A Voyage Towards the South Pole and Round the World Volume I Part 2

_Officers and Men, Officers Names_

Captain (1) Tobias Furneaux.

Lieutenants (3) Joseph Shank, Arthur Kempe.

Master (1) Peter Fannin.

Boatswain (1) Edward Johns.

Carpenter (1) William Offord.

Gunner (1) Andrew Gloag.

Surgeon (1) Thos. Andrews.

Master's mate (2) Mids.h.i.+pmen (4) Surgeon's mates (2) Captain's clerk (1) Master at arms (1) Ditto Mate (1) Sail-maker (1) Ditto Mate (1) Boatswain's mate (1) Carpenter's ditto (2) Gunner's ditto (2) Carpenter's crews (1) Cook (4) Ditto mate (1) Quarter-masters (4) Able seamen (33)

Marines Lieutenant (1) James Scott.

Serjeant (1) Corporals (1) Drummer (1) Privates (8)

Total, 81

I had all the reason in the world to be perfectly satisfied with the choice of the officers. The second and third lieutenants, the lieutenant of marines, two of the warrant officers, and several of the petty officers, had been with me during the former voyage. The others were men of known abilities; and all of them, on every occasion, shewed their zeal for the service in which they were employed, during the whole voyage.

In the equipping of these s.h.i.+ps, they were not confined to ordinary establishments, but were fitted in the most complete manner, and supplied with every extra article that was suggested to be necessary.

Lord Sandwich paid an extraordinary attention to this equipment, by visiting the s.h.i.+ps from time to time, to satisfy himself that the whole was completed to his wish, and to the satisfaction of those who were to embark in them.

Nor were the Navy and Victualling Boards wanting in providing them with the very best of stores and provisions, and whatever else was necessary for so long a voyage.--Some alterations were adopted in the species of provisions usually made use of in the navy. That is, we were supplied with wheat in lieu of so much oatmeal, and sugar in lieu of so much oil; and when completed, each s.h.i.+p had two years and a half provisions on board, of all species.

We had besides many extra articles, such as _malt, sour krout, salted cabbage, portable broth, saloup, mustard, marmalade of carrots, and insp.i.s.sated juice of wort and beer_. Some of these articles had before been found to be highly antis...o...b..tic; and others were now sent out on trial, or by way of experiment;--the insp.i.s.sated juice of beer and wort, and marmalade of carrots especially. As several of these antis...o...b..tic articles are not generally known, a more particular account of them may not be amiss.

Of _malt_ is made _sweet wort_, which is given to such persons as have got the scurvy, or whose habit of body threatens them with it, from one to five or six pints a-day, as the surgeon sees necessary.

_Sour krout_ is cabbage cut small, to which is put a little salt, juniper berries, and anniseeds; it is then fermented, and afterwards close packed in casks; in which state it will keep good a long time. This is a wholesome vegetable food, and a great antis...o...b..tic. The allowance to each man is two pounds a week, but I increased or diminished their allowance as I thought proper.

_Salted cabbage_ is cabbage cut to pieces, and salted down in casks, which will preserve it a long time.

_Portable broth_ is so well known, that it needs no description. We were supplied with it both for the sick and well, and it was exceedingly beneficial.

_Saloup_ and _rob of lemons_ and _oranges_ were for the sick and s...o...b..tic only, and wholly under the surgeon's care.

_Marmalade of carrots_ is the juice of yellow carrots, insp.i.s.sated till it is of the thickness of fluid honey, or treacle, which last it resembles both in taste and colour. It was recommended by Baron Storsch, of Berlin, as a very great antis...o...b..tic; but we did not find that it had much of this quality.

For the _insp.i.s.sated juice of wort_ and _beer_ we were indebted to Mr Pelham, secretary to the commissioners of the victualling office.

This gentleman, some years ago, considered that if the juice of malt, either as beer or wort, was insp.i.s.sated by evaporation, it was probable this insp.i.s.sated juice would keep good at sea; and, if so, a supply of beer might be had, at any time, by mixing it with water. Mr Pelham made several experiments, which succeeded so well, that the commissioners caused thirty- one half barrels of this juice to be prepared, and sent out with our s.h.i.+ps for trial; nineteen on board the Resolution, and the remainder on board the Adventure. The success of the experiments will be mentioned in the narrative, in the order as they were made.

