COOKS FIRST VOYAGE (176S-1TT1). BANKS’ JOURNAL 9 
had Cook given him more opportunities. Doubtless this refers to 
the cursory examination on land Cook felt himself able to give to 
his Australian discoveries. 
Following is a brief sketch of the principal events of this voyage, 
since space will not permit me to abstract Banks’ Journal at length. 
It is deeply interesting, and the original should be carefully read by 
every admirer of Banks. 
On 2-5th August, 1768, the “Endeavour” left Plymouth Harbour, 
and from the 12th to the 18th September was at Madeira. Banks gives 
a very interesting account of the natural history (chiefly botany) of 
the island, and the occupations of its inhabitants. He listed 18 fish 
and 299 plants. 
Leaving Madeira, Banks occupied himself, as was his wont at sea, 
with observations on the marine zoologv and on the birds which 
visited the ship. 
From the 13th Xovember to the 7th December they were at Kio 
de Janeiro, and Banks listed 316 plants collected there. But the 
visit was not altogether a pleasant one, owing to their uncordia! 
reception by the authorities. 
The Portuguese Viceroy interposed various objections to the landing 
of the visitors, an excuse being that the “ Endeavour ” was not a 
King’s ship. Nevertheless, Banks and Solander made botanical and 
zoological observations more or less surreptitiously, until finally they 
were absolutely forbidden to land. Through Dr. Solander and Mr. 
Monkhouse, the surgeon. Banks obtained information which enabled 
him to give an interesting account of Rio. 
Leaving this place on the 8th December they went south, making 
for Tierra del Fuego. The manners of the times are shown in the 
following entry : — 
“ Cliristmas Day : all good Christians, that is to say, all good hands, 
got abominably drunk, so that all through the night there was scarce a 
sober man in the ship. Weather, thank God, very moderate, or the 
Lord knows what would have become of us.” 
Banks’ observations at sea are very interesting, and on 11th January, 
1769, they saw the land of Tierra del Fuego. On the 14th he and 
Solander landed near Cape St. Vincent (Staten Island), and found a 
hundred plants n w to him in four hours. He describes the giant 
sea-weed and also Winter’s bark. On the 15th they went ashore in 
the Bay of Good Success (Tierra del Fuego). and had their first interview 
with the natives, which was of a pleasant character. They made an 
e.xcursion inland and nearly perished with the cold, staying out all 
night during a snow-storm. On the recovery of the travellers they 
did not venture so far in future, but Banks made some interesting 
observations in regard to the country, and listed 104 phanerogamic 
and 41 cryptogamic plants collected here. 
