Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1911 edition. Excerpt: ... A JOURNAL OF TRANSACTIONS AND EVENTS ON THE COAST OF LABRADOR THE FIRST VOYAGE Sunday, March 30, 1770. Some previous communications having passed on the subject, Lieutenant Francis Lucas of the Royal Navy and I went down to Bristol and on this day engaged to enter into a partnership with Messrs. Thomas Perkins and Jeremiah Coghlan, merchants of that city, under the firm of Perkins, Coghlan, Cartwright, and Lucas, for the purpose of carrying on various branches of business upon the coast of Labrador; and particularly, of endeavouring to cultivate a friendly intercourse with the Esquimaux Indians,1 who have always been accounted the most savage race of people upon the whole continent of America. They have at different times committed several robberies and murders on 1 He refers to the Eskimos, not to the Indians. Cartwright frequently uses the word Indian when he means Eskimo. This latter race were in his day often called " Fishing Indians " to distinguish them from the true Indians, who were called " Hunting Indians." the property and persons of the adventurers in Labrador. Three years ago, they murdered three servants at Cape Charles, who belonged to Mr. Nicholas Darby, an adventurer from Bristol. This occasioned him to abandon that place, and has ever since interrupted all commerce between that nation and the British. That affair has also deterred every other adventurer from extending his business to the northward of Chateau Bay, where Government, near five years ago, erected a blockhouse in a small Fort, which is garrisoned by an officer and twenty men from the Governor of Newfoundland's ship. A Sloop of War is also stationed there during the Summer, not only to protect the merchants and their people from the Indians, but also to...