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Historical Records of New Zealand Vol. II.

John Frazer to the Earl of Sandwich.*

John Frazer to the Earl of Sandwich.*

To the Right Honorable the Earl of Sandwich, &c., &c., &c.
The humble petition of John Frazer, corporal, lately belonging
to his Majesty's sloop the Resolution, Captain Cook, com-
mander.

Sheweth,—

That your petitioner is the person that was honored with your Lordships commands to go the voyage with Captain Cook, page 121 on board the Resolution, as the properest person to dive, having acted in that capacity with good success in taking up his Majesty's naval stores. That your petitioner has been informed by Dr. Solander that Captain Cook, upon his arrival, recommended your petitioner to the Board of Admiralty as a person that had been singularly useful in the voyage; and that your petitioner has, by a studious application and long experience, invented an instrument for taking up things out of the sea, which he should think himself [justified] in submitting to your Lordship's inspection. Your petitioner therefore begs leave, with great deference and submission, to solicit the honor of a boatswain's warrant, or what your Lordship, [sic] on board one of his Majesty's ships in ordinary, not being able to go frequent again to sea, on account of the pains in his body, caused by diving, from the pressure and coldness of the water. And that your petitioner would then be ready at hand to seek after anything very particular of his Majesty's that may be lost. And, as in duty bound, your petitioner shall ever pray, &c.,

* The petition bears no date, but is evidently the one to which the letter which follows it has reference.