Historical Records of New Zealand Vol. II.

Captain Cook to Secretary Stephens

Captain Cook to Secretary Stephens.

Resolution, at sea, 24 May, 1775,
lat. 13° So., long. 10° Nt.


Sir,—

This is the third letter I have had the honour to transmit to you since my arrival at ye Cape of Good Hope; the first, which was accompanied by a copy of my journal and various drawings, was forwarded by ye Ceres, East Indiaman; the second, * together with ye journals of two of ye officers, by ye Royall Charlotte; and this comes by the Dutton, with whom I sailed from ye Cape the 27th of last month. The probability of this ship being at home before us, as we touch at Assencion, and she not, induced me to put on board her Lieutenant Cooper's journal, some remarks and a chart of Mr. Pickersgill's, and a journal kept by one of ye mates. This journal is accompanied by very accurate charts of all the discoverys we have made, executed by a young man who has been bred to the sea, under my care, and who has been a very great assistant to me in this way, both in this and my former voyage.

I have, &c.,


Jam's Cook.

* This second letter is not amongst the transcripts received from England.

The “young man” bred to the sea was no doubt Isaac Smith. See Cook's letters to Stephens, ante, p. 77, and post, p. 118.