The frame of a small vessel, twenty tons burthen, was properly prepared, and put on board each of the s.h.i.+ps to be set up (if found necessary) to serve as tenders upon any emergency, or to transport the crew, in case the s.h.i.+p was lost.

We were also well provided with fis.h.i.+ng-nets, lines, and hooks of every kind for catching of fish.--And, in order to enable us to procure refreshments, in such inhabited parts of the world as we might touch at, where money was of no value, the Admiralty caused to be put on board both the s.h.i.+ps, several articles of merchandize; as well to trade with the natives for provisions, as to make them presents to gain their friends.h.i.+p and esteem.

Their lords.h.i.+ps also caused a number of medals to be struck, the one side representing his majesty, and the other the two s.h.i.+ps. These medals were to be given to the natives of new-discovered countries, and left there as testimonies of our being the first discoverers.

Some additional clothing, adapted to a cold climate, was put on board; to be given to the seamen whenever it was thought necessary. In short, nothing was wanting that could tend to promote the success of the undertaking, or contribute to the conveniences and health of those who embarked in it.

The Admiralty shewed no less attention to science in general, by engaging Mr William Hodges, a landscape painter, to embark in this voyage, in order to make drawings and paintings of such places in the countries we should touch at, as might be proper to give a more perfect, idea thereof, than could be formed from written descriptions only.

And it being thought of public utility, that some person skilled in natural history, should be engaged to accompany me in this voyage, the parliament granted an ample sum for the purpose, and Mr John Reinhold Forster, with his son, were pitched upon for this employment.

The Board of Longitude agreed with Mr William Wales and Mr William Bayley, to make astronomical observations; the former on board the Resolution, and the latter on board the Adventure. The great improvements which astronomy and navigation have met with from the many interesting observations they have made, would have done honour to any person whose reputation for mathematical knowledge was not so well known as theirs.

The same Board furnished them with the best instruments, for making both astronomical and nautical observations and experiments; and likewise with four time-pieces, or watch machines; three made by Mr Arnold, and one made by Mr Kendal on Mr Harrison's principles. A particular account of the going of these watches, as also the astronomical and nautical observations made by the astronomers, has been before the public, by order of the Board of Longitude, under the inspection of Mr Wales.

Besides the obligation I was under to this gentleman for communicating to me the observations he made, from time to time, during the voyage, I have since been indebted to him for the perusal of his journal, with leave to take from it whatever I thought might contribute to the improvement of this work.

For the convenience of the generality of readers, I have reduced the time from the nautical to the civil computation, so that whenever the terms A.M.

and P.M. are used, the former signifies the forenoon, and the latter the afternoon of the same day.

In all the courses, bearings, &c., the variation of the compa.s.s is allowed, unless the contrary is expressed. And now it may be necessary to say, that, as I am on the point of sailing on a third expedition, I leave this account of my last voyage in the hands of some friends, who, in my absence, have kindly accepted the office of correcting the press for me; who are pleased to think that what I have here to relate is better to be given in my own words, than in the words of another person; especially as it is a work designed for information, and not merely for amus.e.m.e.nt; in which, it is their opinion, that candour and fidelity will counter-balance the want of ornament.

I shall therefore conclude this introductory discourse with desiring the reader to excuse the inaccuracies of style, which doubtless he will frequently meet with in the following narrative; and that, when such occur, he will recollect that it is the production of a man, who has not had the advantage of much school education, but who has been constantly at sea from his youth; and though, with the a.s.sistance of a few good friends, he has pa.s.sed through all the stations belonging to a seaman, from an apprentice boy in the coal trade, to a post-captain in the royal navy, he has had no opportunity of cultivating letters. After this account of myself, the public must not expect from me the elegance of a fine writer, or the plausibility of a professed book-maker; but will, I hope, consider me as a plain man, zealously exerting himself in the service of his country, and determined to give the best account he is able of his proceedings.

