History of the World/History of the World (Bureau Development, Inc.)(1992).BIN/dp/0267/02679.txt

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$Unique_ID{how02679}
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$Title{Narrative Of The Voyages Round The World
Chapter III: The Period Between Captain Cook's First And Second Voyages}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Cook, Captain James}
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$Subject{captain
cook
voyage
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resolution
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$Date{1779}
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Title:       Narrative Of The Voyages Round The World
Book:        Chapter III: The Period Between Captain Cook's First And Second Voyages
Author:      Cook, Captain James
Date:        1779

Chapter III: The Period Between Captain Cook's First And Second Voyages

     The manner in which Lieutenant Cook had performed his circumnavigation of
the globe, justly entitled him to the protection of government, and the favour
of his sovereign.  Accordingly, he was promoted to be a commander in his
majesty's navy, by commission bearing date on the 29th of August, 1771. Mr.
Cook, on this occasion, from a certain consciousness of his own merit, wished
to have been appointed a post captain.  But the Earl of Sandwich, who was now
at the head of the Admiralty board, though he had the greatest regard for our
navigator, could not concede to his request, because a compliance with it
would have been inconsistent with the order of the naval service. The
difference was in point of rank only, and not of advantage.  A commander has
the same pay as a post captain, and his authority is the same when he is in
actual employment.  The distinction is a necessary step in the progress to the
higher honours of the profession.

     It cannot be doubted, but that the president and council of the Royal
Society were highly satisfied with the manner in which the transit of Venus
had been observed.  The papers of Mr. Cook and Mr. Green, relative to this
subject, were put into the hands of the astronomer royal, to be by him
digested, and that he might deduce from them the important consequences to
science which resulted from the observation.  This was done by him with an
accuracy and ability becoming his high knowledge and character.  On the 21st
of May, 1772, Captain Cook communicated to the Royal Society, in a letter
addressed to Dr. Maskelyne, an "Account of the flowing of the Tides in the
South Sea, as observed on board of his Majesty's Bark, the Endeavour."

     The reputation our navigator had acquired by his late voyage was
deservedly great; and the desire of the public to be acquainted with the new
scenes and new objects which were now brought to light, was ardently excited.
It is not surprising, therefore, that different attempts were made to satisfy
the general curiosity.  There soon appeared a publication entitled, "A Journal
of a Voyage round the World." This was the production of some person who had
been upon the expedition; and, though his account was dry and imperfect, it
served in a certain degree, to relieve the eagerness of inquiry.  The journal
of Sydney Parkinson, draftsman to Sir Joseph Banks, to whom it belonged by
ample purchase, was likewise printed, from a copy surreptitiously obtained;
but an injunction from the Court of Chancery for some time prevented its
appearance.  This work, though dishonestly given to the world, was recommended
by plates.  But it was Dr.  Hawkesworth's account of Lieutenant Cook's voyage
which completely gratified the public curiosity. This account, which was
written by authority, was drawn up from the journal of the lieutenant, and the
papers of Sir Joseph Banks; and, besides the merit of the composition, derived
an extraordinary advantage from the number and excellence of its charts and
engravings, which were furnished at the expense of government.  The large
price given by the booksellers for this work, and the avidity with which it
was read, displayed, in the strongest light, the anxiety of the nation to be
fully informed in every thing that belonged to the late navigation and
discoveries.

     Captain Cook, during his voyage, had sailed over the Pacific Ocean in
many of those latitudes, in which a southern continent had been expected to
lie.  He had ascertained, that neither New Zealand nor New Holland were part
of such a continent.  But the general question concerning its existence had
not been determined by him, nor did he go out for that purpose, though some of
the reasons on which the notion of it had been adopted, were dispelled in the
course of his navigation.  It is well known how fondly the idea of a Terra
Australis incognita had for nearly two centuries been entertained. Many
plausible philosophical arguments have been urged in its support, and many
facts alleged in its favour.  The writer of this narrative fully remembers how
much his imagination was captivated in the more early part of his life, with
the hypothesis of a southern continent.  He has often dwelt upon it with
rapture, and been highly delighted with the authors who contended for its
existence, and displayed the mighty consequences which would result from its
being discovered.  Though his knowledge was infinitely exceeded by that of
some able men who paid a particular attention to the subject, he did not come
behind them in the sanguineness of his hopes and expectation.  Every thing,
however, which relates to science, must be separated from fancy, and brought
to the test of experiment: and here was an experiment richly deserving to be
tried.  The object, indeed, was of peculiar magnitude, and worthy to be
pursued by a great prince, and a great nation.

     Happily, the period was arrived in Britain for the execution of the most
important scientific designs.  A regard to matters of this kind, though so
honourable to crowned heads, had heretofore been too much neglected even by
some of the best of our princes.  Our present sovereign had already
distinguished his reign by his patronage of science and literature; but the
beginnings which had hitherto been made were only the pledges of future
munificence.  With respect to the object now in view, the gracious
dispositions of his majesty were ardently seconded by the noble lord who had
been placed at the head of the board of admiralty.  The Earl of Sandwich was
possessed of a mind which was capable of comprehending and encouraging the
most enlarged views and schemes with regard to navigation and discovery.
Accordingly, it was by his particular recommendation that a resolution was
formed for the appointment of an expedition, finally to determine the question
concerning the existence of a southern continent.  Quiros seems to have been
the first person who had any idea that such a continent existed, and he was
pthe first that was sent out for the sole purpose of ascertaining the fact.  He
did not succeed in the attempt; and the attempts of various navigators, down
to the present century, were equally unsuccessful.

