470 SIR JOSEPH BANKS. 



Brand has got for you a fine collection, as I am told. I 

 depart from hence in a day or two well stored with every 

 necessary thing, but I am told the French from the Mauri- 

 tius have got the start of me. About eight months ago 

 two ships from that island discovered land in the latitude 

 of 48 degrees, and about the meridian of the Mauritius, 

 along which they sailed forty miles till they came to a bay, 

 into which they were about to enter, when they were sepa- 

 rated, and drove off the coast by a gale of wind. The one 

 got to the Mauritius soon after, and the other is since arrived 

 from Batavia with a cargo of arrack, as the report goes here ; 

 also, in March last, two frigates from the same island touched 

 here in their way to the South Sea, having on board the 

 man Bougainville brought from Otaheite, and who died 

 before the ships departed hence, a circumstance I am really 

 sorry for. These ships were to touch some where on the 

 coast of America, and afterwards to proceed round Cape 

 Horn. 



" I am in your debt for the pickled and dried salmon 

 which you left on board, which a little time ago was most 

 excellent ; but the eight casks of pickled salted fish I kept 

 for myself proved so bad that even the hogs would not eat 

 it. These hints may be of use to you in providing for your 

 intended expedition, in which I wish you all the success you 

 can wish yourself; and am, with great esteem and respect, 



"Dear Sir, 



" Your most obliged humble servant, 

 "JAMES COOK." 



CAPT. COOK TO ME. BANKS. 



" DEAR SIB, " PLYMOUTH SOCJND, July 10th, 1776. 



" As you was so obliging as to say you would give a 

 description of the New Zealand spruce tree, or any other 

 plant, the drawing of which might accompany my Journal, 

 I desired Mr. Strahan and Mr. Stuart, who have the charge 

 of the publication, to give you extracts out the manuscript 

 of such descriptions as I had given (if any), for you to cor- 

 rect or describe yourself, as may be most agreeable. I know 

 not what plates Mr. Forster may have got engraved of 

 natural history that will come into my books ; nor do I know 



