and likewise those curious Mexican paintings, which I have defcribed, vol. iii.

My inquiries at St. Petersburgh were carried on with equal facility and fuccefs. In examining into the neareft communication between our continent and that of America, it became of confequence to obtain authentick information concerning the discoveries of the Ruffians in their navigation from Kamchatka towards the coaft of America, Accurate relations of their firft voyage, in 1741, have been published by Muller and Gmelin. Several foreign authors have entertained an opinion, that the court of Ruffia ftudiously conceals the progress which has been made by more recent navigators, and fuffers the Publick to be amufed with falfe accounts of their route. Such conduct appeared to me unfuitable to thofe liberal fentiments, and that patronage of fcience, for which the present fovereign of Ruffia is eminent; nor could I difcern any political reafon, that might render

it improper to apply for information concerning the late attempts of the Ruffians to open a communication between Afia and America. My ingenious countriman, Dr. Rogerfon, first physician to the Emprefs, prefented my requeft to her Imperial Majefty, who not only difclaimed any idea of concealment, but inftantly ordered the journal of captain Krenitzin, who conducted the only voyage of difcovery made by publick authority fince the year 1741 to be tranflated, and his original chart to be copied for my ufe. By confulting them, I have been enabled to give a more accurate view of the progrefs and extent of the Ruffian difcoveries, than has hitherto been communicated to the Publick.

From other quarters I have received information of great utility and importance. M. le Chevalier de Pinto, the minifter from Portugal to the court of Great Britain, who commanded for feveral years at Matagroffo, a fettle

ment of the Portuguese in the interior part of Brafil, where the Indians are numerous, and their original manners little altered by intercourse with Europeans, was pleafed to fend me very full anfwers to fome queries concerning the character and inftitutions of the natives of America, which his polite reception of an application made to him in my name, encouraged me to propofe. Thefe fatisfied me, that he had contemplated with a difcerning attention the curious objects which his fituation prefented to his view, and I have often followed him as one of my beft inftructed guides.

M. Suard, to whofe elegant tranflation of the Hiftory of the reign of Charles V. I owe the reception of that work on the continent, procured me anfwers to the fame queries from M. de Bougainville, who had opportunities of obferving the Indians both of North and South America, and from M. Godin le Jeune, who refided fifteen years among Indians in

Quito, and twenty years in Cayenne.

The

latter are more valuable from having been examined by M. de la Condamine, who, a few

weeks before his death, made fome fhort additions to them which may be confidered as the laft effort of that attention to fcience which occupied a long life.

My inquiries were not confined to one region in America. Governor Hutchinfon took the trouble of recommending the confideration of my queries to Mr. Hawley and Mr. Brainerd, two proteftant miffionaries, employed among the Indians of the Five Nations, who favoured me with anfwers, which difcover a confiderable knowledge of the people whofe cuftoms they defcribe. From William Smith, Efq; the ingenious hiftorian of New York, I received fome ufeful information. When I enter upon the Hiftory of our Colonies in North America, I fhall have occafion to acknowledge how much I have been

indebted to many other gentlemen of that

country.

From the valuable Collection of Voyages made by Alexander Dalrymple, Efq; with whofe attention to the Hiftory of Navigation and Discovery the Publick is well acquainted, I have received fome very rare books, parti cularly two large volumes of Memorials, partly manufcript, and partly print, which were prefented to the court of Spain during the reigns of Philip III. and Philip IV. From thefe I have learned many curious particulars with respect to the interior ftate of the Spanish colonies, and the various fchemes formed for their improvement. As this Collection of Memorials formerly belonged to the Colbert Library, I have quoted them by that title.

All those books and manufcripts I have confulted with that attention which the refpect due from an Author to the Publick required; and by minute references to them,