add to other prev.Viling and erroneous noti'jjis relative
to animals, that of the Camelcon's being able to vary its colours,
at pleafure, and to the greate'l: extremes*.

^ AD*

I 540 j

ADDENDA to p. 268.

*' LA Jibcrte tcmcrairc Jc fairc tics mcthodcs ;" iles pctlts fyf-
tcnics iiouvcaux, dans IcfquLls on cl.iflb des ctrcs qu'on n'a
jamais vu, & dont on no connolt c|\.ie Ic nom — nom fouvciit
equivoque, obfcur, mal applique." liutlbn, T. II. p. 374.

Jc ne nic laRcrai jamais dc rcpetcr que cc n'efl: pas par dcs petits
charadercs particulicrs, que Ton pcut jugcr la nature, & qu'oii
doit en diflerencier Ics cfpeces, les methodes loin d'avoir cclairci
riiiftolre dcs anlmaux n'ont au contraire iervi q'ua Toblcurcir &c.
,p. 370. — "C'efc par cettc rairoii que nos mmenclatcurs fe trompent
i tout moment 6c ecrivent prcfque autaiit des crreurs que des
lignes." Ibid. Burton's Nat. Hift.

** Praecipua illl voluptas efl fpc6tare formas, ingenia, i& af-
*' fedus diverforum animantlum. Proinde nullum fere genus
eft avium, quod domi non aL->t, fi quod animal aliud vulgo
rarum, velutifimla, vulpes, vlverra, muftela, 6c hlslimilia. Ad
ha-c fi quid exoticum, aut alioqui fpcdanduni occurrat avidil-
lime mercnri folct, atquc his rebus domum undiquc inftruflam
liabct, ut nuiquam non (it obvium, quodoculos ingredicntlum
' demoretur, nc toties fibi ronovat voluplalciii quotics alios con-
rpicit oblcclari." Eralmus';; Life of Sir Thomas More, printed
in 15 1 9. — This Eiigliih eliaMCe'Ior, . therefore, fecms to have
formed a more early collecllon of live animals, than perhaps any
other perfon in Euro])e. i\s for the Tuivcr Uons^ the ufe made of
them even io late as the reii:n of Q. Eliv.ab-^th, \^a3 <br prefents
to the Nortliern powers, who, by having fci^rcely any Mediter-
ranean trade, had not frequent opportuuiues of procuring them.

AD-

I 5+; ]

ADDENDA to the x^ccount of master Samuel Weslkv.

P. 306.

DR. JOHNSON had never feen or read Othello when

he wrote his Irene ; but had (unintentionally) imitated fome part

of it fo ftrongly, that he ftruck it out from fear of the imputation

of plaglarifm. [Note of Mr. Steevens on Periclt* Prince of Tyre.]

P. 32

3-

*' Sampfon Eftwick, a Minor Canon of St. Paul's, pcrfornied
•' choral duty till nearly 90 years of age, preferviug his voice,
" wiiich was a deep bafe." Sir J. Hawkins, vol. V. p. 14.

In the fame moft ufeful compilation we find nicntiun of a boy
named Pierlon, who, rather before the age of nine, played extem-
porary voluntaries on the organ; he iiad been liowevcr a fcholar
of Dr Green's for two vears.

ADDENDA to the Essay on teik Deluge, p. 326.

THE cabinets of the curious exhibit often more fuppofed
folFil bones of elephants found hi Europe, than they do of thofe
common quadrupeds, horfes, cows, and (hccp. The uiference
from this need not be dwelt upon.

Mr. Ellis, in the Philofophical Tranfa6llons, enumerates the
following refemblance of plants, which are generally found on
dltFcrent fubftances :

" The ramified configurations of Sal Ammoniac, the elegant
»* branched figures in Mocha and other gems, the Arbor Dian«,
*♦ or arborefcent figures of Cornilh native copper." VoL XXXVI.

4 A Part

[ 548 ]

Part I. p. 17. Thus again we arc informed, that In tlic mines
of Huajannato, N. of Mexico, there arc pctrifadions which, In
whatever direiflion they are divided, always exiiibit an exadt
imitation of a cedar tree. [ Letter of Don Jofeph Antliony dc
Alzate, to the Academy of Sciences at Paris.]

