THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 47 



Captain James Cook was born near Whitby, in York- "779- 



' February. 



fhire, in the year 1727 ; and, at an early age, was put ap- 1 — n — . j 

 prentice to a fhopkeeper in a neighbouring village. His na- 

 tural inclination not having been confulted on this occa- 

 fion, he foon quitted the counter from difguft, and bound 

 himfelf, for nine years, to the mafter of a veffel in the coal 

 trade. At the breaking out of the war in 1755, he entered 

 into the king's fervice, on board the Eagle, at that time 

 commanded by Captain Hamer, and afterward by Sir Hugh 

 Pallifer, who foon difcovered his merit, and introduced him 

 on the quarter-deck. 



In the year 1758, we find him mafter of the Northumber- 

 land, the flag fhip of Lord Colville, who had then the com- 

 mand of the fquadron ftationed on the coaft of America. It 

 was here, as I have often heard him fay, that, during a 

 hard winter, he firft read Euclid, and applied himfelf to the 

 ftudy of mathematics and aftronomy, without any other 

 affiftance, than what a few books, and his own induftry, 

 afforded him. At the fame time, that he thus found means 

 to cultivate and improve his mind, and to fupply the defi- 

 ciencies of an early education, he was engaged in raoft of 

 the bufy and active fcenes of the war in America. At the 

 fiege of Quebec, Sir Charles Saunders committed to his 

 charge the execution of fervices, of the firft importance in 

 the naval department. He piloted the boats to the attack of 

 Montmorency ; conducted the embarkation to the Heights 

 of Abraham ; examined the pafTage, and laid buoys for the 

 fecurity of the large fliips in proceeding up the river. The 

 courage and addrefs with which he acquitted himfelf in 

 thefe fervices, gained him the warm friendlhip of Sir Charles '• 

 Saunders and Lord Colville, who continued to patronize him, 

 during the reft of their lives, with the greateft zeal and" af- 

 fection;. 



