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Some Particulars concerning the Life and Character of Captai Cook By David Samwell, Surgeon to the Difcovery.

CAPTAIN Cook was born at Marton, in Cleaveland, in the county of York, a fmall village, diftant five miles foutheaft from Stockton. His name is found in the parish regifter in the year 1729, (fo that Captain King was miftaken in placing the time of his birth in the year 1727). The cottage in which his father formerly lived, is now decayed, but the spot where it food is ftill fhewn to ftrangers. A gentleman is now living in that neighbour hood, with whom the old man formerly worked as a common day labourer in the fields. However, though placed in this humbie ftation, he gave his fon a common school education, and at an early age placed him apprentice with one Mr. Sunderfon, a fhopkeeper at Staith, (always pronounced Steers) a fmall fishing town on the Yorkshire coaft, about nine miles to the northward of Whitby. The bulinefs is now carried on by the fon of Mr. Saunderfon, in the fame fhop, which I had the curiofity to vifit about a year and a half ago. In that fituation young Cook did not continue long, before he quitted it in difguft, and, as often happens in the like cafes, betook himfelf to the fea. Whitby being a neighbouring fea-port, readily offered him an opportunity to purfue his inclination; and there we find he bound himself apprentice for nine vears, in the coal trade, to one Mr. John Walker, now living in South Whitby. In this employ he afterwards became mate of a fhip; in which ftation having continued fome time, he had the offer of being mafter, which he refufed, as it feems he had at that time turned his thoughts towards the Davy. Accordingly, at the breaking out of the war in 1755, he entered on board the Eagle, of fixty-four guns, and in a fhort time after, Sir Hugh Pallifer was appointed to the command of that ship, a circumftance that must not be paffed unnoticed, as it proved the foundation of the future fame and fortune of Capt Cook. His uncommon merit did not long efcape the obfervation of that difcerning officer, who promoted him to the quarter-deck, and ever after patronized him with fuch zeal and attention, as must reflect the highest honour upon his character. To Sir Hugh Pallifer, is the world indebted, for having firft noticed in an obfcure fituarion, and afterwards brought forward in POL. MAG. VOL. XI. JULY 1786.

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life, the greatest nautical genius-that-ever any age or country has produced. In the year 1758, we find him mafter of the Northumberland, then in America, under the command of Lord Colville. It was there, he has been heard to fay, that during a hard winter he first read Euclid, and applied himself to the ftudy of aftronomy, and the mathematics, in which he made no inconfiderable progrefs, affitted only by his own ingenuity and industry. At the time he thus found means to cultivate and improve his mind, and to fupply the deficiency of an early education, he was conftantly engaged in the moft bufy and active fcenes of the war in America. At the fiege of Quebec, Sir Hugh Pallifer made him known to Sir Charles Saunders, who committed to his charge. the conducting of the boats to the attack of Mount Morenci, and the embarkation that scaled the heights of Abraham. He was alfo employed to examine the paffage of the river St. Laurence, and to lay buoys for the direction of the men of war. In fhort, in whatever related to the reduc tion of that place in the naval department, he had a principal fhare, and conducted® himfelf fo well throughout the whole, as to recommend himself to the commander in chief. At the conclufion of the war, Sir Hugh Pallifer having the command of the Newfoundland ftation, he appointed him to furvey that ifland and the coast of Labradore, and gave him the Grenville brig for that purpofe. How well he performed that fervice, the charts he has publifhed, afford a fufficient teftimony. In that employment he continued till the year 1767, when the well known voyage to the South Sea, for obferving the tranfit of Venus, and making difcoveries in that vaft ocean was planned. Lord Hawke, who then prefided at the Admiralty, was ftrongly folicited to give the command of that expedition to Mr. Alexander Dalrymple; but through the intereft of his friend Sir Hugh Pallifer, Captain Cook gained the appointment, together with the rank of lieutenant. It was ftipulated, that on his return he should, if he chofe it, again hold the place of furveyor in Newfoundland, and that his family fhould be provided for, in cafe of any accident to himself.

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