274 EXCELLENT HEALTH IN COOK*S VOYAGES. 



tainly have been expected that many of Captain 

 Cook's people would be ill of scurvy. This, how- 

 ever, was not the case. So salutary were the effects 

 of the sweetwort and several articles of provision, 

 and especially of the frequent airings and sweetening 

 of the ship, that there was only one man on board 

 who could be said to be much afflicted with the dis- 

 ease ; and even in that man it was chiefly occa- 

 sioned by a bad habit of body, and a complication 

 t)f other disorders." 



Can any thing be conceived more demonstrative 

 of the advantages to be derived from investigating 

 and obeying the laws of health, than these splendid 

 results, when contrasted with those on board of the 

 Centurion ? In the Resolution, cheerful activity, 

 cleanliness, dry pure air, adequate clothing, and a 

 suitable regimen were found to carry man unscathed 

 through hardships and exposure, which, in the Cen- 

 turion, from neglect of the same protective means, 

 were severe enough to sweep off a large proportion 

 of her crew. And, as if on purpose to place the 

 efficacy of these measures beyond a doubt, it ap- 

 pears, that, in the month of July, 1773, the Adven- 

 ture had many sick, and twenty of her best men in- 

 capable of duty from scurvy and flux, when the 

 Resolution, with a larger crew, had only three men 

 sick, and only one of them from scurvy. This dif- 

 ference in the state of health of the two ships was 

 distinctly traced to the crew of the Adventure having 

 eaten few or no vegetables when in Queen Char- 

 lotte's Sound, while, on board of the Resolution, 

 Cook was most particular in enforcing attention to 

 this part of their dietetic regimen. 



By thi? admirable care and unwearied watchful- 

 ness on the part of Cook and his officers, the Reso- 

 lution performed a voyage of three years and eigh- 

 teen days, through all climates, from 52 north to 71 

 south, with the loss of only one man by disease out 

 of 112 ! And in his last voyage, so efficaciously 



