LVIII.

1779.

nor precluded violent and unseemly quarrels, ru- CHAP, mours of which were not slow in passing the Atlantic. "For God's sake," thus wrote La Fayette from France," For God's sake prevent "the Congress from disputing loudly together. Nothing so much hurts the interest and reputa"tion of America." Thus the object of concealment, unless, perhaps, for private purposes, was most imperfectly attained, although in name, at least, the deliberations of Congress at this time were secret. Historically, even the Journal which. they kept gives little light as to their true proceedings. An American gentleman, who has studied that document with care, laments that it is " painfully meagre, the object being apparently to "record as little as possible."+

The rival legislature of the mother-country met again this year on the 25th of November. Vehement debates immediately arose, and the spirits of the Opposition were revived by a division which at this time appeared among the Ministry. Lord Gower and Lord Weymouth, disapproving the continued warfare with America, and desiring a coalition with some members of the other party, resigned their offices. "I feel," said Lord Gower, "the greatest gratitude for the many marks of Royal goodness which I have received, but I "cannot think it the duty of a faithful servant to

66

* Letter of La Fayette to Washington, June 12. 1779.

+ Life of President Reed, by Mr. William Reed, vol. ii.

p. 18.

LVIII.

1779.

СНАР. "endeavour to preserve a system which must end "in ruin to His Majesty and to the country." In his stead the Presidency of the Council was bestowed upon Lord Bathurst, and the Seal, of Secretary upon Lord Hillsborough. A second Secretary of State was also at this time appointed, -Lord Stormont, lately ambassador at Paris, in place of Lord Suffolk, who had died some months before.

The secession of Lord Gower especially was felt by the Government as a heavy loss. Lord North, in a letter to the King, declares that he has done his utmost to dissuade his noble col

66

league from his purpose. But the Prime Minister adds the following remarkable words:-"In the argument Lord North had certainly one disad"vantage, which is that he holds in his heart, and "has held for three years past, the same opinion "with Lord Gower!"*

Thus gloomily for England-with a formidable league against us on either side of the Atlantic Scotland deeply stirred by the No Popery cry — Ireland ready to burst into flame-discord and contention more rife than ever in our councils and at the heart of the nation's strength-commenced, certainly not amidst congratulations, the New Year, 1780.

To the King, circa October, 1779. Appendix.

CHAPTER LIX.

VOYAGES OF DISCOVERY.

LIX.

OF DIS

COVERY.

EXPEDITIONS in pursuit of treasure, or of con- CHAP. quest, under the lofty titles of Galleons or Armadas, have sometimes too much engrossed the VOYAGES attention of historians. Not less deserving of commemoration, and far more entitled to respect, are voyages undertaken for the enlightenment of savage nations or the extension of scientific knowledge.

For voyages like these, the long reign of George the Third is most deservedly renowned. They had been a favourite object with His Majesty ever since his accession to the Crown, and were only delayed until the conclusion of general peace. Next year after that peace were sent forth, on a cruise of discovery, towards the Magellanic Strait, two ships, under Commodore Byron - the same whose adventures as a midshipman, whose duties as an Admiral, have already been com

CHAP. memorated in these pages. * His instructions,

LIX.

VOYAGES

OF DIS

COVERY.

bearing date the 17th of June, 1764, commence as follows: "Whereas nothing can redound "more to the honour of this nation as a maritime

66

power, to the dignity of the Crown of Great Britain, and to the advancement of the trade "and navigation thereof, than to make discoveries "of countries hitherto unknown —."

The main scope for such discoveries in the reign, and by the wish, of George the Third, was that vast ocean which, dividing Asia from America, extends from pole to pole. It was on the 25th of September, 1513, that this Ocean was first beheld by European eyes. On that day Vasco Nuñez, of Balboa, advancing with a party of Spaniards through the isthmus of Darien, and apprised by his Indian guides that the "Sea of the "South" was near, commanded his men to halt, and climbed a mountain-summit alone. There, as the long-desired spectacle blessed his view, he fell upon his knees, and returned thanks to God; and when marching onwards they had come close upon the waves, he entered them, with his sword in one hand and his shield in the other, and exclaimed that he took possession of that sea in the name of his liege-lords, the Kings of Leon and Castille.t

*Look back to p. 58. of the third, and to p. 412. of the present volume.

† Herrera, Decada I. lib. x. ch. i. and ii. It is curious to compare the demeanour of the Spaniard Nuñez with that of the Moor Akbeh several centuries before. This chief (who is

LIX.

OF DISCOVERY.

As a Spaniard first beheld, so did a Portuguese CHAP. first navigate far from shore, the wide expanse of the Southern Seas. Ferdinand de Magalhaens, or, VOYAGES as we have termed him Magellan, a native of Portugal, having quitted his own country and entered the service of Castille, was sent by Cardinal Ximenes on a voyage of exploration, with a squadron of five ships. He coasted the shores of South America until he found and steered through the narrow and winding strait which ever since has borne his name. On the 27th of November, 1520, he emerged into the Southern Ocean, and sailed onwards many weeks in the same direction, without the sight of land; that Ocean, in the phrase of his historian, seeming to grow vaster and vaster every day. So calm and free from storms did he find its waters that he gave it the appellation of Pacific, which, though with little reason, it still retains. At length, after many toils and dangers, his perseverance was rewarded and his fame secured by the discovery first of the Ladrones and afterwards of the Philippine Islands, where, however, he was unhappily killed in a skirmish with the natives.

commemorated by Florian in his Précis Historique sur les Maures, p. 31.), having extended his African conquests to the shores of the Atlantic, drew his sabre, and spurred his horse into the waves, crying out, "Dieu de Mahomet, tu le vois, sans " cet élément qui m'arrête, j'irais chercher des nations nouvelles pour leur faire adorer ton nom!"

* Aviendo Hernando de Magellaneo navegado por aquel Mar del Sur que parecia cada dia mas espacioso. (Herrera, Decada III. lib. i. c. 3.)