JAMES COOK 67 
possible. This being done the ships were to proceed to 
the Cape of Good Hope and return thence to Spithead. 
When the season of the year made it unsafe to remain in 
high latitudes the ships were to retire to some known 
place to the northward to refit and refresh the people, 
after which they were to return to the south. In all 
cases not provided for in the Instructions Cook was to 
exercise his own discretion. 
The vessels were provisioned for two years, salted beef 
and pork being of course the only meat possible ; but the 
various preserved vegetables, soups, sugar and extracts 
promised better fare than Jack usually received in the 
eighteenth century. The ships were armed, the Resolu- 
tion carrying twelve guns, for it was war time. In ad- 
dition to the usual boats the timbers for a cutter of 
twenty tons were put on board each in case of shipwreck 
on an unknown coast. A considerable number of live- 
stock was carried for food and for setting free on suit- 
able islands. The voyage was intended to be largely 
devoted to scientific research. An astronomer accom- 
panied each ship. Mr. William Wales on the Resolution, 
Mr. William Bayley on the Adventure. Mr. William 
Hodges, an artist, was taken to depict the places and peo- 
ple met with. 
The first exploring voyage of Captain Cook had been 
made famous for scientific discoveries by the voluntary 
services of Mr. Joseph Banks and Dr. Solander. Banks 
was anxious to go again and in order to accommodate 
him and his scientific equipment a poop had been fitted to 
the Endeavour, which, however, overweighted the ship 
and had to be removed. Other difficulties arose and to the 
great disappointment of both Banks and Cook the former 
was unable to go, although he had spent some thou- 
