CAPTAIN COOK.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 13 July 1927, Page 7

CAPTAIN COOK.

AS SEEN JiY ONE O F HLS CREW

The Alexander Turnbull Library, of Wellington (N.Z.), lias rendered valuable sendee to all who are interetoed in t‘he voyages and personality of James Cook, by publishing a translation of the extremely rare book by Heinrich Zirnanermann on Cook’s third voyage (1776-1780). The translation, Ira* been done bv Miss U. Tewsley, of the library staff. Ziminennami’s little work is so rare that two modern biographers of Cook. Ivitson, and Walter Besant, had never heard of it, and one or two writers expressed doubt whether any copies of it existed, or whether, indeed, it was not a myth. But David Mitchell, the, great Sydney collector (says the Melbourne Argil's) had picked up one, .and Alexander Turnbnl, of Wellington. had another. From that copy Mi.ss Tew.slev\s translation has been made (says the “Doaniniion”). Zinimennan.n was a German sailor on the Resolution, who was entered on the ship’s articles ajs coxswain. In common with all other members of the crew and officers of the expedition lie was under a, pledge not to publish anything. about the voyage, which was under the direction of the Admiralty, and of which only the official narrative, prepared under Hook’s own direction, was to he issued- But Zimmermann wa.s “dim.” Fearing, as he naively explains. that “wo sailors would be obliged either to give up or to destroy all paipers dealing with public matters. I took the precaution to provide myself with a little notebook, mind write down briefly, and ,‘in the German language, all the principal, events which took place.” This he caused to be printed in Genn'ariv. but. the British Admiralty protested, and the book was suppressed. Tt is a “close-up” literary portrait, written by a man before the mast, and telling us things about Cook’s personality which are not to be found anywhere else. Here wo see H-ook as lie w,ns —not. when witting for Ills portrait in a. nice blue and gold uniform, to Nathaniel Dance. TEA. ; not when addressing the Bovni Soeietv; not when lie conversed with Mr. James Roswell at Sir John Pringle’s and made that

woi ihy man, -a.-, lie told Dr. Johnson. “uaw.ui L 1 io eulmwaom qt curiosity a.nu auven-niie, ana iqqi u .swung uiohiuution to go with bun on h.is next voyage." n’e .see him as he was to tne common, sa.ilonnan in pile 10-c’sle. Look, says Ziin-mennann, wa« a tali, handsome, strong, 'but somewhat spare man- His hair was dark brown, his 1 expression somewhat .‘■tern, and Ins .shoulders bent. “In small matters the common sailors were more severely disciplined than the officers, hut at times lie was exceedingly affable to the j w«w." He was. a, strict disciplinarian, lie was'“so hasty tempered that the least contradiction on the part of a.n officer or sailor made him very angry. Yet- “he never swore, not even when in a rage." Of how many 18th century naval officers could that be said f He was, as a rule, very reserved. “When at table with his officers he frequently sat without saying a word.’’ He served out the customary allowance of grog to the crew, hut severely punished drunkenness. Cook “never mentioned religion.” says Zimmemiaun, “and would have no priests o u his ships”; but, “though he seldom celebrated the Sabbath, he was a just and upright man in all his dealings." But. on the other hand, “we had with ms excellent doctors and surgeons." If a. mail was sick Cook told off a companion to nurse him, and kepi himself well informed of his progress, sending him meat -stock .soup “and also wine and tea. which Captain Cook kept by him lor this special purpose.’ Whenever extra little luxuries were served out on special qceaisions Cook always saw to it, .says Zimmermann, that “food and drink were served out to officers anti men in equal portions.” But the trait above all else that made seamen and officers alike respect Cook so highly was that lie was a perfect master of his craft. No captain i before him had taken ships round the world without a case of scurvy on board. Zimmcrmann’.s confidence in him was unbounded. In a striking paragraph lie records: “Fearlessness was his most outstanding characteristic. On the unknofvu coast of America. the ships ran on foggy nights under full sail, and the captain sleptpeacefully the while. But, on the other hand, when no one else had a suspicion of danger he often came up on deck and changed the course of the ship because land was near. This was 'so pronounced that everyone believed that lie had seme secret source of foreknowing and -avoiding danger. At least 1 can say with certainty that such occasions wore frequent when he-also was sensible of the existence of land; and lie was always right." It- -is for these- personal revelations of the character and manner of Cook that- Ziinmetmaim’.s, little book is so richly valuable. He tells the story of ithe murder of the beloved captain of the Hawaii in very simple, restrained language hut he relates in touching terms that- “the universal consternation caused by the death of our commodore is the highest praise which could possibly have been given him. Everv one on the ships was silent and depressed; we all felt that we had lost a- father, and it will readily be seen from this narrative that after Cook s death the spirit of discovery, the decision. and the in.do.nni table, courage were gone." it is that, human touch, with its hero-worship and its intimacy, that makes Zimiiie-rmann'is work so- illuminating. Dance and Zoffany painted Cook in hri.liant half-lengths; thy plodding Kipp is built his biography in solid calf-bound quartos; but Ziminorman.ii shows him as he .appeared to his crews, and if it were, possible for one to think Cook .a greater man than lie appeared to be before a reading of the German sailor’s illicit effort, so much the greater he is for what we Hearn about him from, those pages.