430 CAPTAIN COOK'S VOYAGES 



death ; appointing himself to the command of the Resolu- 

 tion, and me to the command of the Discovery, and Mr. 

 Lanyan, master's mate of the Resolution, who had served in 

 that capacity on board the Adventure in the former voyage, 

 was promoted to the vacant lieutenancy. These promo- 

 tions produced several other arrangements of course. The 

 artificers were now busily employed in the necessary repairs. 

 On Sunday afternoon, August the 29th, we paid the last 

 offices to Captain Clerke. The officers and men of both 

 ships walked in procession to the grave, whilst the ships 

 fired minute guns ; and the service being ended, the marines 

 fired three volleys. He was interred under a tree, which 

 stands on a rising ground in the valley to the north-side 

 of the harbour, where the hospital and store-houses are 

 situated. All the Russians in the garrison were assembled, 

 and attended with great respect and solemnity.* 



" The next day an ensign arrived from Bolcheretsk with 

 a letter from the commander to Captain Gore, by which 

 we understood that orders had been given about the cattle, 

 and that they might be expected here in a few days ; and 

 moreover, that Captain Shmaleff, the present commander, 

 would himself pay us* a visit immediately on the arrival of 

 a sloop which was daily expected from Okotsk. 



* The following is the monumental inscription at Kamtschatka, 

 to the Memory of Captain Clerke : 



" At the foot of this tree lies the body of Captain Charles Clerke, 

 Esq., who succeeded to the command of His Britannic Majesty's 

 ships, the Resolution and Discovery, on the death of Captain James 

 Cook, Esq. (who was unfortunately killed by the natives at an island 

 in the South Sea, on the 14th of^February, in the year 1779). He 

 died at sea of a lingering consumption on the 22nd of August in the 

 Bame year, aged 38." 



Underneath his escutcheon in the church of Paratoolka, is the 

 following inscription : 



" The above is the escutcheon of Captain Charles Clerke, Esq. 

 He succeeded to the command of His Britannic Majesty's ships, the 

 Resolution and Discovery, on the death of Captain James Cook, Esq. 

 (who was unfortunately killed by the natives at an island in the 

 South Sea, on the 14th February, 1779, after having explored the 

 coast of America from 42 30', to 70 44' latitude, in search of a 

 passage from Asia to Europe). Captain Clerke died of a lingering 

 consumption at sea, on the 22nd of August, 1779, aged 38 years, and 

 lies buried at the foot of a tree near the Ostrog of St. Peter and St. 

 Paul. He had made the second attempt in search of a passage 

 from Asia to Europe, and penetrated as far to the north, within a 

 few miles, as Captain Cook, but found any further progress r that 

 way impracticable.** 



Extract from Captain Gore's Log, 1779-80, Records, Admiralty. 

 Whitehall. 



