# The Life and Voyages of Captain James Cook/Chapter 2

Cook volunteers into the Navy.—Is promoted to be Master's Mate, and afterwards Master.—His services at the Siege of Quebec, and the Survey of the St. Lawrence—His services at Newfoundland.—He returns to England, and marries.—He is employed as Marine Surveyor of Newfoundland and Labrador.—His Charts.—His skill in Astronomy.—Mistake in Chalmers's Biographical Dictionary.
In the beginning of summer, in the year 1755, when hostilities commenced between England and France, Mr. Cook was with his vessel in the river Thames; and there being a hot press for seamen, he at first concealed himself to avoid being pressed: but, upon second thoughts, he resolved to volunteer into the navy, "having a mind," as he said, "to try his fortune that way." He went accordingly to a rendezvous in Wapping, and entered with an officer of the Eagle, a sixty gun ship, then commanded by Capt. Hamer, who was succeeded in October, by Capt. (afterwards Sir Hugh) Palliser. Soon after he had entered, Mr. Walker gave him a letter of recommendation to his Captain; and when a few months had elapsed, William Osbaldeston, Esq., M.P. for Scarborough, wrote to Captain Palliser on his behalf, at the request of some of his friends. On this occasion, the recommendations of Messrs. John and Henry Walker, were seconded by Mr. