190 



COOK. 



Cock. had several ships in the coal trade. During this period 

 ^^y*"* he served with great diligence, and much to the satis- 

 faction of his new master ; and when it was expired, 

 he continued on board one of his ships, first as a com- 

 mon sailor, and afterwards as a mate. Mr Walker ap- 

 pears to have formed a due estimate of his character 

 and his talents, and to have contributed all in his power 

 to confirm and expand them. In order that his know- 

 ledge might be extended beyond what a mere seaman 

 could acquire, he was employed in rigging and fitting 

 out one of Mr Walker's ships : on board of this ship 

 he made two coal voyages, and afterwards, when she 

 was taken into the service of government as a transport, 

 he proceeded in her to Middleburgh, Dublin, Liver- 

 pool, and Deptford, where she was paid off. He seems 

 to have continued in the coal trade till the year 1753, 

 when Mr Walker offered him the command of one of his 

 vessels: this, however, he declined, and entered on 

 board the Eagle frigate, " having a mind," as he ex- 

 pressed it, " to try his fortune that way." 



No school of practical navigation is equal to that 

 which the coal trade supplies, for drawing out, or form- 

 ing, those qualities which characterise a good seaman ; 

 and it has generally been supposed that Captain Cook, 

 in this school, learned those habits of composed and 

 steady attention, of cool resolution, undaunted firmness, 

 and unwearied perseverance, which distinguished him 

 through life, and which were brought into exercise 

 with so much advantage to himself, to his country, and 

 to the cause of science, in his voyages round the world. 



He had not been long on board the Eagle before he 

 obtained from Mr Walker a letter of recommendation 

 to the captain, which was of considerable service to 

 him, and which he always spoke of with sentiments of 

 gratitude. In 1759, in consequence of his character as 

 an active and intelligent seaman, he obtained a warrant 

 for the post of master; and soon afterwards sailed in 

 the Mercury to assist in the reduction of Quebec, 

 While he continued on this station, his abilities recom- 

 mended him to the execution of a piece of service, 

 which not only required considerable skill, but expo- 

 sed him to no small danger : It was necessary, in carry- 

 ing into effect the plan of the attack against Quebec, to 

 take the soundings of the channel of the river St Law- 

 rence, between the Isle of Orleans and the north shore, 

 opposite the French encampment : this could be done 

 only at night ; but notwithstanding this circumstance, 

 and the risk to which he was exposed, both from the 

 French and the Indians, (by the latter of whom he was 

 nearly taken,) he completed the undertaking in such a 

 manner, that he was soon afterwards employed on one 

 of a similar nature, but on a much larger scale. This 

 was a chart of the river Si' Lawrence below Quebec, 

 which he made with such minute and scrupulous ac- 

 curacy, that no other survey has been found necessary. 

 The distinguishing feature in Captain Cook's talents 

 has generally been thought to be solidity rather than 

 quickness ; yet there is good reason to believe, that be- 

 fore this time he had never used a pencil in drawing : 

 but difficulties may be overcome, as well by perseve- 

 ring solidity, as by rapidity of intellect; in the same 

 manner as an opposing obstacle may be removed, either 

 by the weight or celerity of the body employed for that 

 purpose. 



After the reduction of Quebec, Mr Cook was appoint- 

 ed master of the Northumberland, in which ship he 

 continued at Halifax during the winter. As he had now 

 a good deal of leisure, he employed it in obtaining a 

 knowledge of those brandies connected with his pro- 



fession, which hitherto he had had no means of studying: 

 Euclid and astronomy more particularly occupied his 

 time. In 1762, the Northumberland was employed in 

 the recapture of Newfoundland ; and as soon as this 

 was accomplished, Mr Cook surveyed the harbour and 

 heights of Placentius with so much zeal, perseverance, 

 and ability, as to attract the notice, and afterwards 

 secure the esteem and friendship, of Captain Graves, 

 the governor of Newfoundland. Towards the end of 

 this year, Mr Cook returned to England, where he mar- 

 ried an amiable woman, with whom that portion of his 

 subsequent life, which was not devoted to the service 

 of his country, was spent in a most affectionate and 

 happy manner. 



When the peace of Paris had secured Newfoundland 

 to Great Britain, Captain Graves pointed out to govern- 

 ment the value of that island, and the advantage which 

 would result from making an accurate and complete 

 survey of its coasts ; after some demur, they sent out 

 Captain Graves for this purpose, and he, knowing the 

 abilities of Mr Cook, made proposals to him to go out 

 along with him, to assist him in the execution of his plan. 

 Accordingly he was first employed in the survey of the 

 islands of St Pierre and Miquelon, which he finished in 

 a month, and then returned to England : he soon, how- 

 ever, was induced to resume his situation and employ- 

 ment. Sir Hugh Palliser, (who became acquainted 

 with him while he was on board the Eagle, and who 

 ever afterwards patronized him,) was appointed gover- 

 nor of Labrador and Newfoundland ; and Mr Cook ac- 

 companied him in the same capacity which he had held 

 under Captain Graves : but he now appeared in an of- 

 ficial and public character, being appointed marine sur- 

 veyor of Newfoundland and Labrador ; and in order 

 that he might execute the duties of his office in the 

 most complete and satisfactory manner, a schooner was 

 placed under his direction. The aptitude and tendency 

 of his mind to explore whatever was unknown in geo- 

 graphy, induced him to go beyond the mere line of his 

 duty ; for he not only published charts of the coast of 

 Newfoundland, which, like every thing else that he 

 undertook, possessed all that accuracy which skill and 

 experience, united to a conscientious discharge of what- 

 ever he was employed upon, could give them ; but he 

 also explored the interior parts of the island, and gained 

 a more complete knowledge of them than had ever been 

 acquired before. While he was in this situation, he 

 had an opportunity of observing an eclipse of the sun, 

 a short account of which he drew up and sent to the 

 Royal Society. He continued marine surveyor of New- 

 foundland, (occasionally returning to England) till the 

 year 1767, when he resigned the office, and took up his 

 abode with his family. 



Great Britain may deservedly boast of being the first 

 country which undertook voyages of discovery for the 

 purpose of enlarging the boundaries of human know- 

 ledge. The discoveries of the Spaniards and Portuguese, 

 in the 15th century, were prompted and performed 

 solely for the sake of commercial advantages ; and the 

 same motive and object gave rise to the discoveries of the 

 English and Dutch at that era, and during the 16th 

 century. Afterwards war united with commercial ava- 

 rice in these undertakings, and when there remained 

 no country undiscovered, from which wealth could be 

 acquired, or by the conquest of which power could be 

 extended, or ambition gratified, the spirit of discovery 

 languished. Towards the close of the reign of Geo. II. 

 it again revived, but it was of a superior and more ho- 

 nourable character : Those who planned the voyages of 



fiook. 



