CAPTAIN COOK’S LOG.

Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18076, 21 July 1930, Page 15

CAPTAIN COOK’S LOG.

His Secret Instructions from the Admiralty .

Even Captain Cook, the great explorer, was human, like the rest of us, and desired an occasional holiday. For among the exhibits shown at the Public Records Office to commemorate the bicentenary of his birth (October 28th, 1728) is a letter, in his own handwriting, asking for leave. In it, he exhorts the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to grant him three weeks’ absence, since he has “some business to transact down in Yorkshire, as well as to see an aged father.” That his request w r as granted may be understood by looking at tile back of the letter, on which vppoar the words, “To have it,” and the date, 17th Dec., 1771. His Fiisj Command. Another letter, also in his own handwriting, is equally interesting, though in a different way. It is dated July, 1768, and in it Captain Cook desires the Commissioners to order him ho be supplied W’ith certain mathematical instruments. The great navigator points out that the instruments will be necessary “in order to make surveys of such parts as H.M. bark Endeavour may touch at.” Among the delightfully simple objects mentioned are “a brass scale 2ft long,” “a Plane Table.” and “a glass for traceing Plans from the light.’ This letter shows that Cook’s spelling was perhaps not so good as his navigation, since he asks for “a parellel Ruler.” The earliest record exhibited is the muster of 11.M.5. Eagle, in which the name James Cook is written, when he entered the Navy on June 17th, 1755, at the age of twenty-seven. There are several interesting documents dealing w'ith his first voyage in command of the En-

deavo lr. This was in 1769, and the shin was used on behalf of the Astronome - Royal for making observations of the Transit of Venus, v hich was to take place on the 3rd of June of that year. Before this voyage, Cook was given secret instructions by the Admiralty to “attain a knowledge of distant parts —-which will redound greatly to the honour of the Nation as a Maritime Power.” The volume which contains these instructions is among the exhibits. “Cocoa-nuxts.” The master’s log of the Endeavour during this voyage is also shown —beautifully written and containing a number of drawings. Among the remarks about the weather, which i-eems to have been hot and sultry, are other little entries which illustrate the events of the journey. One day it is noted that Samuel Jones was punished with “one dozen lashes for disobedience.” On arother occasion several canoes came alongside the ship “bringing with them their green boughs as Emblems of Peace.” A humorous touch is added by the remark that the sailors “truck’d with them for cocoanutts and other triffles.” The object of the second voyage, of which there are several records, was to make surveys of the coast of New Zea land But actually the greatest result was to disprove the existence of a large Antarctic continent in the Temperate Zone. All the many records of the great explorer cannot be exhibited at the same time, but those put on view in connection with this anniversary' were skilfully chosen both for their general historical interest and also for their legibility.