There are fo many of the fuppofed foliil animals unknown, that
Efper publifhed, in 1774, a Folio, at Nuremberg, of feveral,
with coloured engravings.

*' Cataclyfmi Univerfi lis certa rudera ego nondum attigl.'*
Llnna,'us's lntrodui5lion to his Rcgnum Lapideum.

Shells, in rude times, may have paffed for money, as they do
now in fome parts of Afia. Why therefore may they not have
been fometimes buried under ground, as coin was generally fe-
creted, before paper credit took place ? ,

ADDENDA to the History of the Gwedir family.

P. 356.

I HAVE received the following infcrlption, In Wimble-
don Church, from Mr. Jones, of Park-flreet, Weftminfter, and
F. S. A. to whom I have not only this obligation.

** Hie jacet Ricardus Wynn de Gwedir, in comitatu de Car-
*' narvon, M. etBaronettus, Thefaurarius, necnon Conciliarius ho-
'* noratiflimi principis, 6c Henriettae Marlae Reginae, qui linea pa-
" rentali ex illuftri ilia familia & antiquiffima ftlrpe Britannica
" Northwalliae principum oriundus, denatus 19 die Julil, 1640.
" ict. 61."

In the Temple Church there alfo is a monument to Henry
Wynn of Gwedir, who died in 1671,

7 AD-

[ S*9 ]

I

ADDENDA to p. jjfi.

EXTRACT from " A« Accou„t of fomc of ,;,- ,„oft
Romantic Parts of North Wales. Lond. i;,,.' '

by Joseph Cradock, Efq. '" ""'

P. 72. " 1 co.,Id not poffibly leave tl.k part of tl.e country with-
out fecng the Vale of Llnnrooft, the Bridge built bylnig^W
and the Chapel fuppofed to have been planned b/him^ i° Teh
contains the nch monument of the Guedir Family.-The VWe
upon the whole I thought inferior to that I had L in Mo,',
e-J-yh.- but the Bridge is certainly a very elegant flrudur ,
nd (peaks .tfelf to be the work of a great Archltea, mod pro
Uy of Jones for I incline to the opinion tlj Llan oTft
was the place of his Nativity.

" C a? H V-Tl °": °'"" S™- of the bed-chamber to
Charles the J n ft when Prince of Wales, and was chiefly n,ade
.e o or t e alms-houfe in the neighbouri.ood, which was
.nyed by the Guedir Family. I took the pains of eonyl„„ ,
• .rt...e„t ,n,cnpt,o„s in it; and as they are not contai.fal n
Inftory of that family lately publilhed, they may not be u„
" ceptahle to the curious Antiquary."

P. 75. " Tliis chapel was crcflcd Anno Domini i6., bv c;-

:: ^':' ^^>'- '":«->-^'^ '■> '■- -unty of cani^oi vl ;:

.and l!.„onet, Treafuier to the High and Mighty Princcfs Ifc
•■ nctta Maria Queen of England, 'daughter l Kil^Hemy I"

+ "^ ^ " Fourth

[ 550 ]

»♦ Fourth King of France, and wife to our Soveralng King Charles.
" Where Heth burled Sir John Wynne of Gwedlr, in the county
" of Caernarvon, Knight and Baronet, fon and heyre to Maurice
« Wynne, fon and hevre to John Wynne, fon and heyre to
«♦ Meredith ; which three lye burled in the church of Dolwyd-
" delan, with tombs over them. This Meredith was fon and heyre
" to Evan, Ton and heyre to Robert, fon and heyre to Meredith,
" fon and heyre to Hov\'«l, fon and heyre to David, fon and heyre
" to Griffith, fon and heyre to Carradock, fon and heyre to-
" Thomas, fon and heyre to Roderick Lord of Anglefey, fon,
'' to Owen Gwyncdd Prince of Wales, and younger brother to
*' David Prince of Wales, who married Ema Plantagenet, fiftcr
" to King Henry the Second. There fucceeded this David three
" Princes ; his nephew Lcolinus Magnus, who married Jane
" daughter to King John; David his fon, nephew to King Henry
'♦ the Third, and Leoline the lafl Prince of Wales of that Houfe
" and Line, who lived in King Edward the Firft Ills time. Sir
" ]ohn Wynne married Sydney, who lyeth burled here, the
" daughter of Sir William Gerrard knight. Lord Chancellor of
♦« Ireland, by whom he had Ifl'ue Sir John Wynne, who died at
-Lucca in'ltalv. Sir Rlehard W7nne now living, I'homas
.' Wynne who lleth here, Roger * [rathe-^ Owen] Wynne who
'♦ lleth here, Wilhani Wyime now living, Maurice Wynne now
'« living, Ellis W\nne who lleth buried att Whitford in the
•^ county of Flint, Henry Wynne now living, Rogvn- Wynne

