COOK. 



191 



Co, 



discovery sought not only to benefit enlightened and ci- 

 vilized society, by extending the boundaries of science* 

 and enlarging the knowledge of human nature, but 

 also to improve the condition of savage life. 



Soon after peace was restored in 1 763, Captains By- 

 ron, Wallis, and Carteret, were sent out on a voyage 

 round the world ; and before the two latter had re- 

 turned, it was resolved that another voyage of the same 

 description should be undertaken. The principal and 

 immediate object of this proposed voyage was the ob- 

 servation of a transit of Venus over the Sun's disk, 

 which would happen in 1769; and as this transit would 

 be seen to the greatest advantage in some part of the 

 South Sea, thither the vessel employed was to proceed. 

 At first, Alexander Dalrymple, Esq. a gentleman well 

 known for his geographical and astronomical know- 

 ledge, which he had directed with great zeal, industry, 

 and perseverance, to the elucidation of the various vo}'- 

 ages which had been performed for the purpose of dis- 

 covery in the Southern Ocean, was fixed upon to con- 

 duct the undertaking; but some obstacles arising from 

 his insisting upon having the command of a king's 

 ship to be appointed for the service, Mr Cook was re- 

 commended by Mr Stephens, the Secretary to the Ad- 

 miralty, and by his tried friend Sir Hugh Pailiser. 



In consequence of the high character which they 

 gave him, he was appointed to the command of the 

 expedition, and promoted to the rank of a lieutenant in 

 the royal navy. The choice of a proper vessel being 

 left entirely to him, he fixed upon the Endeavour, of 

 370 tons, which had been formerly employed in the 

 coal trade. Every precaution was taken, and every 

 preparation made, which could most effectually and 

 completely secure the accomplishment of the objects 

 for which this voyage was planned. A sufficient num- 

 ber of seamen were appointed to the Endeavour; 10 

 carriage and 12 swivel guns were put on board her, 

 together with an ample store of ammunition and other 

 necessaries, and provisions for 18 months. Having 

 thus fitted out the ship in the most proper manner for 

 the purposes of a long voyage, the next object was to 

 obtain the company and co-operation of sucli scientific 

 men, as would reap from it every species of benefit to 

 human knowledge, which it might be capable of af- 

 fording. Mr Green, an assistant at the observatory of 

 Greenwich, was associated with Captain Cook, to con- 

 duct the astronomical part of the voyage, and Mr (now 

 Sir Joseph) Banks, together with Dr Solander, an emi- 

 nent Swedish naturalist, offered their services for the 

 extension of natural knowledge. The object of the 

 intended voyage was not confined to the observation of 

 the transit of Venus ; Captain Cook was also directed 

 to examine the Pacific Ocean with accuracy, and to ex- 

 tend the discoveries in that part of the world. 



In this article, it would be improper and irrelevant 

 to enter upon a detailed account of the circumstances of 

 this and the subsequent voyages of Captain Cook ; 

 while, at the same time, it would be equally improper 

 to omit the notice of them altogether; we shah there- 

 tore offer a general sketch of his voyages, touching only 

 on those points in which his merit as a navigator, and 

 tus character as a man, are the most decidedly and con- 

 spicuously marked. 



On the 26th of August 1768, the Endeavour sailed 

 from Plymouth; and, on the 13th of April 1769, she 

 anchored m Matavai bay in Otaheite: this island had 

 been discovered, or at least explored, by Captain Wal- 

 lis and on his return, (which took place immediately 

 before Captain Cook sailed,) he pointed it out as a pro. 



per place for observing the transit of Venus. Captain 

 Cook had well digested the plan he meant to pursue 

 with respect to the regulation of the intercourse be- 

 tween his crew and the natives ; and, in conformity to 

 this plan, he drew up a set of regulations before he suf- 

 fered any of them to land at Otaheite : in these regula- 

 tions he displays not only humanity and good sense, 

 but a thorough insight into the character and feelings 

 of a British seaman. His coolness, firmness, and for- 

 bearance, were however soon put to the proof j notwith- 

 standing the clearness and propriety of the regulations 

 which he had communicated to the crew : on the one 

 hand, the natives were greatly addicted to pilfering, 

 and on the other hand, the seamen, when robbed by 

 them, had recourse to the most harsh and brutal modes 

 of punishment, not only disproportionate to the crime, 

 but of such a nature as would stimulate to revenge, 

 rather than prevent the repetition of the injury. Part- 

 ly, however, by the strictness of his discipline, and 

 partly by the authority and respect which his impar- 

 tiality, and spirit of conciliation, united to an unbend- 

 ing determination not to suffer himself to be materially 

 imposed upon, procured aim from the natives, he suc- 

 ceeded in protecting his crew from plunder, and the 

 inhabitants from inadequate or unprofitable punish- 

 ment. 



The observation of the transit of Venus having taken 

 place on the third of June, and every information that 

 was curious, or could be useful, having been collected 

 respecting the island, the Endeavour left it on the 13th 

 of July. As there were several small islands adjacent 

 to Otaheite, Captain Cook ascertained their relative si- 

 tuation, and gave to the whole groupe the general name 

 of the Society Islands. On the 6th of October, ha- 

 ving directed his course to the southward, he fell in 

 with New Zealand. As this had been generally consi- 

 dered and represented as part of a supposed southern 

 continent, Captain Cook resolved to examine it so com- 

 pletely, as should leave no doubt on this head. After 

 much difficulty and labour, and no small degree of 

 risque, he ascertained it to consist of two islands, sepa- 

 rated from each other by a narrow strait. The inhabi- 

 tants were in the lowest state of ignorance and barba- 

 rism, and he had not been long among them before it 

 was proved, beyond a doubt, that they were real canni- 

 bals. The difficulty of preserving peace between the 

 seamen and them, was still greater than Captain Cook 

 had experienced at Otaheite ; and it is not unreasonable 

 to suppose, (a supposition which candour will readily 

 admit,) that the strong and precipitate measures of vio- 

 lence towards the inhabitants of New Zealand, and 

 which he found it absolutely necessary to employ, 

 gained such an ascendency over the milder and more 

 forbearing habits which he had displayed at Otaheite, 

 as to keep them under, on subsequent occasions, when 

 they would have been amply sufficient to have check- 

 ed or conciliated the natives. On his departure from 

 New Zealand, he steered to the west, and came in sight 

 of New Holland on the 19th of April 1770. The east- 

 ern coast of this immense island was thoroughly explo- 

 red, and it was a task which called for all the distin- 

 guishing qualities of Captain Cook's mind. On one 

 occasion the Endeavour was exposed to great and im- 

 minent danger, in consequence of striking upon a hid- 

 den rock ; the Captain and crew were surprised that 

 she did not make much water, though even the shock 

 itself must have damaged the vessel considerably ; but 

 their surprise was changed into pious gratitude, when, 

 on their arrival at a port in New Holland, apiece of the 

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