Narrative of the Voyages Round the World Part 11

Our commander now began to be tired of a coast which he could no longer explore but at the risk of losing the vessel, and ruining the whole voyage. He determined, however, not to leave it, till he knew of what kind some groves of trees were, which, by their uncommon appearance, had occasioned much speculation, and had been mistaken, by several of the gentlemen, for bisaltes. Captain Cook was the more solicitous to ascertain the point, as these trees appeared to be of a sort, which might be useful to shipping, and had not been seen any where, but in the southern parts of New Caledonia. They proved to be a species of spruce pine, very proper for spars, which were then wanted.

The discovery was valuable, as, excepting New Zealand, there was not an island known, in the South Pacific Ocean, where the ship could supply herself with a mast or yard, to whatever distress she might be reduced. It was the opinion of the carpenter of the Resolution, who was a mastmaker as well as a shipwright, that very good masts might be made from the trees in question. The wood of them, which is white, close-grained, tough, and light, is well adapted to that purpose. One of the small islands where the trees were found, was called by the captain the Isle of Pines. To another, on account of its affording sufficient employment to the botanists, during the little time they stayed upon it, he gave the name of Botany Isle.

Captain Cook now took into serious consideration what was farther to be done. He had pretty well determined the extent of the south-west coast of New Caledonia, and would gladly have proceeded to a more accurate survey of the whole, had he not been deterred, not only by the dangers he must encounter, but by the time required for the undertaking, and which he could not possibly spare. Indeed, when he considered the vast ocean he had to explore to the south; the state and condition of the ship; the near approach of summer; and that any material accident might detain him in this sea even for another year, he did not think it advisable to make New Caledonia any longer the object of his attention. But though he was thus obliged, by necessity, for the first time, to leave a coast which he had discovered, before it was fully surveyed, he did not quit it till he had ascertained the extent of the country, and proved, that, excepting New Zealand, it was perhaps the largest island in the Southern Pacific Ocean.

As the Resolution pursued her course from New Caledonia, land was discovered, which on a nearer approach, was found to be an island, of good height, and five leagues in circuit. Captain Cook named it Norfolk Isle, in honour of the n.o.ble family of Howard. It was uninhabited; and the first persons that ever set foot on it were unquestionably our English navigators. Various trees and plants were observed that are common at New Zealand; and, in particular, the flax plant, which is rather more luxuriant here than in any part of that country. The chief produce of the island is a kind of spruce pine, exceedingly straight and tall, which grows in great abundance. Such is the size of many of the trees, that, breast high, they are as thick as two men can fathom. Among the vegetables of the place, the palm-cabbage afforded both a wholesome and palatable refreshment; and, indeed, proved the most agreeable repast that our people had for a considerable time enjoyed. In addition to this gratification, they had the pleasure of procuring some excellent fish.

From Norfolk Isle, our commander steered for New Zealand, it being his intention to touch at Queen Charlotte's Sound, that he might refresh his crew, and put the ship in a condition to encounter the southern lat.i.tudes. On the 18th of October, he anch.o.r.ed before Ship Cove in that sound; and the first thing he did, after landing, was to look for the bottle he had left on the sh.o.r.e, in which was a memorandum. It was taken away; and it soon appeared, from indubitable circ.u.mstances, that the Adventure had been in the cove after it was quitted by the Resolution.

Upon visiting the gardens which had been formed at Motuara, they were found almost in a state of nature, having been wholly neglected by the inhabitants. Many, however, of the articles were in a flourishing condition and shewed how well they liked the soil in which they were planted. It was several days before any of the natives made their appearance; but when they did so, and recognised Captain Cook and his friends, joy succeeded to fear. They hurried in numbers out of the woods, and embraced the English over and over again, leaping and skipping about like madmen. Amidst all this extravagance of joy, they were careful to preserve the honour of their females; for they would not permit some women, who were seen at a distance, to cone near our people. The captain's whole intercourse with the New Zealanders, during this his third visit to Queen Charlotte's Sound, was peaceable and friendly; and one of them, a man apparently of consequence, whose name was Pedro, presented him with a staff of honour, such as the chiefs generally carry. In return, our commander dressed Pedro, who had a fine person, and a good presence, in a suit of old clothes, of which he was not a little proud.

