256 CAPTAIN COOK 



chatka, where Captain Gierke died on August 

 22nd, from the effects of a chest complaint which 

 he had contracted before he left England. 



Captain Gore, who had commanded the Dis- 

 covery since Cook's death, succeeded to the 

 command of the Resolution, and Lieutenant 

 King became captain of the Discovery. The 

 two ships, leaving Kamchatka, coasted along the 

 east side of Japan, called at Macao, passed 

 through the Sunda Straits, stopped at the Cape 

 of Good Hope, and reached the shores of Eng- 

 land on the fourth of October 1780. 



During this long voyage of four years and 

 three months, five men, of whom three were 

 already in bad health on their departure from 

 Plymouth, died of illness on board the Resolu- 

 tion. Scurvy did not claim a single victim on 

 board the Discovery. 



England was filled with consternation at the 

 news of Cook's death. When Lord Sandwich 

 announced to George III that the famous navi- 

 gator had not returned, the King could scarcely 

 restrain his tears. He immediately directed that 

 a pension of £200 a year should be awarded to 

 his family, and that the right of bearing arms 

 should be conferred upon them. The condo- 

 lences of the whole nation were addressed to 

 Elizabeth Cook, who was destined to outlive all 



