COOK'S THIRD VOYAGE 49 



the Society, in which he detailed the measures taken to 

 secure the health of his crew and the success with which 

 he had fought the demon Scurvy. For this paper, more- 

 over, the Royal Society awarded the Copley medal, on an 

 occasion marked with considerable enthusiasm by the 

 members present. 1 



It soon became clear that the British Government 

 were anticipating Cook's second return, only to send 

 him forth on a still more important voyage, viz. the 

 possible discovery of the North-west passage to India. 



Banks does not appear to have had much direct concern 

 with the new project, beyond friendly consultative talks 

 at the bidding of Lord Sandwich. Yet his personal in- 

 terest in the affair was extensive, for most of the officers, 

 including Cook himself, were to some extent intimates of 

 Banks. Cook accepted the commission without hesitation. 

 There was William Bligh on board as Master. Lieu- 

 tenant James Burney, Lieutenant Clerke, Molesworth 

 Phillips, lieutenant of marines, Dr. William Anderson the 

 surgeon, who acted as naturalist, 2 and others who had 

 proved very creditably their promise of capacity for the 

 arduous service in view. Also a Kew gardener, David 

 Nelson byname, was taken on board at the instance of Banks. 



The ships, Resolution and Discovery, got away in July, 

 1776. Letters dated November, from the Cape of Good 

 Hope, reached Banks from Dr. Anderson and from 

 Captain Cook. 3 They were never again in touch with 



1 " If Rome (said the President, addressing his fellow-members) 

 decreed the Civic Crown to him who saved the life of a single citizen, 

 what wreaths are due to that man who, having himself saved many, 

 perpetuates in your ' Transactions ' the means by which Britain may 

 now, on the most distant voyages, preserve numbers of her intrepid sona, 

 her mariners : who, braving every danger, have so liberally contributed to 

 the fame, to the opulence, and to the maritime empire of their country." 



2 According to Cuvier, Captain Cook had refused to take with him 

 an independent professional Naturalist. v. loge on Sir J. Banks. 



3 After all, the old Resolution seems to have been a matter of grave 

 concern to the captain. He writes : " If I return in the Resolution, the 

 next trip I may venture in a ship built of gingerbread." 



