loo CAPTAIN COOK 



fantastic light upon it, and that the nation which 

 first planted its flag upon the fruitful continent 

 would shortly become the mistress of the world. 



This dream appealed to England. The First 

 Lord of the Admiralty, Lord Sandwich, was 

 greatly interested in the discussions raised by 

 Terra Australis Incognita. He thought that if 

 this country really existed, it would be humiliat- 

 ing if any other nation took possession of it. It 

 was necessary, if this intriguing problem were 

 to be solved, to fit out a powerful expedition, at 

 the head of which the first sailor in England 

 should be put. When Lord Sandwich's plans 

 were ripe, he had no room for hesitation in se- 

 lecting the chief of this fantastic expedition. He 

 applied to Commander Cook. 



From the day when Cook had accepted the 

 leadership of this new exploration of the South 

 Seas, he concentrated all his efforts upon the for- 

 midable task for which he now became respon- 

 sible. As he had done before, he busied himself 

 in the choice of the ship, or rather two ships, 

 which the Lords of the Admiralty had decided 

 to fit out, so that the voyage might be accom- 

 plished with the maximum of safety and effi- 

 ciency. Cook wanted his ships to be sturdy 

 rather than fast, built just like the Endeavour, 

 which had proved herself so staunch during her 

 three years' voyage. He found two ships which 



