THE GEOGRAPHY OF HUDSON BAY

Summary

Has not been attempted by any person that I know of. The voyages of Hudson, James, Fox, Button, and others, were directed to perticular purposes; and what has past between Mr. Dobbs and C. Middleton, is so full of argument and dispute, that the real geography is neglected—who by atoo eager pursute after truth have out run it, and left it behind—who by atoo ernest contention about it, have rendred it more doubtfull. Notwithstanding there are in that abundance of rubbage and impertinance, some litle matters to our purpose, what remains of the former worthys, has been so curtailed and mutilated, that very little can bee drawn from thence. What Mr. Dobbs has thought fitt to call a discription of Hudson's Bay, is so erronius, so superficial, and so trifling, in almost every circumstance.

So contrary to the experience and concurrent testimony of every person who have resided in that country, or of those who have used it any considerable time, that when it first appeared it was matter of astonishment to all those who may be supposed to be competent judges.

In that discription the interior parts of that wide extended country were, as he tells us, collected from a refugee, a runnagade, an illiterate, and an entire stranger to all, or most of the bordering countrys uppon Hudson's Bay, a French Indian; and as such never did, nor dare any of those ramble beyond the borders of the superior lake, nor trust themselves amongst the hygher tribes of Indians, but was born and bred in the mungril tribes near the inferior lakes on the skirts and borders of Canada, a very Indian without letters, without experience, and without capacity.