Page:Colnett - Voyage to the South Pacific (IA cihm 33242).djvu/15

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INTRODUCTION.
iii

indebted for my liberty to the ſpirited conduct of the Court of Great-Britain, as ſoon as it was officially informed of the inſult offered to her colours, of the piracy committed on her merchants, and the cruelty exerciſed towards her ſubjects.

I now returned to Nootka, in the only veſſel which remained to me; and, after ſuffering incredible hardſhips from a want of proviſions, and the ſhip getting ſeveral times on ſhore, I procured another valuable cargo of furs and proceeded to China. A prohibition, however, of the ſale of theſe articles, having taken place at that port during my abſence, I did not remain there, but, in a ſhort time, ſet ſail, and, at the requeſt of thoſe gentlemen who were joint agents with me, coaſted for a market to the Weſt ſide of Japan, and Eaſtſide of Corea; a coaſt which had never before been viſited by an European veſſel. Here an encouraging proſpect of a new and valuable commerce for my country unfolded