Of the numerous examples of maritime enterprise which claim a notice in the history of the nation, none were more productive of exciting events, or of important results, than the early voyages which were set forth by the Governor and company of merchants of London trading into the East-Indies—who were incorporated by royal charter on the last day of the year 1600.

Nevertheless, in consequence of various adverse circumstances, the narratives of those voyages have remained in comparative obscurity; and as no sufficient statement of the case has come before me, in despite of much earnest research, I shall report it in conformity with my own inquiries and impressions.

The venerable Hakluyt had completed his farfamed volumes, entitled The principal navigations, voiages, traffiqves and discoueries of the English nation, just before the associated merchants were favoured with their charter, and no augmented edition of the work was ever produced, nor any continuation of it on the same judicious and definite plan.

Now, the spirit of enterprise rather increased at the close of the sixteenth century. The voyages to Virginia and other parts of America, and into the north-western seas, were soon afterwards of frequent occurrence, and various relations of those voyages came out in the fugitive shape of pamphlets. The other hemisphere also attracted much attention; and the energetic proceedings of the governor and committee of the East-India Company, acting in behalf of more than two hundred members, promised an ample and novel accession to the mass of nautical journals.