CARVER, Jo Vr/I A N, a distinguished American tra veller, was born at Canterbury, in the state of Connecti cut in 1729. I le was a descendant of John Carver, Esq. the first governor of the colony of Plymouth in the year 1620. Having lost his father, who held a subordinate station among the ollicers of the government, woen he was only about live years of age, his mother was re duced to the necessity of soliciting public aid in behalf of herself and fainily. The select men of his 'lathe town made ample provision for them, and at a proper age young Carver, after being instructed in the elements of a common school education, was placed under the direc tion of one Bradford, a shoemaker. In this humble ca pacity he did not long continue. His active mind and roving disposition were unable to undergo the close con finement to which he was subjected, and the severity of his master adding new force to his passion for adventure, he left him with the determination of indulging his na tural propensity for traN elling. On the commencement of hostilities between Great Britain and France in 1753, relative to the possession of the rich and extensive coun try between the Allegany .Mountains and the Mississippi, Carver enlisted as a private soldier and proceeded with a body of troops to the defence of the frontiers of New York. At the siege of Fort William llenry in 1757 he was attached to the troops under the command of Gene ral Webb, at Fort Edward, and was of the number of those who escaped the d•eadfid massacre committed by the Indians belonging to the French -army, upon the sur rendering of that place to tile Marquis de Montcalm. In 1758, Carver was promoted to a lieutenancy in Col. Par tridge's regiment, and in the following year served in the army of Wolfe at the battle of Quebec. About tnis time he was honoured with a captain's commission, and as an officer, distinguished himself equally for bravery and talents.
Upon the peace of 1763, Captain Carver resigned his station in the army, and immediately formed the reso lution of exploring the vast extent of territory ceded to Great Britain by the treaty of Versailles; a resolution in the highest degree honourable to him, and in the execu tion of which he fully exemplified the boldness and man liness of his character. lie had already become inured to difficulties and dangers, and he was not long in at tempting the objects of his pursuit. liming passed some time with his family in MassacLusetts, he set out from Boston in June 1766. and in the September ensu ing arrived at Fort Michillimackinac, the most interior English post. At this place he made the necessary ar rangement for pursuing his travels, and by the influence of Governor Rogers, was furnished with a supply of such goods as might enable him with the greater ease and security to accomplish his intentions. It is unnecessary here to detail any of the events of his join my through a wilderness of which at that time so little was known from actual observation. His interesting narrative has been long before the public. In the accomplishment of his spirited and hazardous undertaking, he must ever be considered as having rendered by his own individual ex ertions a most important service to his country. Carver returned to Boston in October 1768, after an absence of two years and five months, having travelled during that time nearly seven thousand miles.
He now s. t about properly arranging his travels, and in 1769 departed with his family for England, with the expectation of publishing the results of his observations, and or receiving a becoming- reward for his labours. Here, however, he was treated with the greatest ingratitude. lle presented a petition to his majesty in council for a reimbursement of the sums he had expended during his journey: his petition was granted by the board of trade, only, upon the condition of his delivering up his charts and other papers relating to the discoveries he had made. The arrangements which be had formed with the book sellers for the publication of his travels was thus frus trated : he afterwards with much difficulty procured a duplicate copy of his work, which, unch•• the title ol Travels through the Inttrior Parts of -Vorth .1tnerica, in the years 1766, 1767, and 1768, was printed for his be nefit in 1778, in one volume octavo, and dedicated to Sir Joseph Banks, 1'. IL S. with whom he had long enjoyed an acquaintance. There can be little doubt that the principal, if not the sole reason why Captain Carver was disappointed in the support he expected from the British government for his eminent services, was owing to the peculiar condition of the American colonies and Great Britain. The work of Carver presented a favourable view of the country and its future resources, and it did not accord with the designs of the ministry of that day, to give it sanction or currency. In 1779, was published in folio, the New UM% crsal Traveller, con taining an account of all the empires, kingdoms, and states, in the known world. The work was chiefly an historical compilation, and appeared as the production of Carver. What particular hand he had in it is not known. It is asserted by some, that he sold his name to it for a trilling consideration, in order to support his destitute family ; certain it is, that shortly after this pe riod he was reduced to the necessity of finding employ ment as a cl( rk to a lottery office. In this menial situ ation he continued until his death, which took place in London, January 31 st, 1780, in the fifty-first year of his age.
Carver's book of travels in America is so well known as to supersede the necessity of any particular notice of its merits. His ardent thirst for adventure prompted him to undertake enterprises the most cxtei.sive and hazardous, which his indefatigable perseverance ena bled him successfully to accomplish. His narrative in general is perspicuous and interesting ; though it is to he regretted that through the w ant of a scientific educa tion, he was not qualified to give a correct and satisfac tory account of the numerous objects of natural history which came within his reach. Z:oteeithstanding this cir cumstance, considerable information may be gathered from his work concerning the properties of many vege table productions of this country. Volney (V ew of the United States) admits his sincerity and veracity. though he accuses him of being in some instances cm dulous, and thinks that his descriptions afford too favourable a picture of the Indian tribes. llosAeK us D FR.t CIS.