     When the design of accomplishing this great object was resolved upon, it
did not admit of any hesitation by whom it was to be carried into execution.
No person was esteemed equally qualified with Captain Cook, for conducting an
enterprise, the view of which was to give the utmost possible extent to the
geography of the globe, and the knowledge of navigation.  For the greater
advantage of the undertaking, it was determined that two ships should be
employed; and much attention was paid to the choice of them, and to their
equipment for the service.  After mature deliberation by the navy board,
during which particular regard was had to the captain's wisdom and experience,
it was agreed that no vessels were so proper for discoveries in distant
unknown parts, as those which were constructed like the Endeavour. This
opinion concurring with that of the Earl of Sandwich, the admiralty came to a
resolution that two ships should be provided of a similar construction.
Accordingly, two vessels, both of which had been built at Whitby, by the same
person who built the Endeavour, were purchased of Captain William Hammond, of
Hull.  They were about fourteen or sixteen months old at the time when they
were bought, and, in Captain Cook's judgment, were as well adapted to the
intended service as if they had been expressly constructed for that purpose.
The largest of the two, which consisted of four hundred and sixty-two tons
burden, was named the Resolution.  To the other, which was three hundred and
thirty-six tons burden, was given the name of the Adventure.  On the 28th of
November, 1771, Captain Cook was appointed to the command of the former; and,
about the same time, Mr. Tobias Furneaux was promoted to the command of the
latter.  The complement of the Resolution, including officers and men, was
fixed at a hundred and twelve persons; and that of the Adventure, at
eighty-one.  In the equipment of these ships, every circumstance was attended
to that could contribute to the comfort and success of the voyage.  They were
fitted in the most complete manner, and supplied with every extraordinary
article which was suggested to be necessary or useful.  Lord Sandwich, whose
zeal was indefatigable upon this occasion, visited the vessels from time to
time, to be assured that the whole equipment was agreeable to his wishes, and
to the satisfaction of those who were to engage in the expedition.  Nor were
the navy and victualling boards wanting in procuring for the ships the very
best of stores and provisions, with some alterations in the species of them,
that were adapted to the nature of the enterprise; besides which, there was an
ample supply of antiscorbutic articles, such as malt, sour krout, salted
cabbage, portable broth, saloup, mustard, marmadale of carrots, and
inspissated juice of wort and beer.

     No less attention was paid to the cause of science in general.  The
admiralty engaged Mr. William Hodges, an excellent landscape painter, to
embark in the voyage, in order to make drawings and paintings of such objects
as could not so well be comprehended from written descriptions.  Mr. John
Reinhold Forster and his son were fixed upon to explore and collect the
natural history of the countries which might be visited, and an ample sum was
granted by parliament for the purpose.  That nothing might be wanting to
accomplish the scientific views of the expedition, the board of longitude
agreed with Mr. William Wales and Mr William Bayley, to make astronomical
observations.  Mr. Wales was stationed in the Resolution, and Mr. Bayley in
the Adventure.  By the same board they were furnished with the best of
instruments, and particularly with four time-pieces, three constructed by
Arnold, and one by Mr. Kendal, on Mr. Harrison's principles.

     Though Captain Cook had been appointed to the command of the Resolution
on the 28th of November, 1771, such were the preparations necessary for so
long and important a voyage, and the impediments which occasionally and
unavoidably occurred, that the ship did not sail from Deptford till the 9th of
April following, nor did she leave Long Reach till the 10th of May.  In plying
down the river it was found necessary to put into Sheerness, in order to make
some alterations in her upper works.  These the officers of the yard were
directed immediately to take in hand; and Lord Sandwich and Sir Hugh Palliser
came down to see them executed in the most effectual manner.  The ship being
again completed for sea, by the 22d of June, Captain Cook on that day sailed
from Sheerness, and, on the 3d of July, joined the Adventure in Plymouth
Sound.  Lord Sandwich, in his return from a visit to the dockyards, having met
the Resolution on the preceding evening, his lordship and Sir Hugh Palliser
gave the last mark of their great attention to the object of the voyage, by
coming on board, to assure themselves that every thing was done which was
agreeable to our commander's wishes, and that his vessel was equipped entirely
to his satisfaction.

     At Plymouth, Captain Cook received his instructions; with regard to
which, without entering into a minute detail of them, it is sufficient to say,
that he was sent out upon the most enlarged plan of discovery that is known in
the history of navigation.  He was instructed not only to circumnavigate the
whole globe, but to circumnavigate it in high southern latitudes, making such
traverses from time to time, into every corner of the Pacific Ocean not before
examined, as might finally and effectually resolve the much agitated question
about the existence of a southern continent in any part of the southern
hemisphere, to which access could be had by the efforts of the boldest and
most skilful navigators.