Captain Cook still continued his solicitude to stock the island with useful animals; and accordingly, in addition to what he had formerly done, he ordered two pigs a boar and sow, to be put on sh.o.r.e. There was reason to believe, that some of the c.o.c.ks and hens which had formerly been left here still existed. None of them, indeed, were seen; but a hen's egg was found, which had not been long laid.

Mr. Wales had now an opportunity of completing his observations with regard to Queen Charlotte's Sound, so as to ascertain its lat.i.tude and longitude with the utmost accuracy. In the captain's former voyage there had been an error in this respect. Such were Mr. Wales's abilities and a.s.siduity, that the same correctness was maintained by him, in determining the situation of all the other places which were visited by our navigators.

On the 10th of November, Captain Cook took his departure from New Zealand, in farther pursuit of his great object, the determination of the question concerning the existence of a southern continent. Having sailed till the 27th, in different degrees of lat.i.tude, extending from 43 to 55 48' south, he gave up all hopes of finding any more land in this ocean. He came, therefore, to the resolution of steering directly for the west entrance of the Straits of Magalhaens, with a view of coasting the south side of Terra del Fuego, round Cape Horn, to the Strait Le Maire. As the world had hitherto obtained but a very imperfect knowledge of this sh.o.r.e, the captain thought that the full survey of it would be more advantageous, both to navigation and geography, than any thing he could expect to find in a higher lat.i.tude.

In the prosecution of his voyage, our commander, on the 17th of December, reached the west coast of Terra del Fuego; and having continued to range it till the 20th, he came to an anchor in a place to which he afterwards gave the name of Christmas Sound. Through the whole course of his various navigations, he had never seen so desolate a coast. It seems to be entirely composed of rocky mountains, without the least appearance of vegetation. These mountains terminate to horrible precipices, the craggy summits of which spire up to a vast height; so that scarcely any thing in nature can appear with a more barren and savage aspect, than the whole of the country.

The run which Captain Cook had made directly across the ocean in a high southern lat.i.tude, was believed by him to be the first of the kind that had ever been carried into execution. He was, therefore, somewhat particular in remarking every circ.u.mstance which seemed to be in the least material. However, he could not but observe, that he had never made a pa.s.sage any where, of such length, or even of a much shorter extent, in which so few things occurred, that were of an interesting nature. Excepting the variation of the compa.s.s, he knew of nothing else that was worthy of notice. The captain had now done with the Southern Pacific Ocean; and he had explored it in such a manner, that it would be impossible for any one to think that more could be performed in a single voyage, towards obtaining that end, than had actually been accomplished.

Barren and dreary as the land is about Christmas Sound, it was not wholly dest.i.tute of some accomodations, which could not fail of being agreeable to our navigators. Near every harbour they found fresh water and wood for fuel. The country abounds like-wise with wild fowl, and particularly with geese; which afforded a refreshment to the whole crew, that was the more acceptable on account of the approaching festival. Had not Providence thus happily provided for them, their Christmas cheer must have been salt beef and pork. Some Madeira wine, the only article of provision that was mended by keeping, was still left. This in conjunction with the geese, which were cooked in every variety of method, enabled our people to celebrate Christmas as cheerfully as perhaps was done by their friends in England.

The inhabitants of Terra del Fuego, Captain Cook found to be of the same nation that he had formerly seen in Success Bay; and the same whom M. de Bougainville has distinguished by the name of Pecharas.