- who iitth here, and two davightcrs, Mary now living, married

- to Sir Roger Moftyn, In tlie county oi Flint, Knight,, and Eli-

- /abeth now llvelng, married to Sir Jolin Bodvil, la tlie County
" of Caernarvon, Kmght."

•■* 1 fuAiea Rorer hero to have been a m'-ibkc of the Tranfcriber, m.
(l.aa of 0,cen~Sc^ ihc Vcdlgrcc, Sec. l^cfidcs Ro^er occurs below. I .

** On.

[ SSI ]

<« On the floor are four brafs plates, with drawings of figures
upon each of them \r. the drefles of the times; one of Maria
MoAyn wife of Roger Moftyn, anotlicr of Sir Owen Wynne,
another of Sir John Wynne, and a fourth of Lady Sydney
Wynne, wife of Sir John Wynne. And in the corner of the
Chapel a ftonc coffin, which was removed from the Abl>ey of
Conway, about two miles from hence, on which is the follow-
ing infcription :

" This is the coffin of Leolinus Magnus Prince of Wales,
" who was buried in the Abbey of Conway, and upon
*' the Diffolution, removed from thence.

" On each fide are fix carved rcceffos in the figure of Flower
*' de Luces, which bear evident marks of having contained
" brafs plates, and two at the bottom of the coffin.

" There is now creeled in the church a gallery of exquifite
** workmanffilp, which was removed likewile from the abbey ;
*' and I was at the trouble of having a large quantity of rubbilh
*' tal'vcn away from under an old fiair-cafe, that 1 might inrpccT.
*' a ftone effigy, which is laid to be of Huel Coetmurc, who
" fold the Gucdir eftate to the Wynne Family ; the word
" Gwedir is luppofcd to fignify glals, and that family probably
" was the hrll who, in thefe parts, had a Iioufe with gla/.cd
«' windows.

*' I ought to make fonie apology for the foregoln;; heavy
" articles: but elaborate infcriptlons frequently illuftrate hilloiy;
i-' and tlv'fe will at Icaft ihew that fome of tiie WelHi wore riot
" totalb rci'^ardlefs of Pedigree." See Mr. Cradock's Tuiir.

At

I

I

if'

i

[ 55^ 1

At Moflyn Caftle in Flintfliire (the ancient manfion of Sir
Roger Mo%n) is a portrait of Sir John Wynne of Gwcdir,
^t. 65. A. D. 1629, with the following words;
" Nee timet, nee tumet,"

The drefs is a black cap and cloak, with a ruff round the
head ; the beard is large and filvery.

There is alfo another portrait of him at Sir. W. Williams
Wynne's, at Winftay in Denbighshire.

ADDENDA to the Spanish Voyage.

P. 482. Fifth line from the bottom.
I have there mentioned, that I did not thoroughly comprehend
from the defcription, how the face of the Indian was marked;
but this will be explained by a mafque in Sir Afhton Lever's
Mufeum brought from the American coaft in N. Lat. 50.

P. 486, note [a].
I am informed by a gentleman long refident at Cadiz, that
(ff>/are fignifies /o warp as well as to Jpy ; and I rather conceive
that in this paffagc it fhould have been lb tranflated.

I'- ^55'

f 555 ]

P. 155.

« Nature does nothing in vain/'-A very remarkable inftancc
ot this hath of late occurred.

Dr. Dowglas had difcovered, that in the neck of the cock buf-
tard a bladder was lodged capable of holding two quarts of water,
bir Afliton Lever lately purchafed from a poulterer a hen of
this bird, in the neck of which there was not the fame provifiou.
Now buftards build their nefts in large trafts of corn at a diftance
from water : the male therefore feems to be provided with fuch
a receptacle, to be ufed whilft the female is htting, or whilft her
young brood cannot move far from the nert.

