50 THE LIFE OF SIR JOSEPH BANKS 



civilization until May, 1779, when they enjoyed the 

 hospitalities of the Russian Governor at Kamtchatka, 

 Soon the news reached England of the death of Captain 

 Cook : " murdered by the Indians of an island where 

 he had been treated if possible with more hospitality 

 than at Otaheite," according to Clerke's dispatches 

 homeward, dated January, 1780. 



Lieutenant Clerke, also, did not live to see again 

 his native land. He wrote to Banks (August, 1779) 

 saying that his health was broken, and that his " stay 

 in this world must be of very short duration " ; and 

 that he recommended certain of his shipmates to Banks's 

 notice as deserving of his protection in case of need. 

 Clerke subscribes himself " your devoted, affectionate, 

 departing servant." He died a few days after this ; 

 one of the very numerous men who had been strongly 

 attracted by Banks's personality. 



Clerke's dispatches reached Lord Sandwich early in 

 1780. He was inexpressibly shocked at learning the 

 fate of his commander, and hastened to Banks to distress 

 him in turn. Alike among their friends, the naval service 

 and the scientific world, the news of Cook's death caused 

 an outburst of genuine feeling. Even beyond the con- 

 fines of his island home there were thousands to regret 

 his loss. The French people particularly recognized his 

 merits ; and they have never ceased to honour his memory. 

 The British Government placed his widow beyond the 

 risk of want by granting her a pension ; which, by the 

 way, she enjoyed for the long period of fifty-five years. 

 The Royal Society determined that special honour should 

 be paid, on occasion of this tragic loss of one of their more 

 distinguished members ; a medal was struck bearing a 

 profile of Captain Cook and a reverse of Britannia pointing 

 toward the South Pole. The subscription toward the 

 expense of this was so generous that the thing was done 

 in most noble fashion. Fourteen gold, two hundred and 



