24 CAPTAIN COOK 



general of thirty-two, Wolfe, conceived the bold 

 project of pushing straight on to Quebec, by 

 the St. Lawrence, and so take Montcalm by sur- 

 prise there. The British Government placed at 

 Wolfe's disposal the powerful squadron com- 

 manded by Admiral Sir Charles Saunders, to 

 which was attached a ship of the line, in which 

 James Cook had just been appointed master. 

 The siege of Quebec began. But, before pro- 

 ceeding further up the St. Lawrence, it was 

 necessary to take soundings, between the lie 

 d'Orleans and the northern shore, opposite the 

 camp of Montmorency and de Beauport, where 

 the French army was entrenched. Admiral 

 Saunders' object was to place his vessels before 

 the hostile batteries in order to bombard them 

 and mask Wolfe's army, which was to take the 

 position by surprise. A man of courage and 

 great skill was required to take these soundings. 

 The Admiral made inquiries, and Captain Pal- 

 liser strongly recommended to him the young 

 James Cook, whose intelligence and courage had 

 come under his notice in the Eagle. James Cook 

 was told off for this duty, as important as it was 

 delicate. Unable to carry out the enterprise by 

 day. Cook set off by night in a small boat to ac- 

 complish the mission with which he had been 

 entrusted. For seven nights he surveyed the 

 river with remarkable exactitude. But the 