They are a little ugly, half-starved, beardless race, and go almost naked. It is their own fault that they are no better clothed, nature having furnished them with ample materials for that purpose. By lining their seal-skin cloaks with the skins and feathers of aquatic birds; by making the cloaks themselves larger; and by applying the same materials to different parts of clothing, they might render their dress much more warm and comfortable. But while they are doomed to exist in one of the most inhospitable climates in the globe, they have not sagacity enough to avail themselves of those means of adding to the conveniences of life, which Providence has put into their power.

In short, the captain, after having been a witness to so many varieties of the human race, hath p.r.o.nounced, that, of all the nations he had seen, the Pecharas are _the most wretched_.

Notwithstanding the barrenness of the country, it abounds with a variety of unknown plants, and gave sufficient employment to the botanists of the Resolution. 'Almost every plant,' says Mr. Forster, 'which we gathered on the rocks, was new to us, and some species were remarkable for the beauty of their flowers, or their smell.

On the 28th of December, our commander sailed from Christmas Sound, and proceeded on his voyage, round Cape Horn, through Strait le Maire, to Staten Land. This famous Cape was pa.s.sed by him on the next day, when he entered the Southern Atlantic Ocean. In some charts Cape Horn is laid down as belonging to a small island; but this was neither confirmed, nor could it be contradicted by our navigators; for several breakers appeared in the coast, both to the east and west of it, and the hazy weather rendered every object very indistinct. Though the summits of some of the hills were rocky, the sides and valleys seemed covered with a green turf, and wooded in tufts.

In ranging Staten Island, a good port was found, situated three leagues to the westward of St. John, and in a northern direction. Upon account of the day on which the discovery of this port was made (being the 1st of January), Captain Cook gave it the name of New Year's Harbour. The knowledge of it may be of service to future navigators.

Indeed, it would be more convenient for ships bound to the west, or round Cape Horn, if its situation would permit them to put to sea with an easterly and northerly wind. But this inconvenience is not of great consequence, since these winds are seldom known to be of long duration. The captain, however, has declared that if he were on a voyage round Cape Horn to the west, and not in want of wood or water, or any thing which might make it necessary to put into port, he would not approach the land at all. By keeping out at sea the currents would be avoided, which, he was satisfied, would lose their force at ten or twelve leagues from land, and be totally without influence at a greater distance.

The extent of Terra del Fuego, and consequently that of the Straits of Magalhaens, our commander ascertained to be less than has been laid down by the generality of navigators. Nor was the coast, upon the whole, found to be so dangerous as has often been represented. The weather, at the same time, was remarkably temperate.

In one of the little isles near Staten Land, and which had been called by Captain Cook, New Year's Isles, there was observed a harmony between the different animals of the place, which is too curious to be omitted. It seemed as if they had entered into a league not to disturb each other's tranquillity. The greater part of the sea-coast is occupied by the sea-lions; the sea-bears take up their abode in the isle; the s.h.a.gs are posted in the highest cliffs; the penguins fix their quarters where there is the most easy communication to and from the sea; and the rest of the birds choose more retired places. All these animals were occasionally seen to mix together, like domestic cattle and poultry in a farm-yard, without one attempting to molest the other. Nay, the captain had often observed the eagles and vultures sitting on the hills among the s.h.a.gs, while none of the latter, whether old or young, appeared to be in the least disturbed at their presence. It may be asked, then, how do these birds of prey live? This question our commander hath answered, by supposing that they feed on the carca.s.ses of seals and birds which die by various causes. It is probable, from the immense quant.i.ty of animals with which this isle abounds, that such carca.s.ses exist in great numbers.

From Staten island, Captain Cook sailed, on the 4th of January, with a view, in the first place, of discovering that extensive coast, laid down by Mr. Dalrymple in his chart, in which is the gulf of St.

Sebastian: In order to have all other parts before him, the captain designed to make the western point of that gulf. As he had some doubt of the existence of such a coast, this appeared to him the best route for determining the matter, and for exploring the southern part of this ocean. When he came to the situations a.s.signed to the different points of the gulf of St. Sebastian, neither land nor any unequivocal signs of land were discovered. On the contrary, it was evident, that there could not be any extensive tract of country in the direction which had been supposed.

