Cook, indeed, dispelled this idea by proving that these three territories were islands; but the question as to the existence of the great southern land still remained to be proved.
The subject was under discussion by men of science when the Endeavour returned from her first voyage; and the Royal Society soon afterwards resolved to recommend the despatch of another expedition, for the purpose of attempting to settle the question. An offer of the command of this exploratory voyage was at once made to Captain Cook, who gladly accepted it—the selection of ships suitable for the purpose being wisely left to his judgment. The qualities he considered essential were great capacity, or stowage room, a rig easily worked, a size not too large to enter small harbours, and a build which would enable the vessel to take the ground and be easily got off again.
The Endeavour, having been sent out to the Falkland Islands as a store ship, was not available; two more vessels, therefore, made by the same ship-builder as the Endeavour, were purchased at Hull. The largest, named the Resolution, was of four hundred and sixty-two tons burden; and the other, called the Adventure, was three hundred and thirty-six tons. Captain Cook took possession of the former, as commander of the expedition; and Tobias Furneaux, who had been second lieutenant with Captain Wallis, was promoted and appointed to serve under Cook in command of the Adventure.
Captain Cook’s first lieutenant was Robert Cooper; his second, Charles Clerke, who had accompanied him on his previous voyage, as had also his third lieutenant, Richard Pickersgill, and the lieutenant of marines, John Edgecombe, with two of the warrant and several of the petty officers.
Mr Banks and Dr Solander had intended going, but not finding the accommodation on board which they considered necessary for the comfort and convenience of themselves and their attendants, they gave up the project. So great, however, was the public enthusiasm on the subject of the expedition, that, according to Boswell, even Dr Johnson thought of applying for leave to accompany it, though, if he ever seriously entertained the wish, it was speedily abandoned.
Two astronomers, Mr William Wales and Mr William Bayley, were engaged by the Board of Longitude—the former sailing in the Resolution, the latter in the Adventure. The Admiralty appointed, as landscape-painter, Mr William Hodges; and Mr John Reinhold Forster, and his son, were engaged to attend to the department of natural history. The Board of Longitude also amply furnished the expedition with the best astronomical and other instruments which might be required, and with four watch-machines, as chronometers were then called. Lord Sandwich, who was at the head of the Admiralty Board, anxiously watched the equipment of the ships, visiting them from time to time to satisfy himself that everything was done in the best way to secure the success of the undertaking and the comfort and health of those on board.
Captain Cook had, in his former voyage, paid great attention to the means best adapted for preserving the health of his crew, and he had seen the importance of having an ample supply of provisions of an anti-scorbutic character. He also endeavoured to have the ship well dried and ventilated, and determined, as far as possible, that the men’s clothes should be kept dry, and their persons clean. Each ship had two years and a half provisions on board, and among other articles were wheat and sugar (in lieu of oatmeal), oil, malt, salted cabbage, portable broth, mustard, marmalade of carrots, and inspissated juice of wort, from which beer could be at once made. The frame of a vessel of twenty tons was put on board each ship, to be set up, if found necessary, to serve as tenders, or to enable the crews to escape should the ships be wrecked. The Resolution had a complement of one hundred and twelve officers and men, and the Adventure of eighty-one. Fishing-nets and hooks of all sorts, articles to barter with the natives or to bestow as presents, and additional clothing for the crews were put on board. Medals also were struck, with the likeness of his Majesty on one side, and of the two ships on the other, to be given to the inhabitants of newly-discovered countries, as memorials of the explorers’ visit. Indeed, no expedition with a similar object in view had ever left the shores of England so well equipped in every respect as was the one now about to sail.
The Resolution, being ready for sea, sailed from Deptford on April 9, 1772; but after being joined by the Adventure, she was detained by contrary winds till May 10, when, both again sailing, the Resolution was found to be so crank (Note 1) that it was necessary to lower her upper works, and for this purpose she put into Sheerness. Lord Sandwich and Sir Hugh Palliser went down to see the alterations made in an effectual manner. On June 22, the ship, being again ready for sea, sailed from Sheerness and joined the Adventure in Plymouth Sound on July 3. Thus it will be seen that there was a delay of nearly three months after the expedition was supposed to be ready, before it was fully prepared for sea. Lord Sandwich and Sir Hugh Palliser again visited the ships in Plymouth Sound, and the chronometers being set going in the presence of the astronomers and the chief officers, the ships at length, on July 13, set sail and shaped a course for Madeira.
Anchoring in Funchal Roads on the 29th, and having taken on board fresh beef and vegetables, including onions, for sea stores, the ships sailed again on August 1. Finding their water run short, they put into Porto Praya, in the island of Saint Jago, one of the Cape de Verde Islands, for a supply. On October 29 the land of the Cape of Good Hope was made, but as the ships were unable to get in before dark, they stood off and on during the night. In the evening the phosphorescence of the sea became unusually brilliant; and to convince Mr Forster, who differed from Mr Banks and Dr Solander that it was caused by insects, some buckets of water were drawn up from alongside. On examination he found that the water was full of globular insects of the size of a pin’s head, and quite transparent.
The next day the ships anchored off Cape Town, where Captain Cook and his officers were received by the Governor and other authorities with attention and respect. The Governor informed Captain Cook that a French ship had discovered land in the meridian of the Mauritius, in latitude 48 degrees South; and also that in the previous March two French ships, under Monsieur Marion, had touched at the Cape on their way to explore the South Pacific.