JAMES COOK 69 
many pupils of Linneus who were engaged in studying 
natural phenomena in all parts of the globe. Dr. Rein- 
hold Forster was much attracted by the young Swede and 
felt that he would be a most valuable assistant in making 
scientific observations. Sparrmann was eager to extend 
the sphere of his researches and after much importunity 
Cook consented to take him on board, Forster paying for 
his food and allowing him a salary at his own expense. 
The expedition left Cape Town on November 22nd, 
1772, steering in the direction of Bouvet’s Cape Circum- 
cision. On December 10th, in 50° 40' S. and 20° E., the 
first ice was met with, a majestic berg perpendicular in 
the sides, flat on the top, a veritable island of ice. Next 
day the bergs had increased in number, the sea ran high, 
a fierce storm was blowing and thick fog lay over every- 
thing. On the 1 1 th Cook crossed the assigned latitude 
of Cape Circumcision at a point ten degrees east of Bou- 
vet’s longitude. All eyes were on the outlook for the ex- 
pected land, and again and again the wreaths of sea-fog 
lightened and the edge of some huge berg appeared, to 
be mistaken for land for a few moments and then recog- 
nised as a drifting island of ice. Yet some of the offi- 
cers held to the belief that land had been sighted until 
on the return voyage two years later the Resolution 
crossed the reported situation of Bouvet Island in clear 
weather and saw nothing. Cook, thanks to his chronom- 
eters, was able to keep a good account of longitude as 
well as latitude. As he pursued his way southward he 
had also to work eastward along the edge of a field 
of heavy floating ice; but rounding that obstruction in 
57 0 S. he turned to the W. S. W. until he crossed the 
meridian of io° E. in latitude 59 0 S. He now had 
passed 300 miles to the south of Bouvet’s position for 