Proceeding in his voyage, land was seen on the 14th, which was at first mistaken for an island of ice. It was in a manner wholly covered with snow. From the person by whom it was first discovered, it obtained the name of Wallis's Island. It is a high rock, of no great extent, near to which are some rocky islets. Another island, of a larger compa.s.s, on account of the vast number of birds which were upon it, was called Bird Isle. A more extensive range of country had been seen for some time which Captain Cook reached on the 17th, and where he landed, on the same day, in three different places. The head of the bay, in which he came to sh.o.r.e, was terminated by particular ice cliffs, of considerable height. Pieces were continually breaking off, and floating out to sea; and while our navigators were in the bay, a great fall happened, which made a noise like a cannon. No less savage and horrible were the inner parts of the country. The wild rocks raised their summits till they were lost in the clouds, and the valleys lay covered with everlasting snow. There was not a tree to be seen, or a shrub found, that was even big enough to make a tooth-pick.

The only vegetation, that was met with, was a coa.r.s.e strong-bladed gra.s.s, growing in tufts, wild burnet, and a plant like moss, which sprang from the rocks.

When our commander landed in the bay, he displayed the English colours; and, under a discharge of small arms, took possession of the country in his majesty's name. It was not, however, a discovery which was ever likely to be productive of any considerable benefit. In his return to the ship, Captain Cook brought with him a quant.i.ty of seals and penguins, which were an acceptable present to the crew; not from the want of provisions, which were plentiful in every kind, but from a change of diet. Any sort of fresh meat was preferred by most on board to salt. The captain himself was now, for the first time, tired of the salted meats of the ship; and though the flesh of the penguins could scarcely vie with bullock's liver, its freshness was sufficient to render it comparatively agreeable to the palate. To the bay in which he had been, he gave, the name of Possession Bay.

The land in which this bay lies, was at first judged by our navigators to be part of a great continent. But, upon coasting round the whole country, it was proved to a demonstration that it was only an island of seventy leagues in circuit. In honour of his majesty, Captain Cook called it the Isle of Georgia. It could scarcely have been thought, that an island of no greater extent than this, situated between the lat.i.tude of fifty-four and fifty-five, should, in a manner, be wholly covered, many fathoms deep, with frozen snow, in the height of summer.

The sides and summits of the lofty mountains were cased with snow and ice; and an incredible quant.i.ty lay in the valleys. So immense was the quant.i.ty that our commander did not think that it could be the produce of the island. Some land, therefore, which he had seen at a distance, induced him to believe, that it might belong to an extensive tract, and gave him hopes of discovering a continent. In this respect, however, he was disappointed; but the disappointment did not sit heavy upon him; since, to judge of the bulk by the apprehended sample, it would not have been worth the discovery. It was remarkable, that our voyagers did not see a river, or a stream of fresh water, on the whole coast of the Isle of Georgia. Captain Cook judged it to be highly probable, that there are no perennial springs in the country; and that the interior parts, in consequence of their being much elevated, never enjoy heat enough to melt the snow in sufficient quant.i.ties to produce a river or stream of water. In sailing round the island, our navigators were almost continually involved in a thick mist; so that, for any thing they knew to the contrary, they might be surrounded with dangerous rocks.