A gentleman long refident at Morocco, where they frequently
fly their hawks at buftards, hath alfo informed me that the
cock makes ufe of this refervoir of liquor againft thefe affailant^
and commonly thus baffles them.

It is well known that in moft birds the male is the warrior •
and the buftard wants not only the common defence for {[y
large a fowl, of a fpur, but hath no hind claw whatfoevcr.
Such a refervoir therefore feems neceflary for this fecond nur-
pofe. ^

P. 274..

_ All thefe circumftances in a plant are neglefted from attend-
ing only to the parts which clafs according to different fyftcms
and particularly that of Linnsus. '

I

INDEX.

L 554 J

INDEX.

^»

JNS 0 N. H is account of lea-

water being Iroxcn, page 94

his obrervations with ro

gard to fwallows in Africa,
i36, & Icq.

jljhton, Sir Lever, rpecimens in his
Mufcum, 4^^

Jjlronomer Ro]'nl, furnifhcs an in-
(lanccof reaching 84", _ 53

Jthena'us, citation from, with re-
gard to thcGLiincy hen, 148

B

Bcirker. His cxpeiinicnt with re-
gard to freezing fea-water, 95

Bards ff'i'ljb, nanr^ed by Edward
the III, _ 5^^

But, four I'.nglilli fpecics of, 165
— Decreafc'in weight whilil tor-
piJ, 107 — Heat of in that ftate,

168

Bjtb, tc'iirm, recommended dvu'ing
winter within the Pol r circle, 59

Bat/jur/}, Ukc Earl of, his great
mufical memory, 323

Belii/ls, Straits of, covered with
ice in June, 25

Birds, height to which they rile,
176 — Migration of, 174, & feq.
Canary, why they varv fo much
in colours, 186 — Method of
rearing their young, 259— Of
taming them, ibid, note \ — Fly
•rainll the wind, ilM

Blink of the key what, ^^

Buffon] his aniwer with regard to
Captain Johnfon's having reached
88", ^ 42

Burney, Dr. gives an account to
the Royal Society of Crotch's
early talents, 311

C

CamoevSf citation from, about tur-
kies, 150

Campbell, Dr. his information from
Dr. Da Die, p. 9

Curt:vrigbt, Lieut, his ingenious
account of the ice on the Labra-
dore coalt, 1 15, & feij.

Cbjv/-icc, Captain, reaches North Lat.

Clioiy, Alex: his map of the Nor-
thern feas, 28

CorniJ]}, Mr. his experiments on
torpid bats, 167

Crofs-lill, docs not eat the kernels
of apples, 221. note ''.—Citation
from Matthew Paris about, ibid.

Crotch, little, his early talents for
mufic, 3 1 1 — Extemporary com-
pofition of, 316

Ciukoio. Some prevailing notions
about this bird doubted, 245^
& feq. — Ariftotle, fnft: allcrtor
that they do not hatch their eggs,
246 — Hens of, wvll formed for
ineubation, 253 — heard in win-

ter.

209

D.

mmm

N D E

X;

555

D

Dallie, Dr. reaches 88' N. Latitude,

9, & fcq.

De Luc, Mr. of opinion that the ice

of the Glacicres is always increa-

fing, 91, note "\

Deluge, Noah's, obfeivations on,

326, & feq.
Ducks, do not fit in the Eaft Indies,

141

Dutch, early dif^utcs of with the

Englilh about the Greenland

filhery, 17 — Several reach high

Northern Latitudes, 81, & feq.

Go«A/£VJ, Captain, reaches 89*N Lat.

19, & fcq.

Greafe, capons of, i ^ 1

Grey, Mr. iiis anfwcrs to certain
Polar queries, t 5

Gu'mey hens, whe'her the Mflcagris,
144 — Brought to Tunis from
Italy, 147, note ".

Gwedtr Family, memoirs of, 34-;,

& Icq*

II

Earth, fuppofed meaning of this
term in Genefis, 335, & fcq.

Elk, American, larger than the
European, 160.

