90 CAPTAIN COOK 



her passengers and crew slept their eternal sleep. 



Cook called at Prince's Island on January 5th 

 to secure provisions, and after a stay of ten days 

 set sail for the Cape of Good Hope. Meanwhile 

 sickness continued its progress. The vessel "was 

 like a hospital, and those who could stand were 

 hardly enough to wait upon the sick." Nearly 

 every night a body was committed to the sea. 

 There were buried in less than six weeks Spor- 

 ing, an assistant naturalist, the draughtsman 

 Parkinson, Green the astronomer, the boat- 

 swain's mate, the carpenter and his mate, two 

 quarter-masters, the old sail-maker and his mate, 

 the cook, the corporal of marines, two workmen 

 and nine seamen, in all twenty-three men. 



Cook's heart was lacerated as he saw his brave 

 companions leaving him thus, and he swore that 

 if his own life were spared he would devote all 

 his intelligence and energy to combating scurvy, 

 which had spared his ship for so many long 

 months, only to decimate her complement now in 

 this terrible way. 



On March 15th the Endeavour called at the 

 Cape of Good Hope, which Cook described as 

 one of the barest and most barren countries 

 which he had seen in the course of his voyage. 

 But Cape Town, then inhabited by Dutch colo- 

 nists, being very healthy, Cook determined to re- 

 main there long enough to effect the cure of the 



