A VOYAGE T O 
48 
^ 1,779. through the recommendation of Lord Colville and Sir Hugh 
Pallifer, to furvey the Gulf of St. Laurence, and the coaffs 
of Newfoundland. In this employment he continued till 
the year 1767, when he was fixed on by Sir Edward Hawke, 
to command an expedition to the South Seas, for the pur- 
pofe of obferving the tranfit of Venus, and profecuting dif- 
coveries in that part of the globe. 
From this period, as his fervices are too well known to 
require a recital here, lb his reputation has proportionally 
advanced to a height too great to be affedled by my pane- 
gyrick. Indeed, he appears to have been molt eminently 
and peculiarly qualified for this fpecies of enterprize. The 
earlieft habits of his life, the courfe of his fervices, and the 
conftant application of his mind, all confpired to fit him for 
it, and gave him a degree of profeilional knowledge, which 
can fall to the lot of very few. 
The conftitution of his body was robuft, inured to labour, 
and capable of undergoing the fevered: hardlhips. His fto- 
mach bore, without difficulty, the coarleft and moll un¬ 
grateful food. Indeed, temperance in him was fcarcely a 
virtue; fo great was the indifference with which he fub- 
mitted to every kind of felf-denial. The qualities of his 
mind were of the fame hardy, vigorous kind with thofe of 
his body. His underftanding was ffrong and perfpicacious. 
His judgment, in whatever related to the fervices he was 
engaged in, quick and fure. His defigns v r ere bold and 
manly; and both in the conception, and in the mode of 
execution, bore evident marks of a great original genius. 
His courage was cool and determined, and accompanied 
with an admirable prefence of mind in the moment of 
danger. His manners w r ere plain and unaffeffed. His 
temper might perhaps have been juftly blamed, as fubjedt 
to 