The captain on the 25th of the month, steered from the Isle of Georgia, and, on the 27th, computed that he was in lat.i.tude sixty, south. Farther than this he did not intend to go, unless some certain signs of soon meeting with land should be discovered. There was now a long hollow swell from the west, which was a strong indication that no land was to be met with in that direction; and hence arose an additional proof of what has already been remarked, that the extensive coast laid down in Mr. Dalrymple's chart of the ocean between Africa and America and the Gulf of St. Sebastian, doth not exist. Not to mention the various islands which were seen in the prosecution of the voyage, and the names that were given to them, I shall only advert to a few of the more material circ.u.mstances. On an elevated coast, which appeared in sight upon the 31st; our commander bestowed the appellation of the Southern Thule. The reason of his giving it this name was, that it is the most southern land that had ever yet been discovered. It is everywhere covered with snow; and displays a surface of vast height. On this day our voyagers were in no small danger from a great westerly swell, which set right upon the sh.o.r.e, and threatened to carry them on the most horrible coast in the world. Happily, the discovery of a point to the north, beyond which no land could be seen, relieved them from their apprehensions. To the more distinguished tracts of country, which were discovered from the 31st of January to the 6th of February, Captain Cook gave the names of Cape Bristol, Cape Montagu, Saunder's Isle, Candlemas Isles, and Sandwich's Land. The last is either a group of islands, or else a point of the continent.

For that there is a tract of land near the pole, which is the source of most of the ice that is spread over this vast Southern Ocean, was the captain's firm opinion. He also thought it probable, that this land must extend farthest to the north, where it is opposite to the Southern Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Ice had always been found by him farther to the north in these oceans, than any where else, and this he judged could not be the case, if there were not land of considerable extent to the south. However, the greatest part of this southern continent, if it actually exists, must lie within the polar circle, where the sea is so enc.u.mbered with ice, that the land is rendered inaccessible. So great is the risk which is run, in examining a coast in these unknown and icy seas, that our commander, with a modest and well grounded boldness, could a.s.sert, that no man would ever venture farther than he had done; and that the lands which may lie to the south will never be explored. Thick fogs, snow storms, intense cold, and every thing besides, that can render navigation dangerous, must be encountered; all which difficulties are greatly heightened by the inexpressibly horrid aspect of the country. It is a country doomed by nature never once to feet the warmth of the sun's rays, but to lie buried in everlasting snow and ice. Whatever ports there may be on the coast, they are almost entirely covered with frozen snow of a vast thickness. If however, any one of them should be so far open as to invite a ship into it, she would run the risk of being fixed there for ever, or of coming out in an ice island. To this it may be added, that the islands and floats on the coast, the great falls from the ice cliffs in the port, or a heavy snow storm, attended with a sharp frost, might be equally fatal.

Nothing could exceed the inclination of Captain Cook, if it had been practicable, to penetrate farther to the south: but difficulties like these were not to be surmounted. If he had risked all that had been done during the voyage, for the sake of discovering and exploring a coast, which, when discovered and explored, would have answered no end whatever, or have been of the least use either to navigation or geography, or indeed to any other science, he would justly have been charged with inexcusable temerity. He determined, therefore, to alter his course to the east, and to sail in quest of Bouvet's Land, the existence of which was yet to be settled. Accordingly, this was the princ.i.p.al object of his pursuit, from the 6th to the 22nd of the month. By that day he had run down thirteen degrees of longitude, in the very lat.i.tude a.s.signed for Bouvet's Land. No such land, however, was discovered; nor did any proofs occur of the existence of Cape Circ.u.mcision. Our commander was at this time no more than two degrees of longitude from the route he had taken to the south, when he left the Cape of Good Hope. It would, therefore, have been to no purpose to proceed any farther to the east in this parallel. But being desirous of determining the question concerning some land that was supposed to have been seen more to the south, he directed his course for the situation in which the discovery of it might be expected. Two days were spent by him in this pursuit, to no effectual purpose. After having run over the place where the land was imagined to lie, without meeting with the least signs of any, it became certain that the ice islands had deceived our navigators, as well as Mr. Bouvet.

