The Extent of America to Northward and Westward, that America and Asia were contiguous and only separated by a Streight, that California was an Island, that a Passage by the North-east was practicable, have been by later Geographers treated as Chimeras, contrary to the earliest Accounts, and the Reports of the first Discoverers, and which, by later Accounts, the Consequence of actual Observations are found to be true. There was a Simplicity and Honour in the People of that Age; there was no Motive for telling the Lie, that they faithfully reported the Discoveries they made, and if a Falshood was discovered it might be dangerous in the Consequences; their Voyages were not lucrative Jobs, in Hopes of a Repetition of which they formed their Accounts accordingly. There was no particular System to support, for the Parts they went to were entirely unknown, that a Reward and Reputation should be procured through a prevailing Interest to such as spoke in Favour of the System. While those to whose Fidelity and Assiduity alone it would be owing that such Discoveries were made, though repeated Endeavours were used to render the Undertaking ineffectual; and through whose Means alone the Truth would be made known to the Publick; should be ill spoken of, accused of Bribery, discountenanced, and the whole Merit ascribed to, where it would be least deserved, and, in Truth, where there could not be the least Pretension. Nevertheless the Reward given would be an Instance of a generous Regard in those who had Power to bestow of rewarding Merit, though they were inevitably deceived as to the proper Persons to whom such Reward should have been given.
No Authorities have been produced from Tradition or History which oppose the Probability of there being a North-west Passage, or the Reality of this Account of de Fonte, which the more we examine the less there appears to be of a Falsity, the Circumstances of it so consistent and united, and there are so many extra Circumstances which concur with that Account, that we cannot but admit to be an incontestable Truth. We have not had a full Account of the Voyages and Expeditions of the Spaniards in New Spain, as some of them have not been permitted to be published. Venegas particularly mentions, Vol. i. P. 14, and in other Parts, There are also Accounts of Voyages made to other Parts of the World, which are only preserved in the Collections of the Curious, and it is known but to few Persons that such Voyages were ever made. There are some Voyages which are mentioned to have been made, but cannot, after the most diligent Inquiries, be procured; yet it is no just Objection to the Authenticity of such Voyages, or as to their not having been made. What the first Discoverers represented as to the Extent of America, its being contiguous to Asia, as to California, and as to a North-east Passage, being in all Respects found to be true, there is the greatest Reason to believe that there is a North-west Passage; and it is consistent with that Precaution which the Spanish Nation have made Use of, that we should not have any authentick Accounts relating to such Passage, which they were desirous of discovering as a shorter Way to the Spice Islands and the Indies. But when the King of Portugal and Spain came to an Agreement as to the Moluccas, the principal Reason for making such Discovery was determined, and it became their mutual Interest that it should not be known that there was such a Passage. Their continued Silence with respect to such Passage, implies they are acquainted with there being such a Passage, though not to an Exactness. It cannot imply they are dubious, when we consider the Number of Circumstances there are already mentioned, which express the contrary.
There are Circumstances in de Fonte's Account which shew the Inference of there being no North-west Passage is not just, though just as far as it appeared to de Fonte, as the River Parmentiers was not navigable for Shipping. One Circumstance is, that in the River Haro, and Lake Velasco, there were Salmon Trouts and large white Perch; also in Los Reyes and Lake Belle, but in Lake de Fonte excellent Cod and Ling; which are Fish that always abide in the Salt Water, the others come out of the Salt Water into the fresh Waters to spawn. Which de Fonte would account for that they came into the Lake de Fonte from the North Sea, and when he passed the Streight of Ronquillo, supposed himself to be in that Sea, or from the Intelligence that he obtained from Shapley that he was in a Gulph or Branch of it. Another Circumstance, as it flowed in the River Los Reyes twenty-two Feet, and in Haro twenty-four, and but a small Tide went into Lake Belle, de Fonte concluded that the Western Tide terminated there, and that as the Waters rose to such a Heighth at the Entrance of those Rivers, that it was a Gulph he was in which confined these Waters and occasioned their rise at such Entrances of the Rivers. That the Tides in Parmentiers, Lake de Fonte, and the Streights of Ronquillo, were from the North Sea. But by later Observations of the Rise of the Tides, a Tide cannot proceed from Hudson's Bay to that Sea where Shapley was met by de Fonte, than through the Streights of Ronquillo into the great Lake of de Fonte, and afterwards to rise so high in the River Parmentiers. Neither can such a Tide proceed through the broken Land to Northwards of Hudson's Streights, named Cumberland Isles (formerly Estotland) and which extend as far as Latitude 70; for it is evident the Strength of such Tides is spent in Hudson's Bay and Baffin's Bay: For at the Bottom of Hudson's Bay it flowed but two Feet, at the Bottom of Fretum Davis or Baffin's Bay, but one Foot. Which is agreeable to the Opinion of all the Discoverers of that Time, as to