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(735)
RELATION OF A VOYAGE IN THE NORTH SEA, ALONG THE COASTS OF
ICELAND, GREENLAND, FERRO, SHETLAND, THE ORCADES, AND NOR-
WAY, MADE IN THE YEARS 1767 AND 1768, BY M. DE KERGUELEN
TREMAREC, OF THE ROYAL MARINE ACADEMY IN FRANCE, LIEUTE-
NANT, COMMANDER OF THE FRIGATES LA FOLLE AND L’ HIRON.
DELLE.
PREFACE.
HIS Majefty being defirous that encouragement and prote€tion fhould be given to the
cod fifhery on the coa{t of Iceland, carried on between the months of April and Sep-
tember, the Duc de Praflin, minifter and fecretary of ftate for naval affairs, difpatched
the frigate La Folle to a {tation off Iceland, to preferve good order among the French
fifhermen, to protect them, and to furnifh them with any fuccours they might require.
Towards the end of January 1767 I received an order at Breft from the Duc de Praflin,
to repair to court upon his majelty’s fervice. I fet off immediately, arrived at Verfailles,
and prefented mylelf to the minifter, who informed me that he had appointed me to
the command of the frigate La Folle, of twenty-fix guns, and two hundred men, for the
object I have before defcribed. Although I muft neceffarily on this cruize be fubjec&
to much fatigue and inconvenience, the novelty of it, and the inclination which from
my moft tender infancy I had always felt for cruizing, occafioned me an indefcribable
fatisfaction. M. Rodier, firft clerk in the navy-oflice, communicated to me fundry do-
cuments and regulations relative to the fifhery in queftion. On the fame fubjeét I had
the honour of feeing the prefident Ogier, who during his embafly to Denmark obtained
confiderable information on this branch of commerce, and had amicably fettled fome
difputes which had arofe upon the occafion of it. He had the kindnefs to impart to
me all the elucidation I could require : he informed me that the King of Denmark had
granted to a company eftablifhed at Copenhagen the exclufive privilege of trading with
Iceland ; that every foreign veffel, or even Danifh, not belonging to the company, was
liable to confifcation if found upon the coafts of Iceland ; that the company kept cruizers
to maintain its rights, and to capture any veffel infringing them ; that thefe cruizers three
years before, had made themfelves matters of two fhips from Dunkirk, which were fold
at Copenhagen ; that thefe two fhips had been fifhing for cod upon the coaft of Iceland,
and were furprifed in a harbour by the cruizers, with wool and other contraband articles
on board, but being ambaflador at the time he had reclaimed them, and had them re-
{tored with all cofts and intereft. ‘The Duc de Prailin ordered me to Dunkirk, to con-
fer with the gentlemen of the chamber of commerce on the means of encouraging the
fifhery, and fecuring fuccefs, by eftablifhing regulations and a difcipline by which the
men were to abide. After taking the meafures neceflary at Dunkirk, and choofing two
failors well acquainted with the coafts of Iceland, I returned to Verfailles for my laft
orders from the Duc de Praflin, and proceeded afterwards to Breft to equip my frigate :
on the firft of April fhe was taken into dock to be careened ; fhe came out again on the
third, and the fourth her equipment began; in order to haften which, I divided the
operation among my officers. M. Duchaftel, who was my fecond lieutenant, had the
care of the ftowage, and general infpection with M. de la Martilliere, midfhipman ;
lieutenant Le Chevalier Ferron, had the infpection of provifions, with Meffrs. Pehan
and Le Rouge, midfhipmen ; M. Lerondel and Le Chevalier Menyeau, midfhipmen,
looked to the guns and ammunition ; and Meffrs. Dorvault and Menyeau, fenior, to the
fails
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