Captain Cook had row made the circuit of the southern ocean in a high lat.i.tude, and traversed it in such a manner as to leave not the least room for the possibility of there being a continent, unless near the pole, and out of the reach of navigation. By twice visiting the tropical sea, he had not only settled the situation of some old discoveries, but made many new ones; and, indeed, even in that part, had left little more to be accomplished. The intention of the voyage had, in every respect, been fully answered, and the southern hemisphere sufficiently explored. A final end was hereby put to the searching after a southern continent, which, for nearly two centuries past had occasionally engrossed the attention of some of the maritime powers, and had been urged with great ardour by philosophers and geographers in different ages.

The great purpose of his navigation round the globe being thus completed, the captain began to direct his views towards England. He had, indeed, some thoughts of protracting his course a little longer, for the sake of revisiting the place where the French discovery is said to be situated. But, upon mature deliberation, he determined to lay aside his intention. He considered, that if this discovery had really been made, the end would be as fully answered, as if it had been done by himself. It could only be an island; and, if a judgment might be formed from the degree of cold which our voyagers had experienced in that lat.i.tude, it could not be a fertile one. Besides, our commander would hereby have been kept two months longer at sea, and that in a tempestuous lat.i.tude, with which the ship was not in a condition to struggle. Her sails and rigging were so much worn, that something was giving way every hour; and there was nothing left, either to repair or to replace them. The provisions of the vessel were in such a state of decay, that they afforded little nourishment, and the company had been long without refreshments. Indeed, the crew were yet healthy, and would cheerfully have gone wherever the captain had judged it proper to lead them; but he was fearful, lest the scurvy should lay hold of them, at a time, when none of the remedies were left by which it could be removed. He thought, likewise, that it would have been cruel in him to have continued the fatigues and hardships they were perpetually exposed to, longer than was absolutely necessary. Throughout the whole voyage, they had merited by their behaviour every indulgence which it was in his power to bestow.

Animated by the conduct of the officers, they had shewn that no difficulties or dangers which came in their way were incapable of being surmounted; nor had their activity, courage, and cheerfulness been in the least abated by the separation from them of their consort the Adventure.

From all these considerations, which were evidently the dictates of wisdom and humanity, Captain Cook was induced to spend no longer time in searching for the French discoveries, but to steer for the Cape of Good Hope. He determined, however, to direct his course in such a manner, as to look for the Isles of Denia and Ma.r.s.eveen, which are laid down in Dr. Halley's variation chart. After sailing in the proper lat.i.tudes from the 25th of February to the 13th of March, no such islands were discovered. Nothing, indeed, had been seen that could encourage our voyagers to persevere in a search after them; and much time could not now be spared, either for the purpose of finding them, or of proving their non-existence. Every one on board was for good reasons impatient to get into port. The captain, therefore, could no longer avoid yielding to the general wishes, and resolving to proceed to the Cape without further delay.

Soon after our commander had come to this determination, he demanded of the officers and petty officers, in pursuance of his instructions, the log books and journals they had kept; which were delivered to him accordingly, and sealed up for the inspection of the Admiralty. He enjoined them also, and the whole crew, not to divulge where they had been, till they were permitted to do so by their lordships; an injunction, a compliance with which might probably be rendered somewhat difficult, from the natural tendency there is in men, to relate the extraordinary enterprises and adventures wherein they have been concerned.

As the Resolution approached towards the Cape of Good Hope, she fell in first with a Dutch East Indiaman from Bengal, commanded by Captain Bosch; and next with an English Indiaman, being the True Briton, from China, of which Captain Broadly was the commander. Mr. Bosch very obligingly offered to our navigators sugar, arrack, and whatever he had to spare; and Captain Broadly, with the most ready generosity, sent them fresh provisions, tea, and various articles which could not fail of being peculiarly acceptable to people in their situation. Even a parcel of old news-papers furnished no slight gratification to persons who had so long been deprived of obtaining any intelligence concerning their country and the state of Europe. From these vessels Captain Cook received some information with regard to what had happened to the Adventure after her separation from the Resolution.

