A large number assembled to celebrate the centenary of Cook's death. Amongst them were many representatives of the Australian colonies, which are now so flourishing, and of the Hawaian Archipelago, where he met his death. A quantity of relics belonging to the great navigator, his charts, Webber's magnificent water-colours, and the instruments and weapons of the Oceanic islanders decorated the walls. This touching homage, after the lapse of a hundred years, was accorded by a people whose king had bidden them not to thwart Cook's scientific and civilizing mission, and was well calculated to awake an echo in England, and to draw yet closer the bonds of that good fellowship which exists between England and France. END OF THE FIRST PART. PART II. [_Frontispiece of 2nd Part._: Death of Captain Cook.] CHAPTER I. FRENCH NAVIGATORS. I. Discoveries made by Bouvet de Lozier in the Southern Seas--Surville-- The land of the Arsacides--Incident during the stay at Port Praslin-- Arrival upon the coast of New Zealand--Death of Surville--Marion's discoveries in the Antarctic Ocean--He is murdered at New Zealand-- Kerguelen in Iceland and the Antarctic regions--The contest between the watches--Fleurien and Verdun de la Crenne. In the earlier half of the eighteenth century, a discovery had been made which was destined to exercise a favourable influence upon the progress of geographical science. Jean Baptiste Charles Bouvet de Lozier, a captain of one of the East India Company's ships, was so struck by the immensity of the space surrounding the Southern Pole, known to geographers as the _Terra australis incognita_, that he begged for the privilege of prosecuting discoveries in these unknown regions. His importunities were long disregarded, but at length, in 1738, the Company consented, in the hope of opening new facilities for trade. Two small frigates, the _Aigle_ and the _Marie_, fully equipped, left Brest upon the 19th of July, 1738, under command of Bouvet de Lozier. After a stay of a month at St. Catherine's Island, upon the coast of Brazil, they put to sea again upon the 13th of November, and steered for the south-east. On the 26th, heavy fog set in, so that the vessels could only keep in company by constant firing, and were obliged to tack about continually, at the risk of running foul of each other. Upon the 5th of December, although it would have appeared impossible, the fog increased in density to such an extent that those on board the _Aigle_ could hear the movement of the _Marie_, though they could not see her. The sea was covered with kelp, and sea-gulls, never found at a distance from land, were shortly afterwards seen.