2. Cook’s First Voyage (1768-1771). 
Banks’ Journak 
Following is an account of the inception of the voyage of the 
“ Endeavour,” Lieutenant Cook, who was accompanied by Banks and 
Solander (of whom an account will be given presently), and memorable 
for the discovery of New South Wales, and other geographical dis- 
coveries, and for the contributions made to the natural history and 
ethnology of the countries visited. 
The Council of the Royal Society, in February, 1768, addressed a 
memorial to the King, the first paragraph of which reads : 
. . . . That the passage of the Planet V'enus over the disc of the sun,* 
which will happen on the 3rd of June, in the year 1709, is a phenomenon that must, 
if the same be accurately observed in proper places, contribute greatly to the 
improvement of astronomy, on which navigation so much depends. 
Later on it states : 
That the I ke appearance, after the 3rd of .June, 1769, will not happen for more 
than one hundred years. 
The observations of the Transit of Venus made in 1761 were, from 
several causes, unsatisfactory, and hence special interest attached to 
the Transit of 1769. Stations in different parts of the world were 
selected for the observations and one of the stations was in the South 
Pacific. 
The Royal Society presented a memorial to the King, and “ any 
place not exceeding 30 degrees of southern latitude, and between the 
1-lOth and 180th degrees of longitude, west from Greenwich,” was 
indicated for making observations. 
The expedition to the Pacific had for its main, but not exclusive 
object, the observation of the Transit by Mr. Green (formerly assistant 
to Dr. Bradley, Astronomer Royal), and this was placed under the 
command of Lieutenant James Cook. 
The Council minutes of the Royal Society state that Cook was 
appointed one of the observers to act with Mr. Green. He had a 
conference in the Council-room, and accepted the appointment, agreeing 
to the remuneration of one hundred guineas. ]\Ir. Green received two 
hundred guineas.f 
It was at this time that the name of Mr. Banks first appears in the 
Council minutes. Having heard of the proposed expedition to the 
Pacific, he addressed a letter to the Council, requesting them to apply 
• See also " Captain James Cook ” (Arthur Kitson, 1907), p. 83. 
t Weld, 11, 37. 
