ciled, and that nations will learn not to do what they would not fuffer.

But the filent toleration of fufpected guilt is a de

gree of depravity far below that which openly incites and manifeftly protects it. To pardon a pirate may be injurious to mankind; but how much greater is the crime of opening a port in which all pirates shall be fafe? The contraband trader is not more worthy of protections: if with Narborough he trades by force, he is a pirate; if he trades fecretly, he is only a thief, Those who honeftly refuse his traffick he hates as obftructors of his profit; and those with whom he deals he cheats, because he knows that they dare not complain. He lives with a heart full of that malignity which fear of detection always generates in thofe who are to defend unjust acquisitions against lawful authority; and when he comes home with riches thus acquired, he brings a mind hardened in evil, too proud for reproof, and too ftupid for reflection; he offends the high by his infolence, and corrupts the low by his example.

Whether these truths were forgotten or defpifed, or whether fome better purpose was then in agitation, the representation made in Anfon's voyage had fuch effect upon the ftatefmen of that time, that (in 1748) fome floops were fitted out for the fuller knowledge of Pepys's and Falkland's Islands and for further discoveries in the South Sea. This expedition, though perhaps defigned to be fecret, was not long concealed from Wall, the Spanish ambaffador, who fo vehemently opposed it, and fo ftrongly maintained the right of the Spaniards to the exclufive dominion of the South Seas

that

that the English ministry relinquished part of their original defign, and declared that the examination of those two iflands was the utmoft that their orders should comprise.

7

This conceffion was fufficiently liberal or fufficiently fubmiffive; yet the Spanish court was neither gratified by our kindness, nor softened by our humility. Sir Benjamin Keene, who then refided at Madrid, was interrogated by Carvajal concerning the vifit intended to Pepys's and Falkland's Iflands in terms of great jeadoufy and discontent, and the intended expedition was represented, if not as a direct violation of the late peace, yet as an act inconfiftent with amicable intentions, and contrary to the profeffions of mutual kindnefs which then paffed between Spain and England. Keene was directed to proteft that nothing more than mere difcovery was intended, and that no fettlement was to be established. The Spaniard readily replied, that if this was a voyage of wanton curiofity, it might be gratified with lefs trouble, for he was willing to communicate whatever was known; that to go fo far only to come back, was no reasonable act; and it would be a flender facrifice to peace and friend fhip to omit a voyage in which nothing was to be gained: that if we left the places as we found them, the voyage was useless; and if we took poffeffion, it was a hoftile armament, nor could we expect that the Spaniards would fuppofe us to vifit the fouthern parts of America only from curiofity, after the fcheme propofed by the author of Anfon's voyage.

1 When once we had difowned all purpose of fet_ tling, it is apparent that we could not defend the

propriety of our expedition by arguments equivalent to Carvajal's objections. The miniftry therefore dif miffed the whole defign, but no declaration was required by which our right to pursue it hereafter might be annulled.

From this time Falkland's Inland was forgotten or neglected, till the conduct of naval affairs was intrusted to the Earl of Egmont, a man whofe mind was vigorous and ardent, whofe knowledge was extenfive, and whofe defigns were magnificent; but who had somewhat vitiated his judgment by too much indulgence of romantick projects and airy fpeculations.

Lord Egmont's eagerness after fomething new determined him to make inquiry after Falkland's Island, and he fent out Captain Byron, who in the beginning of the year 1765, took, he says, a formal poffeffion in the name of his Britannick Majesty.

The poffeffion of this place is, according to Mr. Byron's representation, no despicable acquifition. He conceived the island to be fix or feven hundred miles round, and reprefented it as a region naked indeed of wood, but which, if that defect were fup, plied, would have all that nature, almost all that luxury could want The harbour he found capacious and fecure, and therefore thought it worthy of the name of Egmont. Of water there was no want, and the ground, he defcribed as having all the excellencies of foil, and as covered with antifcorbutick herbs, the restoratives of the failor. Provifion was eafily to be had, for they killed almost every day an hundred geefe to each fhip, by pelting them with ftones. Not content with phyfick and with food,

he

he fearched yet deeper for the value of the new dominion. He dug in queft of ore, found iron in abundance, and did not defpair of nobler metals.

A country thus fertile and delightful, fortunately found where none would have expected it, about the fiftieth degree of fouthern latitude, could not without great fupinenefs be neglected. Early in the next year (January 8, 1766) Captain Macbride arrived at Port Egmont, where he erected a small blockhouse, and ftationed a garrifon. His defcription was less flattering. He found, what he calls, a mafs of iflands and broken lands, of which the foil was nothing but a bog, with no better prospect than that of barren mountains, beaten by ftorms almost perpetual. Yet this, fays he, is fummer, and if the winds of winter hold their natural proportion, those who lie but two cables' length from the shore, muft pafs weeks without any communication with it. The plenty which regaled Mr. Byron, and which might have fupported not only armies, but armies of Patagons, was no longer to be found. The geefe were too wife to stay when men violated their haunts, and Mr. Macbride's crew could only now and then kill a goofe when the weather would permit. All the quadrupeds which he met there were foxes, fuppofed by him to have been brought upon the ice; but of ufelefs animals, fuch as fea lions and penguins, which he calls vermin, the number was incredible. He allows, however, that those who touch at these iflands may find geele and nipes, and in the fummer months, wild celery and forrel.

No

No token was seen by either, of any fettlement ever made upon this island, and Mr. Macbride thought himself fo fecure from hoftile disturbance, that when he erected his wooden blockhouse he omitted to open the ports and loopholes.

When a garrison was stationed at Port Egmont, it was neceffary to try what sustenance the ground could be by culture excited to produce. A garden was prepared, but the plants that sprung up, withered away in immaturity. Some fir-feeds were fown; but though this be the native tree of rugged climates, the young firs that rose above the ground died like weaker herbage. The cold continued long, and the ocean feldom was at rest.

Cattle fucceeded better than vegetables. Goats, sheep, and hogs, that were carried thither, were found to thrive and increase as in other places.

- Nil mortalibus arduum eft. There is nothing which human courage will not undertake, and little that human patience will not endure. The garrifon lived upon Falkland's Iland, fhrinking from the blaft, and shuddering at the billows.

This was a colony which could never become independent, for it never could be able to maintain itself, The neceffary supplies were annually fent from England, at an expence which the Admiralty began to think would not quickly be repaid. But shame of deserting a project, and unwillingness to contend with a projector that meant well, continued the garrison, and fupplied it with regular remittances of stores and provifion.

That of which we were almoft weary ourselves, we did not expect any one to envy; and therefore fuppofed