FIRST VOYAGE 17 



William B. Monkhouse, surgeon, died 5th November, 1770 ; 



succeeded by William Perry. 

 Richard Orton, clerk. 



Being completely fitted for sea, Captain Cook sailed from 

 Deptford on the 30th of July, 1768, and on the 13th of 

 August anchored in Plymouth Sound, from which, after a 

 few days' stay, they proceeded to sea. 



The first land they made, after their leaving the Channel, 

 was on the 2nd of September, when Cape Finisterre and 

 Cape Ortegal, in Spain, both came in view. They arrived 

 on the 13th at Madeira, and anchored in Funchal Roads. 

 Here unfortunately they lost Mr. Weir, the master's mate, 

 who, in heaving the anchor, fell overboard and was drowned. 

 This island has a beautiful appearance from the sea, those 

 parts of hills which present themselves being covered with 

 vines. Nature has been very liberal in her gifts to Madeira. 

 The inhabitants are not without ingenuity, but they want 

 industry. The soil is so very rich, and there is such a 

 variety in the climate, that there is scarcely any article, 

 either of the necessaries or luxuries of life, which cannot 

 be cultivated. Pine-apples and mangoes grow almost 

 spontaneously, and great variety of fruit upon the hills. 

 Corn is also very large and plentiful. 



Funchal is seated at the bottom of a bay ; it is indiffer- 

 ently built, and the streets are narrow, and wretchedly 

 paved. In the churches there are great numbers of orna- 

 ments, with pictures and images of saints, for the most part 

 indifferently executed. 



They sailed from Madeira September 19th, and on the 

 23rd came in sight of the Peak of Teneriffe. This mountain 

 is nearly 15,400 feet high. On the 29th they sighted Bona 

 Vista, one of the Cape de Verd Islands. From Teneriffe to 

 Bona Vista, flying fish were seen in considerable numbers, 

 which appeared very beautiful, their sides resembling 

 burnished silver. Mr. Banks, on the 7th of October, caught 

 what is called a Portuguese man of war, together with 

 several marine animals of the Mollusca tribe. 



On the 25th of October, they crossed the line with the 

 usual forms. On the 29th, in the evening, the luminous 

 appearance of the sea, mentioned by navigators, was 

 observed by them : it emitted rays of light resembling 

 those of lightning. Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander threw 

 out a casting-net, when a species of the Medusa was caught, 

 resembling a metallic substance greatly heated, emitting a 

 whitish light. Some crabs were also caught at the same 

 time, which were exceeding small, yet gave a very glitter- 

 ing appearance. 



Provisions now falling short, it was determined to put into 