On Wednesday, the 22nd of March,[9] he anch.o.r.ed in Table Bay; where he found several Dutch ships, some French, and the Ceres, an English East Indiaman, bound directly for England, under the command of Captain Newte. By this gentleman he sent a copy of the preceding part of his journal, some charts, and other drawings, to the Admiralty.

[Footnote 9: With our navigators who had sailed round the world, it was Wednesday, the 22nd of March; but at the Cape of Good Hope it was Tuesday the 21st.]

During the circ.u.mnavigation of the globe, from the period of our commander's leaving the Cape of Good Hope to his return to it again, he had sailed no less than twenty thousand leagues. This was an extent of voyage nearly equal to three times the equatorial circ.u.mference of the earth, and which had never been accomplished before, by any ship, in the same compa.s.s of duration. In such a case, it could not be a matter of surprise, that the rigging and sails of the Resolution should be essentially damaged, and even worn out, and yet, in all this great run, which had been made in every lat.i.tude between nine and seventy-one, she did not spring either lowmast, topmast, lower or topsail yard; nor did she so much as break a lower or topmast shroud.

These happy circ.u.mstances were owing to the good properties of the vessel, and the singular care and abilities of her officers.

On the remainder of the voyage it is not necessary to enlarge. Though it was conducted with the same attention to navigation and geography, and with the same sagacity in marking whatever was worthy of observation, nevertheless, as it was not employed in traversing unknown seas, or in discovering countries that had not been heard of before, it may be sufficient briefly to mention the places at which Captain Cook touched before his arrival in England. The repairs of the ship having been completed, and the necessary stores gotten on board, together with a fresh supply of provisions and water, he left the Cape of Good Hope on the 27th of April, and reached the Island of St.

Helena on the 15th of May. Here he staid till the 21st, when he sailed for the Island of Ascension, where he anch.o.r.ed on the 28th. From this place he directed his course, on the 31st, for the Island of Fernando de Noronha, at which he arrived on the 9th of June.

In the progress of the voyage, our commander made an experiment upon the still for procuring fresh water; and the result of the trial was, that the invention is useful upon the whole, but that to trust entirely to it would by no means be advisable. Indeed, provided there is not a scarcity of fuel, and the coppers are good, as much water may be obtained as will support life; but no efforts will be able to procure a quant.i.ty sufficient for the preservation of health, especially in hot climates. Captain Cook was convinced by experience, that nothing contributes more to the health of seamen, than having plenty of water.

On the 14th of July, the captain came to anchor in the Bay of Fayal, one of the Azores islands. His sole design in stopping here was to give Mr. Wales an opportunity of finding the rate of the watch, that hereby he might be enabled to fix the longitude of these island with the greater degree of certainty. No sooner, therefore, had our commander anch.o.r.ed, than he sent an officer to wait on the English consul, and to acquaint the governor with the arrival of our navigators, requesting his permission for Mr. Wales to make observations on sh.o.r.e, for the purpose now mentioned. Mr. Dent, who then acted as consul, not only obtained this permission, but accommodated Mr. Wales with a convenient place in his garden, to set up his instruments.

This object being accomplished, Captain Cook proceeded on the 19th, with all expedition for England. On the 30th of the same month, he anch.o.r.ed at Spithead, and landed at Portsmouth; having been absent from Great Britain three years and eighteen days, in which time, and under all changes of climate, he had lost but four men, and only one of them by sickness.

CHAPTER V.

Account of Captain Cook during the Period between his Second Voyage and his Voyage to the Pacific Ocean.