Z^/Z/j, Governor, h is argumentagainft
a perpetual barrier of ice at 801,91

Englijh zvriters, compared with the
French, 433, & fcq.

Eguilibre of the Southern or Nor-
thern Hemifpheres, 28

Equipment of Ihips for a Polar
voyage, 57, & feq.

Fip, fpawn ill the fame place,

240, note "^

Freezing point, upon a mountain, 29

French writers, compared with the

Englifh, 433.&%'

G

Geefc, wild, fly higher than other

birds, 176, note^
Geo(rrfip/.)y of -he 9th Century il-

lullrated, 453, & fcq.

Hakluyt, rides 200 miles to hear thr
narrative of Thomas Butts, 15,

note '".
Haver-dccr, never drop their horns,

159, note '.
/iir« of Carthage, 147, note '\

Hen birds, their tail featlicrs often
fhorterthan the males, 191, note'".
Height of a bird in the air, how to
be determined, J77

Hernand.s, citation from, 128

Higgins, Dr. his many ingenious ex-
periments on freezing fea-water,

97, & feq.

I

Tachzur, a Welfli anticiuary, 401

Ice, floating. Bouvet meets with in
53" S. Lat. 18. Sudden accumu-
lation of, 24. Not eafily formed in
f\lt_-watcr, 92, &feq. Ice iflands,
their formation, 115. Icebergs,
ibid. Different kinds of, ^2,

note '',

Ire-houfe, temperature of, 19;

India, what country lb called in the
Jfth century, 133, tSc feq.

I.iigo Jones, fomc anecdotes with re-
gardto, -341

li In/ltls,

:k

55^

I

N D

E

X.

InfeSfSy whether fubtcrraneous ones,

Johnfon, Captain, reaches 88° North
Latitude, 26

Kaims, Lord, citation from, 263

Z.<'7/i;a'<i'i5r^, coaft of, method of build-
ing huts there, 58, note "".

Latitudes, high. Why inftances of
reaching are rare, p. 3. Inftances
of fuch in print, p. 15. Inftances
of, not in print, p. 34, & feq.

Lawrence^ Mailer, his early talents

Mdeagrh, whether the turkey, 143

MorningtoH, Earl of, his early ta-
lents for mulic, 3 1 7. & feq.

Mozart, a capital mufician at the
age of eight, 279> & feq.

Mujic rccoiimended in voyages of
difcovery, 58, note ^

improper prejudices againft

the Profeflbrs of, 324

Mujettm of Royal Society, transferred
to the Britifh Mufeum, 277

N ■

Nairne, his experiments of freezing
fait water confidered, 94

Nejis, not unneceffarily renewed by

for d

rawing,

317, note'

birds.

240, note

Leemius, feveral citations from,

154, & feq.

Lever, Sir Afhton, fpecimens in his
Mufeum, 488

Liebaut, citation from, about the
Guiney hen, 150

Linnaus, the merits of his fyftem
confidered, p. 262, & feq. —
His knowledge of the Latin
tongueimperfe(ft, 263— His fyftem
of botany confidered, 271, & feq.

M

MacCalhvn reaches 83l-°N. Lat. 6

Aladauriri, of opinion that tlie fca
was open 10 the Pole, 27, note p.

Mnccl/o the compofer. Saying of
his elder brother, 29 1 , note ''.

Martins, found torpid in holes,
&c. 232, & feq. — Seen at Chrift-
nias, 236 — Build in the fame neft
for years, 239

Maurcilc, D. Antonio, his voyage,
iranflation of, 47 1 , & feq. reaches
58" nearly on the N.W. coaft of
America 507

2.

Night ingakf whether a bird of paf-
fage, 207 — Not feen N. of Dur-
ham, nor in Wales, ibid.

O

Oglethorpe, General. Hisadvicewith
regard to difcoveries, 58, note".

Ohthere, his voyage in the Northern
feas, 460 & feq.

Oldenburg, Mr. refuted, 15

Orange-bead, a fea plant, defcribed,

480

P

Percy, matter, his early talents for
poetry, 308, note ". Words of
a ballad written by him, 309

Polu, feas, fuppofed to be not filled
with ice in the fpring, 120, & feq.

Pole reached, according to a Berlin
map, 19, note y.