JAMES COOK.

_Plymouth Sound, July 7, 1776._

VOYAGE TOWARDS THE SOUTH POLE, AND ROUND THE WORLD.

BOOK I

FROM OUR DEPARTURE FROM ENGLAND TO LEAVING THE SOCIETY ISLES THE FIRST TIME.

CHAPTER I.

_Pa.s.sage from Deptford to the Cape of Good Hope, with an Account of several Incidents that happened by the Way, and Transactions there._

1772 April

I sailed from Deptford, April 9th, 1772, but got no farther than Woolwich, where I was detained by easterly winds till the 23d, when the s.h.i.+p fell down to Long Reach, and the next day was joined by the Adventure. Here both s.h.i.+ps received on board their powder, guns, gunners' stores, and marines.

1772 May

On the 10th of May we left Long Reach, with orders to touch at Plymouth; but in plying down the river, the Resolution was found to be very crank, which made it necessary to put into Sheerness in order to remove this evil, by making some alteration in her upper works. These the officers of the yard were ordered to take in hand immediately; and Lord Sandwich and Sir Hugh Palliser came down to see them executed in such a manner as might effectually answer the purpose intended.

1772 June

On the 22d of June the s.h.i.+p was again completed for sea, when I sailed from Sheerness; and on the 3d of July joined the Adventure in Plymouth Sound.

The evening before, we met, off the Sound, Lord Sandwich, in the Augusta yacht, (who was on his return from visiting the several dock-yards,) with the Glory frigate and Hazard sloop. We saluted his lords.h.i.+p with seventeen guns; and soon after he and Sir Hugh Palliser gave us the last mark of the very great attention they had paid to this equipment, by coming on board, to satisfy themselves that every thing was done to my wish, and that the s.h.i.+p was found to answer to my satisfaction.

At Plymouth I received my instructions, dated the 25th of June, directing me to take under my command the Adventure; to make the best of my way to the island of Madeira, there to take in a supply of wine, and then proceed to the Cape of Good Hope, where I was to refresh the s.h.i.+ps' companies, and to take on board such provisions and necessaries as I might stand in need of. After leaving the Cape of Good Hope, I was to proceed to the southward, and endeavour to fall in with Cape Circ.u.mcision, which was said by Monsieur Bouvet to lie in the lat.i.tude of 54 S. and in about 11 20' E. longitude from Greenwich. If I discovered this cape, I was to satisfy myself whether it was a part of the continent which had so much engaged the attention of geographers and former navigators, or a part of an island. If it proved to be the former, I was to employ myself diligently in exploring as great an extent of it as I could, and to make such notations thereon, and observations of every kind, as might be useful either to navigation or commerce, or tend to the promotion of natural knowledge. I was also directed to observe the genius, temper, disposition, and number of the inhabitants, if there were any, and endeavour, by all proper means, to cultivate a friends.h.i.+p and alliance with them; making them presents of such things as they might value; inviting them to traffic, and shewing them every kind of civility and regard. I was to continue to employ myself on this service, and making discoveries either to the eastward or westward, as my situation might render most eligible; keeping in as high a lat.i.tude as I could, and prosecuting my discoveries as near to the South Pole as possible, so long as the condition of the s.h.i.+ps, the health of their crews, and the state of their provisions, would admit of; taking care to reserve as much of the latter as would enable me to reach some known port, where I was to procure a sufficiency to bring me home to England. But if Cape Circ.u.mcision should prove to be part of an island only, or if I should not be able to find the said Cape, I was in the first case to make the necessary survey of the island, and then to stand on to the southward, so long as I judged there was a likelihood of falling in with the continent, which I was also to do in the latter case, and then to proceed to the eastward in further search of the said continent, as well as to make discoveries of such islands as might be situated in that unexplored part of the southern hemisphere; keeping in high lat.i.tudes, and prosecuting my discoveries, as above mentioned, as near the pole as possible until I had circ.u.mnavigated the globe; after which I was to proceed to the Cape of Good Hope, and from thence to Spithead.