CAPTAIN COOK'S JOURNAL.
FIRST VOYAGE.
PLATE: PORTRAIT OF CAPTAIN JAMES COOK WITH A FACSIMILE OF HIS SIGNATURE.
Collotype, Waterlow & Sons Ltd.
CAPTAIN COOK'S JOURNAL
DURING HIS
FIRST VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD
MADE IN
H.M. BARK "ENDEAVOUR"
1768-71
A Literal Transcription of the Original MSS.
WITH
NOTES AND INTRODUCTION
EDITED BY
CAPTAIN W.J.L. WHARTON, R.N., F.R.S.
Hydrographer of the Admiralty.
Illustrated by Maps and Facsimiles.
LONDON
ELLIOT STOCK, 62 PATERNOSTER ROW
1893
43931
DEDICATED BY PERMISSION
TO
ADMIRAL H.R.H. THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH,
K.G., ETC.,
WHOSE DEEP INTEREST IN ALL MATTERS CONNECTED WITH
THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE BRITISH NAVY
IS WELL KNOWN TO ALL WHO HAVE HAD
THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING WITH HIM.
PREFACE.
STRANGE it must appear that the account of perhaps the most celebratedand, certainly to the English nation, the most momentous voyage ofdiscovery that has ever taken place--for it practically gave birth to thegreat Australasian Colonies--has never before been given to the world inthe very words of its great leader. It has fallen out in this wise.
After the return of the Endeavour it was decided that a full andcomprehensive account of the voyage should be compiled. COOK'S JOURNALdealt with matters from the point of view of the seaman, the explorer,and the head of the expedition, responsible for life, and for its generalsuccess. The Journals of Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander looked from thescientific side on all that presented itself to their enthusiasticobservation.
What could be better than to combine these accounts, and make up acomplete narrative from them all?
The result, however, according to our nineteenth-century ideas, was notaltogether happy. Dr. Hawkesworth, into whose hands the Journals wereput, not only interspersed reflections of his own, but managed to imposehis own ponderous style upon many of the extracts from the unitedJournals; and, moreover, as they are all jumbled together, the wholebeing put into Cook's mouth, it is impossible to know whether we arereading Cook, Banks, Solander, or Hawkesworth himself.
The readers of the day were not, however, critical. Hawkesworth's book,*(* "Hawkesworth's Voyages" 3 volumes quarto 1773.) which undoubtedlycontains all the most generally interesting passages of the threewriters, gave a clear description of the events of the voyage in aconnected manner, and was accepted as sufficient; and in the excitementof devouring the pages which introduced so many new lands and peoples,probably few wished for more, and the Journals were put away as dealtwith.
Since that time it has been on several occasions in contemplation topublish Mr. (after Sir Joseph) Banks' Journal; but this has never beenaccomplished.
Cook's Journal was in triplicate. The Admiralty Orders of the dayenjoined that the captain should keep a journal of proceedings, a copy ofwhich was to be forwarded to the Admiralty every six months, or as soonafter as possible. In the case of this voyage the ship was two and a halfyears from England before any opportunity of sending this copy occurred.The ship was the whole of this time in new and savage lands. When Bataviawas reached the duplicate of Cook's Journal was sent home, and six monthslater, when the ship arrived in England, the full Journal of the voyagewas deposited at the Admiralty.
The Secretary of the Admiralty, Sir Philip Stephens, a personal friendand appreciator of Cook, appears to have appropriated