titude 65 deg. and 64 deg., succeeded Wager's Strait, in the sanguine
expectations of those who remained unconvinced by former
disappointments. Mr Ellis, who was on board the Dobbs, and who wrote the
history of the voyage, holds up this, as one of the places where the
passage may be sought for, upon very rational grounds, and with very
good effects.[39] He also mentions Repulse Bay, nearly in latitude 67 deg.;
but as to this he speaks less confidently; only saying, that by an
attempt there, we might probably approach nearer to the discovery.[40]
He had good reason for thus guarding his expression; for the committee,
who directed this voyage, admitting the impracticability of effecting a
passage at Repulse Bay, had refused allowing the ships to go into it,
being satisfied as to that place.[41]

[Footnote 39: Ellis's Voyage, p. 328.]

[Footnote 40: Ibid, p. 330.]

[Footnote 41: Account of the voyage, by the clerk of the California,
vol. ii. p. 273. Mr Dobbs himself says, "That he thought the passage
would be impracticable, or, at least, very difficult, in case there was
one farther north than 67 deg.."--_Account of Hudson's Bay_, p. 99.--D.]

Setting Repulse Bay, therefore, aside, within which we have no reason
for believing that any inlet exists, there did not remain any part of
Hudson's Bay to be searched, but Chesterfield's Inlet, and a small tract
of coast between the latitude 62 deg., and what is called the South Point of
Main, which had been left unexplored by the Dobbs and California.

But this last gleam of hope has now disappeared. The aversion of the
Hudson's Bay Company to contribute any thing to the discovery of a
north-west passage had been loudly reported by Mr Dobbs; and the public
seemed to believe that the charge was well founded. But still, in
justice to them, it must be allowed, that in 1720, they had sent Messrs
Knight and Barlow, in a sloop on this very discovery; but these
unfortunate people were never more heard of. Mr Scroggs, who sailed in
search of them, in 1722, only brought back proofs of their shipwreck,
but no fresh intelligence about a passage, which he was also to look
for. They also sent a sloop, and a shallop, to try for this discovery,
in 1787; but to no purpose. If obstructions were thrown in the way of
Captain Middleton, and of the commanders of the Dobbs and California,
the governor and committee of the Hudson's Bay Company, since that time,
we must acknowledge, have made amends f