the Eastern Tide from the Proportion that the great Spaces or Seas which were to receive it bore to the Inlets by which it came in, that the Force of such Tide must be consumed in such Seas, and therefore expected to meet with a Tide from Westward, which counterchecked the Eastern Tide. On the other Hand, if we consider this Tide to be from the Western Ocean, such Tide forced through various Entrances up a Streight as that of de Fuca, must enter the Sea where Shapley was met, with great Impetuosity; rise in Heighth proportionable to the Width in all Openings that there are to receive it. As it is the Tide round Greenland, and that which comes from the Southward along the Coast of Labrador, being both received in those Indraughts of Hudson's Streights, and the broken Lands of Cumberland Isles, which causes the Rise of the Tides there. It may be supposed that the North-east Part of the South Sea, and the Streight of de Fuca, received the Tides which set to Eastward along the Western Main from Beering's Streights, and the Tide which comes from the Southward along the Coast of California. That the Tide is not from the Tartarian Sea, in Lake de Fonte, &c. is evident from Bernarda's Account, who shews there is no Communication with that Sea and the Sea that Shapley was met in.
As to the Cod and Ling in Lake de Fonte, or as to Salmon, it is not known that there are either Cod, Ling or Salmon in Hudson's Bay: Neither have there been found Shoals or Banks to which the Cod could repair; nor is it known that any Cod have been catched beyond Latitude 57; an Article to which Davis was particularly attentive: Therefore it is not probable that they should come from the North Sea through Hudson's Bay to Lake de Fonte. De Fonte mentions Shoals in the North-east Part of the South Sea, which he passed up. And in Vizcaino's Voyage there is an Account that, off the Island Geronymo on the Coast of California, the Ships Companies supplied themselves with Cod and Ling; which shews there are Cod and Ling in those Seas. It was reasonable for de Fonte to suppose that the Cod and Ling came from the Eastward from the Baccaloos, neither could he otherwise suppose, as the contrary is only known from Observations made much later than that Time.
Fox had advanced in 1635, when he published the Account of his Voyage, that there was a free and open Communication of the Western Ocean with Hudson's Bay: Which was looked on as an incontestable Fact until the Voyage of Captain Middleton. What Fox said was consistent with the Opinion which all the Discoverers had of the Proximity of the Western Ocean; who therefore judged of the Probability of their Success in the Parts they went into, from the Course of the Tides, which if there was no Western Tide there was no Passage. This probably prevented that Success, as to a Discovery of a Passage, which through their Assiduity might otherwise have been obtained, had they not paid such a Regard to the Tides, but made a due Survey of the Inlets and Openings of the Coast, which on their not finding that a Western Tide came from thence they deserted, which was also the Case as to Captain Moor in the Search of Pistol Bay as called, to Southward of Lord Southwell's Isles, there was no Western Tide; therefore a compleat Discovery of that Part was not made.
It is to be considered that the Northern and Eastern Parts of America, are more intermixed with Waters than the Parts to Southward are, being a high mountainous Country. The Mountains chiefly consisting of a brown rocky Substance, not penetrable by the melting Snows or Spring Rains, which therefore run off into the Levels and Valleys, and form inland Seas, great Lakes, and Inlets, which vent their Waters into the Ocean, necessary for carrying off that great Quantity and vast Bodies of Ice which are formed in the Winter in those Parts, not to be dissolved, as the greater Part is which is formed to the Southward, by the Influence of the Sun. The Northern and Westward Part of America is also mountainous, and high Ridges of Mountains were seen from the Head of Wager Bay on the opposite Shore of what appeared to be a Lake; therefore there must be Lakes and Seas to Westward, Reservoirs for the melting Snows and Rains, also some Outlet or Channel to carry off the great Quantities of Ice also formed in those Parts; and with which Barnarda's Account is consistent, and the greatest Reservoir and Discharge seems to be to the Northward by that North-east Part of the Tartarian Sea. The Lake Velasco, Lake Belle, Lake de Fonte, may be all supposed to proceed from the same Cause, the melting Snows and Rains, receive the Ice from the Waters which run into them, which, from the Strength of the Currents and Tides, is soon shot from the Shores of such Lakes, broken to Pieces and carried off into some Passage or Inlet into the South Sea; and such a Vent or Channel to carry off such Bodies of Ice must necessarily be, agreeable to what is known by Observation in other Parts. The Objection of the great Distance it is between the Ocean and the Sea at the Back of Hudson's Bay, and where Shapley was met, will appear of no Validity when we consider the Distance between the Streights of Gibraltar and the Northern Part of the Black Sea. Between the Entrance of the Sound to the Entrance of the White Sea, between which there is Communication of Waters, or very nearly so. And from Point Comfort in Hudson's Bay to Alderman Smith's Sound in Baffin's Bay, between which there is a Communication of Waters without entering into the Ocean or Davis Streights. From Lake Superior to the Streights of Belle Isle at the Back of Newfoundland, or to Cape Breton, is near forty Degrees of Longitude, or equal to 390 Leagues. And Lake Superior hath a Communication with Hudson's Bay.
