Page:A general history of the pyrates, from their first rise and settlement in the Island of Providence, to the present time (1724).djvu/13

 &c. and that of Brail are not to be paed by, without a little Notice. It must be oberved, that our peculative Mathematicians and Geographers, who are, no doubt, Men of the greatest Learning, eldom travel farther than their Cloets for their Knowledge, &c. are therefore unqualified to give us a good Decription of Countrie: It is for this Reaon that all our Maps and Atlaes are o montrouly faulty, for thee Gentlemen are obliged to take their Accounts from the Reports of illiterate Men.

It must be noted alo, that when the Maters of Ships make Dicoveries this Way, they are not fond of communicating them; a Man’s knowing this or that Coat, better than others, recommends him in his Buines, and makes him more ueful, and he’ll no more dicover it than a Trademan will the Mytery of his Trade.

The Gentleman who has taken the Pains to make thee Obervations, is Mr. Atkins, a Surgeon, an ingenious Man in his own Profeion, and one who is not ty’d down by any narrow Coniderations from doing a Service to the Publick, and has been pleaed generouly to communicate them for the good of others. I don’t doubt, but his Obervations will be found curious and very erviceable to uch as Trade to thoe Parts, beides a Method of Trade is here laid down with the Portuguee, which may prove of great Profit to ome of our Countrymen, if followed according to his Plan.

It is hoped thee Things will atify the Publick, that the Author of the following Sheets conidered nothing o much as making the Book ueful;tho’ he has been informed, that ome Gentlemen have rais’d an Objection against the Truth of its Contents, viz. that it eems calculated to entertain and divert.If the Facts are related with ome Agreeablenes and Life, we hope it will not be imputed as a Fault; but as to its Credit, we can aure them that the Sea-faring Men, that is all that know the Nature of thee Things, have not been able to make the leat Objection to its Credit:And he will be bold to affirm, Rh