A VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN, UNDERTAKEN BY THE COMMAND OF HIS MAJESTY, FOR MAKING DISCOVERIES IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE; TO DETERMINE THE POSITION AND EXTENT OF THE WEST SIDE OF NORTH AMERICA, ITS DISTANCE FROM ASIA, AND THE PRACTICABILITY OF A NORTHERN PASSAGE TO EUROPE. PERFORMED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF CAPTAINS COOK, CLERKE, AND GORE, IN HIS MAJESTY'S SHIPS THE RESOLUTION AND DISCOVERY, IN THE YEARS 1776, 1777, 1778, 1779, & 1780.[23]
[INTRODUCTION.]
The spirit of discovery, which had long animated the European nations, having, after its arduous and successful exertions, during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, gradually subsided, and for a considerable time lain dormant, began to revive in Great Britain in the late reign;[24] and recovered all its former activity, under the cherishing influence, and munificent encouragement, of his present majesty.
[Footnote 23: The account of this voyage was originally published in three volumes the first and second of which were written by Captain Cook himself, and the third by Captain King, one of his officers. The work, however, as the reader will soon find, is materially enriched by the communications of Mr Anderson, surgeon of the Resolution. The valuable introduction, and the notes interspersed throughout the volumes contributed by Cook, were the production of Dr Douglas, Bishop of Salisbury, who, at the request of Lord Sandwich, undertook also the office of editor. Of the amount of his services in this character, we have his own statement, towards the end of the introduction. From this, it appears, that Cook, when he set out, knew he was expected to relate, as well as to execute, the operations committed to him; and that his journal, in consequence, was faithfully adhered to. This seems to imply the non-interference of the editor, at least in any important sense. The same thing may be inferred from what he says respecting Mr Anderson's journal. And as to the third volume, we are expressly told, that it was completely prepared for the press by Captain King himself. There is surely, then, very little foundation for an assertion made in the memoir of Captain Cook, inserted in the new edition of the General Biographical Dictionary, vol. 10. viz. that Dr Douglas "has levelled down the more striking peculiarities of the different writers, into some appearance of equality." Certainly, we are bound either to refuse such an insinuation, or to charge falsehood on Dr Douglas, who expressly states, that all he has to answer for, are the notes in Captain Cook's two volumes and the introduction. But the alternative will give no trouble to any reader acquainted with the worthy character of the bishop, or who can comprehend, how very readily a probable conjecture may became the basis of an erroneous opinion.
It is necessary to apprise the reader, that the letter D is placed at such of Dr Douglas's notes as it is thought advisable to retain in this work, and that for the rest marked E., the editor, as formerly, is responsible.--E.]
[Footnote 24: Two voyages for discovering a north-west passage, through Hudson's Bay, were then performed; one under the command of Captain Middleton, in his majesty's ships the Furnace, and the Discovery pink, in 1741 and 1743. The other under the direction of Captains Smith and Moore, in the ships Dobbs and California, fitted out by subscription, in 1746 and 1747.--D.]
Soon after his accession to the throne, having happily closed the destructive operations of war, he turned his thoughts to enterprises more humane, but not less brilliant, adapted to the season of returning peace. While every liberal art, and useful study, flourished under his patronage at home, his superintending care was extended to such branches of knowledge, as required distant examination and enquiry; and his ships, after bringing back victory and conquest from every quarter of the known world, were now employed in opening friendly communications with its hitherto unexplored recesses.
In the prosecution of an object so worthy of the monarch of a great commercial people, one voyage followed another in close succession; and, we may add, in regular gradation. What Byron had begun, Wallis and Carteret soon improved. Their success gave birth to a far more extensive plan of discovery, carried into execution in two subsequent voyages, conducted by Cook. And that nothing might be left unattempted, though much had been already done, the same commander, whose professional skill could only be equalled by the persevering diligence with which he had exerted it, in the course of his former researches, was called upon, once more, to resume, or rather to complete, the survey of the globe. Accordingly, another voyage was undertaken, in 1776; which, though last in the order of time, was far from being the least considerable, with respect to the extent and importance of its objects; yet, still, far less fortunate than any of the former, as those objects were not accomplished, but at the expence of the valuable life of its conductor.
When plans, calculated to be of general utility, are carried into execution with partial views, and upon interested motives, it is natural to attempt to confine, within some narrow circle, the advantages which might have been derived to the world at large, by an unreserved disclosure of all that had been effected. And, upon this principle, it has too frequently been considered as sound policy, perhaps, in this country, as well as amongst some of our neighbours, to affect to draw a veil of secrecy over the result of enterprises to discover and explore unknown quarters of the globe. It is to the honour of the present reign, that more liberal views have been now adopted. Our late voyages, from the very extensive objects proposed by them, could not but convey useful information to every European nation; and, indeed, to every nation, however remote, which cultivates commerce, and is acquainted with navigation: And that information has most laudably been afforded. The same enlarged and benevolent spirit, which ordered these several expeditions to be undertaken, has also taken care that the result of their various discoveries should be authentically recorded. And the transactions of these voyages round the world, having, in due time, been communicated, under the authority of his majesty's naval minister; those of the present, which, besides revisiting many of the former discoveries in the southern, carried its operations into untrodden paths in the northern hemisphere, are, under the same sanction, now submitted to the public in these volumes.
One great plan of nautical investigation having been pursued throughout, it is obvious, that the several voyages have a close connection, and that an exact recollection of what had been aimed at, and effected, in those that preceded, will throw considerable light on our period. With a view, therefore, to assist the reader in forming a just estimate of the additional information conveyed by this publication, it may not be improper to lay before him a short, though comprehensive, abstract of the principal objects that had been previously accomplished, arranged in such a manner, as may serve to unite into one point of view, the various articles which lie scattered through the voluminous journals already in the hands of the public; those compiled by Dr Hawkesworth; and that which was written by Captain Cook himself. By thus shewing what had been formerly done, how much still remained for subsequent examination will be more apparent; and it will be better understood on what grounds, though the ships of his majesty had already circumnavigated the world five different times, in the course of about ten years, another voyage should still be thought expedient.
There will be a farther use in giving such an abstract a place in this introduction. The plan of discovery, carried on in so many successive expeditions, being now, we may take upon us to say, in a great measure completed, by summing up the final result, we shall be better able to do justice to the benevolent purposes it was designed to answer; and a solid foundation will be laid, on which we may build a satisfactory answer to a question, sometimes asked by peevish refinement, and ignorant malevolence, What beneficial consequences, if any, have followed, or are likely to follow, to the discoverers, or to the discovered, to the common interests of humanity, or to the increase of useful knowledge, from all our boasted attempts to explore the distant recesses of the globe?