knives. By day-light on the 19th they were within about a league of the Coast of Celibes, which in this part is described as one of the finest countries in the world. On the morning of the 26th the coast of Java appeared with the rising sun. Having come to an anchor for the night, the ships sailed early in the morning of the 27th and on the next day came to anchor in the port of Batavia.
The ships sailed thence on the 16th of October, 1768, and cleared the straits of Sunda on the 19th in the afternoon. By this time the crew were all perfectly recovered of the scurvy, but a few remained ill of the bloody flux. On the 20th the ships were in sight of the Isle of France, and, on the 8th of November, the Boudeuse anchored in the port of that island; the Etoile, which had been unavoidably left behind, anchoring in the same port on the following day.
They sailed from this the 12th of December, 1768, leaving the Etoile behind them to undergo some necessary repairs. Without encountering any singular accident they had sight of the Cape of Good Hope on the 18th of January, and came to anchor in Table Bay on the following morning. Bougainville quitted this on the 17th, anchored off St. Helena on the 4th of February, and on the 25th, joined the Swallow, commanded by Captain Cartert. Nothing material happened from this time till they had sight of the Isle of Ushant, where a violent squall of wind had nearly blasted the hopes of the voyage. On the 15th the commander bore away for St. Maloes, which he entered on the following day, after an absence of two years and four months from his native country; during all which time he had buried only seven of his crew, a circumstance that will be deemed truly astonishing, when we reflect on the variety of dangers they had encountered and the amazing changes of climate they had experienced.
CAPTAIN JAMES COOK.
James Cook was born in a mud hut at Marton, in the north riding of
Yorkshire, 27th October 1728. His father was an agricultural servant,
who, with his wife, bore a most unexceptionable character for honesty and
industry. The village school-mistress taught the boy to read; but at eight
years of age his father, through his good conduct, was appointed to be
bailiff of a farm near Great Ayton, belonging to Thomas Skottowe, Esq.,
who at his own expense put James to a day-school in that town, where he
was taught writing and the first rules in arithmetic. The predilection of
the lad inclined him for the sea; but as this stood contrary to the wishes
of his parents, he was soon after his twelfth year apprenticed to William
Sanderson, a general dealer in haberdashery, grocery, hardware, etc., at
Staith, upon the coast, about ten miles north of Whitby. The youth's
mind, however, continued more occupied upon maritime affairs than anything
else, and though he faithfully discharged his duty to his master, he
longed to be at sea. An opportunity occurred to favor his desires. Mr.
Sanderson canceled his indentures, and left him to pursue his inclinations.
Thus freed, he bound himself to Messrs John and Henry Walker, who
owned the Freelove, in which Cook embarked. She was principally engaged
in the coal trade, but made a voyage or two to the north; and
when his time was out, the youngster still continued to serve as a foremast-man
till he was made mate of one of Mr. John Walker's ships.
