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xii Introduction. “ and melting them down, as well as the manner of killing seals, “ and sea lions, on the Faulkland islands; where, if your vessel “ be absent two seasons, he will have no objection to remain “ one winter ; and I come from him to propose his going out as “ a passenger in one of them ; he will pay any thing you choose “ to demand for his possessing half the cabin; and taking with “ him his books, he will have nothing to do with the ship,. “ where he will never be in the way, but, being a bit of a sea- “ man himself, he may sometimes be of use.”—“ Sir,” lie replied, “ we never take any such persons, I cannot therefore “ comply with your request; he must be a very odd young man, " Sir.”—“ Yes, Sir,” said I, “ he is an odd fish.” My intentions being frustrated here; which probably might not have been the case, had I been a little more explicit; I was next divided between three subjects that occupied my attention. The first was to endeavour to reach the North Pole; to this I was induced by reading a paper of the Honourable Dailies Barrington, on the probability of its being practicable; this, though requiring perseverance, would not require much time, as, at the expiration of the first, second, or third sum- * mer, if not accomplished, it would be given up. The next was to traverse Africa from the Cape of Good Hope, north; or from the Gambia, east. But this required:, at least, three years preparation, and five more, in all proba bility, for its accomplishment. And the third was to coast the world.—This last I conceived might be usefully done in about twenty years. I had seen the Dutch armament of 1787, the Spanish arma ment of 1790, and the Russian armament of 179L terminate 6