60 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1776. 



those smells will be attended with bad consequences. Proper care was taken of 

 the ship's coppers, so that they were kept constantly clean. The fat, which 

 boiled out of the salt beef and pork, I never suffered to be given to the people, 

 as is customary : being of opinion that it promotes the scurvy. I never failed to 

 take in water wherever it was to be procured, even when we did not seem to 

 want it ; because I look upon fresh water from the shore to be much more 

 wholesome than that which has been kept some time on board. Of this essen- 

 tial article we were never at an allowance, but had always abundance for every 

 necessary purpose. I am convinced, that with plenty of fresh water, and a 

 close attention to cleanliness, a ship's company will seldom be much afflicted 

 with the scurvy, though they should not be provided with any of the antiscor- 

 butics before-mentioned. We came to few places where either the art of man 

 or nature did not afford some sort of refreshment or other, eitlier of the animal 

 or vegetable kind. It was my first care to procure what could be met with of 

 either by every means in my power, and to oblige our people to make use of 

 them, both by my example and authority , but the benefits arising from such 

 refreshments soon became so obvious, that I had little occasion to employ either 

 the one or the other. 



These were the methods, under the care of Providence, by which the Reso- 

 lution performed a voyage of 3 years and 18 days, through all the climates from 

 52° north to 71° south, with the loss of one man only by disease, and who died 

 of a complicated and lingering illness, without any mixture of scurvy. Two 

 others were unfortunately drowned, and one killed by a fall ; so that, of the 

 whole number with which I set out from England, I lost only 4. 

 Extract of a Letter from Captain Cook to Sir John Pringle, dated Plymouth 



So7ind, July 7, 1776. 



I entirely agree with you. Sir, that the dearness of the rob of lemons and of 

 oranges will hinder them from being furnished in large quantities, but I do not 

 think this so necessary ; for though they may assist other things, I have no 

 great opinion of them alone. Nor have I a higher opinion of vinegar : my 

 people had it very sparingly during the late voyage ; and towards the latter part 

 none at all ; and yet we experienced no ill effects from the want of it. The 

 custom of washing the inside of the ship with vinegar I seldom observed, think- 

 ing that fire and smoke answered the purpose much better. 



XXIII. Extraordinary Electricity of the Atmosphere observed at Islington in 

 October, 1775. By Mr. Tiberius Cavallo. p. 407. 



Before I enter on the particular narration of the observation made with an 

 electrical kite on the 18th of last October, it will be necessary (says Mr. C.) to 

 give an idea of the scale of my quadrant electrometer used on the occasion, 



