THIRD VOYAGE 429 



brought up to the navy from his earliest youth, and had 

 been in several actions during the war which began in 1756 ; 

 particularly in that between the Bellona and Cowageux, 

 where, being stationed in the mizzen-top, he was carried 

 overboard with the mast, but was taken up without having 

 received any hurt. He was midshipman in the Dolphin, 

 commanded by Commodore Byron, on her first voyage 

 round the world, and afterwards served on the American 

 station. In 1768, he made his second voyage round the 

 world in the Endeavour, as master's mate, and, by the 

 promotion which took place during the expedition, he 

 returned a lieutenant. His third voyage round the world 

 was in the Resolution, of which he was appointed the 

 second lieutenant ; and soon after his return in 1775, he 

 was promoted to the rank of master and commander. 

 When the present expedition was ordered to be fitted out, 

 he was appointed to the Discovery, to accompany Captain 

 Cook, and by the death of the latter, succeeded, as has been 

 already mentioned, to the chief command. 



" It would be doing his memory extreme injustice not 

 to say, that during the short time the expedition was under 

 his direction, he was most zealous and anxious for its success. 

 His health, about the time the principal command devolved 

 upon him, began to decline very rapidly, and was every way 

 unequal to encounter the rigours of a high northern climate. 

 But the vigour and activity of his mind had in no shape 

 suffered by the decay of his body ; and though he knew 

 that, by delaying his return to a warmer climate, he was 

 giving up the only chance that remained for his recovery, 

 yet careful and jealous to the last degree, that a regard to 

 his own situation should never bias his judgment to the pre- 

 judice of the service, he persevered in the search of a 

 passage till it was the opinion of every officer in both ships 

 that it was impracticable, and that any farther attempts 

 would not only be fruitless but dangerous. 



" Next day we anchored in the harbour of St. Peter and 

 St. Paul, when our old friend the sergeant, who was still 

 the commander of the place, came on board with a present 

 of berries, intended for our poor deceased captain. He 

 was exceedingly affected when we told him of his death, 

 and shewed him the coffin that contained his body. He 

 signified his intention of sending off an express to the 

 commander of Bolcheretsk, to acquaint him with our arrival, 

 and Captain Gore availed himself of that occasion of writing 

 him a letter, in which he requested that sixteen head of 

 black cattle might be sent with all possible expedition. 



" In the morning of the 25th, Captain Gore made out 

 the new commissions, in consequence of Captain Clerke's 