Pole. Parliament gives a reward of
5000 1. for reaching within a de-
gree of it, _ 57

Potozvtnack River, frozen over, 25,

note

R.

lf\

f.l

V.

N

D

E X.

557

).

V

\

I

t

\

i,

R

l?i7y. The merit of his Synopfis of
Britiih plants, 272

Rein-deer, will live out of the Ardtic
circle, 153 — Fond of human
urine, 156 — Make a fnapping
noife with their hoofs, 157

Reward of 20,000 1. for difcovering
a communication between the
Pacific and Atlantic, 57

Rhaadf bird,

147, note".

Robin/on, Captain, reaches Sz^N.
Lat. 4

S

Salting, Sir Charles Knowlcs's re-
ceipt for, 59, note ^.

Sea-water, not eaiily frozen, 3 1

Snipes, breed in England, 2 1 1

Spain, K. of, indebted to the Royal
Society for fpecimens in Nat.
Hiftory, 276, & fcq.

South Sea Company, for nine years
fend Ihips to Greenland, 47

Spcrlin^ius, citation from, with re-
gard to a turkey, 131

Spitjbergen, may be wintered in, 4.
— Coals there, 16, note".

Swallows, where thev firfl appear in
thefpring,227 — Diuippear after-
wards for days, 226- -Inflanccs
of their being found under water,
229, & feq.

Swifts, where found torpid, 238.
—Are weather-beaten before they
difappear, 242

Thule, What country, 62

Tooke, Rev. Mr. of opinion that

the f.a is open to the Pole, 28,

note % and 90

Trees, fudden decay of, and caiife,

1-0, 8c fea.

Turkey, bird, driven in flocks from
Languedoc into Spaiii, 130 —
Young ones at a ferjcancs feall in
1555, 131 — Whether found in
Afia, 133 — Whether in -\frica,
135— Name of in moll lan-
guages, ibid. — Gyllius's defcrip-
tion of, 139

Tw/Vf J, congregate with linnets, 269

W

Wales, Mr. his obfervations on
floating ice, 115, note x. 117,

note ''.

fVatt, Captain, reaches 83 '-"North
Lat. 1

We/ley, Charles, account of as a
mufician, 290

Samuel, account of for the

fame talents, 298, & feq. —
Words of an anthem compofed
by him, 307 — Ballad compofed
by him, 309

Whales, cannot breathe long nnder
the ice, 31, note 1,

Wind-boats, propofed for pafling
from 8o£^ to the N. Pole, 14,

note ^.

IVo'jd. His voyage to the N. E. con-
fideied, 18, & fcq.

IV'.odcocks, occafionally build in
England , 2 1 3 — May be kept in an
aviary. Ibid. —Sleep in the day-
time, 2 1 5 — Called by the Afri-
cans The Partridge's afs, 2 1 5

Tears enumerated, in which the
Polar leas have been open, 57

Zacate del Mar, a fea plant,. 4f5o

D 1 R E c-

%,

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li

Directions for placing the Plates.' • —

The Portrait of MoxMRT before the account of him Th . re- t ' "

the Hiftory of the Gu-edir fm»il, tL L p of^?'?^^'^^""^^^'^'''^ be^-.

And the .nap of the N. W. coaft of AnferLT p^'Ji j!" ' '^'^ '^-'": ^^ '"'■ T

Corrections of the more Materiai. Error
P. iii. 1. i6. for «' E^dravour," read " Dycov^y
r. 22. (or memoirs rtii mmtories
P. 6i, note \ for »ria-.,yoT« i.fo„o» n read ^.,
i*. 84. 1. 9. for -Mho read ii-^AvJ r «.
P. 140, notes 1.4. dele ^'ofbothfcxts^' ■ ' ' -

P.* x'S' no^ 'Tr''^ '°"''"' '" ^^'^™'^'^- -'^ P*--S-. •

1. 100, note , for a>« a,^^„^„o.„ ,y„ra,. read«,«»- ^l ^

P.38r. note', L i- for M,«.jy .ead A/«.,«

Ibid. 1. 12. for 7«i„ read 7«r^„

P- 4i;3- 1. 8. for /ra^j read tracks

P. +78. I. 6. from the bottom, for the bufincft read //..vV

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