The able manner in which Captain Cook had conducted the preceding voyage, the discoveries he had made, and his complete determination of the grand point he had been sent to ascertain, justly and powerfully recommended him to the protection and encouragement of all those who had patronized the undertaking. No alterations had occurred, during his absence, in the presidency of the admiralty department. The n.o.ble lord, whose extensive views had taken such a lead in the plans of navigation and discovery, still continued at the head of that board; and it could not be otherwise than a high satisfaction to him, that so extraordinary a degree of success had attended his designs for the enlargement of science. His lordship l.u.s.t no time in representing Captain Cook's merits to the king; nor did his majesty stand in need of solicitations to shew favour to a man, who had so eminently fulfilled his royal and munificent intentions. Accordingly our navigator, on the 9th of August, was raised to the rank of a post captain. Three days afterwards, he received a more distinguished and substantial mark of the approbation of government: for he was then appointed a captain in Greenwich Hospital; a situation which was intended to afford him a pleasing and honourable reward for his ill.u.s.trious labours and services.

It will easily be supposed, that the lovers of science would, in general, be peculiarly attentive to the effects resulting from Captain Cook's discoveries. The additions he had made to the knowledge of geography, navigation, and astronomy, and the new views he had opened of the diversified state of human life and manners, could not avoid commanding their esteem, and exciting their admiration. With many persons of philosophic literature he was in the habits of intimacy and friendship; he was particularly acquainted with Sir John Pringle, at that time president of the Royal Society. It was natural, therefore, that his scientific friends should wish him to become a member of this learned body; the consequence of which was, that, in the latter end of the year 1775, he was proposed as a candidate for election. On the 29th of February, 1776, he was unanimously chosen; and he was admitted on the 7th of March. That same evening, a paper was read, which he had addressed to Sir John Pringle, containing an account of the method he had taken to preserve the health of the crew of his majesty's ship the Resolution, during her voyage round the world. Another paper, at the request of the president, was communicated by him on the 18th of April. relative to the tides in the South Seas. The tides particularly considered were those in the Endeavour River, on the east coast of New Holland.

A still greater honour was in reserve for Captain Cook, than the election of him to be a common member of the Royal Society. It was resolved by Sir John Pringle and the council of the society, to bestow upon him the estimable prize of the gold medal, for the best experimental paper, of the year; and no determination could be founded to greater wisdom and justice. If Captain Cook had made no important discoveries, if he had not determined the question concerning a southern continent, his name would have been ent.i.tled to immortality, on account of his humane attention to, and his unparalleled success in preserving the lives and health of his seamen.

He had good reason, upon this head, to a.s.sume the pleasurable, but modest language, with which he has concluded his narrative of his second navigation round the globe: 'Whatever,' says he, 'may be the public judgment about other matters, it is with real satisfaction, and without claiming any merit but that of attention to my duty, that I can, conclude this account with an observation, which facts enable us to make, that our having discovered the possibility of preserving health among a numerous ship's company, for such a length of time, in such varieties of climate, and amidst such continued hardships and fatigues, will make this voyage remarkable, in the opinion of every benevolent person, when the disputes about the southern continent shall have ceased to engage the attention, and to divide the judgment of philosophers.'

It was the custom, of Sir John Pringle, at the delivery of Sir G.o.dfrey Copley's annual medal, to give an elaborate discourse, containing the history of that part of science for the improvement of which the medal was conferred. Upon the present occasion, the president had a subject to enlarge upon, which was perfectly congenial to his disposition and studies. His own life had been much employed in pointing out the means which tended not only to cure, but to prevent, the diseases of mankind; and, therefore, it was with peculiar pleasure and affection that he celebrated the conduct of his friend, who, by precautions equally wise and simple, had rendered the circ.u.mnavigation of the globe, so far as health is concerned, quite a harmless undertaking.

Towards the beginning of his discourse, Sir John justly asks, 'What inquiry can be so useful as that which hath for its object the saving the lives of men? and when shall we find one more successful than that before us? Here,' adds the president, 'are no vain boastings of the empiric, nor ingenious and delusive theories of the dogmatist; but a concise and artless, and an incontested relation of the means by which, under divine favour, Captain Cook, with a company of a hundred and eighteen men, performed a voyage of three years and eighteen days, throughout all the climates, from fifty-two degrees north to seventy-one degrees south, with the loss of only one man by sickness.