4 INTRODUCTION TO 



rnined to embark in the expedition, that he might 

 enricli his native country with a tribute of" know- 

 ledge from tliose which have been hitherto unknown, 

 and not without hope of leaving among the rude 

 and uncultivated nations that he might discover, 

 something that would render life of more value, and 

 enrich them, perhaps, in a certain degree, with the 

 knowledge, or at least with the productions, of 

 Europe. 



As he was determined to spare no expense in the 

 execution of liis plan, he engaged Dr. Solander to 

 accompany him in the voyage. This Gentleman, 

 by birth a Swede, was educated under the celebra^ed 

 Linnasus, from whom he brought letters of recom- 

 niendation into England, and his merit being soon 

 known, he obtained an appointment in the British 

 Museum, a public institution, which was then just 

 established ; such a companion Mr. Banks con- 

 sidered as an acquisition of no small importance, 

 and, to his great satisfaction, the event abundantly 

 proved that he was not mistaken. He also took 

 with him two draftsmen, one to delineate views and 

 figures, the other to paint such subjects of natural 

 history as might offer ; together with a secretary 

 and four servants, two of whom were negroes. 



Mr. Banks kept an accurate and circumstantial 

 journal of the voyage, and, soon after I had received 

 that of Captain Cook from the Admiralty, was so 

 obliging as to put it into my hands, with permission 

 to take out of it whatever I thought would improve 

 or embellish the narrative. This was an offer of 

 which I gladly and thankfully accepted : I knew 

 the advantage would be great, for few philosophers 

 have furnished materials for accounts of voyages 

 imdertaken to discover new countries. The adven- 

 turers in siich expeditions have generally looked 

 only upon the great outline of Nature, without 

 attending to the variety of shades within, which 

 give life and beauty to the piece. 



