The Life of Captain James Cook, the Circumnavigator — John Shaqi
The Life of Captain James Cook, the CircumnavigatorKitson, Arthur
History
The Life of Captain James Cook, the Circumnavigator
Kitson, Arthur
Cook, James, 1728-1779; Explorers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Geographers -- Great Britain -- Biography
Whilst at Deptford, the rig of the Grenville was altered from schooner to
brig, as Cook thought that her sailing qualities would be improved by the
change, and she also received a thorough overhaul. In the previous year
her armament had been supplied from the flagship, and of course had to be
returned, so now she was established with "6 swivel guns, 12 Musquets,
and powder and shot" of her own, and her crew was augmented to twenty,
including a midshipman and a carpenter's mate, paid as on board a sixth
rate. Isaac Smith, Mrs. Cook's cousin, afterwards Admiral, who lived with
her at Clapham, was the midshipman. On 25th March 1765 the Grenville
again left for Newfoundland, arriving at St. Lawrence Harbour on 2nd June
to recommence her work. On 14th July, whilst "moored in a bay by Great
Garnish, we picked up two men who had been lost in the woods for near a
month. They came from Barin, intending to go to St. Lawrence Harbour, and
were almost perishing for want of subsistence." Going into Long Harbour,
23rd July, the Grenville ran on a rock and remained so fast that she had
to be unloaded before she could be floated off the next day, when she was
found to have suffered considerable damage to her forefoot.
From the log of the Grenville it appears that the survey was not carried
out continuously, and this may be accounted for by the fact that the
Governor was being called upon to settle disputes with the French
fishermen, who were only too apt to place the broadest construction on
the treaty rights accorded to them. It is very possible that Cook, during
this year, rendered assistance to Captains Debbieg and Bassett,
engineers, who were engaged in surveying important points and harbours
with a view to fortification, and Pallisser had been instructed to give
them every help. There is no positive record that Cook did assist, but
his ship was several times engaged near where they were at work, and it
seems very reasonable to suppose that he worked with them, especially as
such work might be very important to both parties.
Cook returned to Spithead on 30th November, and from thence to Deptford
for the winter, and in February obtained permission from the Admiralty to
publish the charts he had completed; Captain Pallisser, who made the
application, said he was of opinion that they "would be of great
encouragement to new adventurers on the fisheries upon those coasts."
ECLIPSE OF THE SUN.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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