This great Afflux of Waters form such Meanders and Labyrinths, as it is impossible to say whether there is a Communication of Waters, or whether the Waters are divided by smaller or larger Tracts or Slips of Land, without an absolute Survey. The Lands so double or fold one within the other, that unless you get a proper Sight of such Lands so as to distinguish this, to discover the Opening that is between them, there is an Appearance of a Continuance of the Land, and consequently of a Termination of the Waters. So long as the Tide Argument prevailed it was not thought necessary to be so accurate in the Searches. A Sight of the Land trending a Course contrary to that Course which the Discoverers were to pursue to make a Passage, and the Tide coming from the Eastward, rendered a Search any further in those Parts unnecessary: and it may be owing to the great Impropriety of adopting a particular System, more than to any other Cause, that the Discovery of a North-west Passage was not made by those brave industrious Discoverers, who in a Series succeeded each other from Frobisher to James and Fox.
This seems to be certain, that there must be one great Channel, as Hudson's Streights are to Eastward, also to Westward though intricate by which the Waters to Westward pass into the South Sea, and as that to Northward, the North-east Part of the Tartarian Sea. We already know there is not a Communication by Hudson's Bay, thro' any Inlet by which the Waters do come in there or sufficient for that Purpose; neither round the Head of Repulse Bay, for then the Current would have been met coming from Westward. Therefore such Channel must be to Southward and Westward, consistent with de Fuca's Account of a Streight, in some such Manner as is represented in the Map annexed. Which Account also agreeable to that of Peche.
De Fuca says, he sailed twenty-six Days up such Streight before he entered the Sea; that the Streight grew wider before he entered the Sea. If we allow him fifteen Leagues a Day, from the Entrance of such Streights out of the South Sea to where he entered the Sea, by him supposed the North Sea, the Distance is 390 Leagues. As he mentions that he found it wide enough every where, this Expression shews that he did not suppose himself in the Ocean, but in a Gulph of the Ocean. And Martin Chacke expresses himself, that after he overshot the Gulph, he set no more Sight on any other Land. Therefore the Distance is agreeable to that Distance which de Fuca must have gone to come into that Sea where de Fonte met Shapley; the Description that he saw both Shores, makes a Consistency also in those Accounts. Before de Fonte's Expedition, Hudson's Bay had been discovered, yet that Discovery made no Alteration as to the Accounts of de Fuca and Chacke, as Fox said beyond Lat. 64, round that Land there was incontestably a Communication with the Western Ocean. Here is an Agreement in three Accounts, by separate Persons at a Distance of Time, who had no Intelligence of what had been done by each other; for Chacke was a Portugueze; and as de Fuca had made his Report to the Viceroy of New Spain of what he had done, and what he had done seems to be mostly accounted of by himself, therefore no Regard might be had to it in drawing de Fonte's Instructions: All which three Accounts agree in there being a Sea to Westward of Hudson's Bay.
De Fuca mentions he was ashore; saw Marks of Gold and Silver; Marquisates the same which was made such an Account of after Frobisher's return from his first Voyage, and from which it may be inferred it was a barren mountainous Country which de Fuca passed through. He was afraid of the Natives, who were clad in Beast Skins; and from whose Behaviour he must have had some Apprehension that they would cut him off, as he mentions that he was not armed against them. De Fonte is very express as to the civil Behaviour of those Indians he met with, so contrary to the Character of those whom de Fuca saw. Therefore those whom de Fuca saw were the Eskemaux, who frequent the mountainous and desolate Parts, and near to the Salt Waters where they can catch Fish, also the Seal and the Whale, from which they get many Conveniencies besides what is necessary for their Subsistance; who are mentioned to be also on other Parts of the Coast of California; are represented as a fierce and barbarous People, who hold no Treaty or Amity with their Neighbours, who are always in Fear of them.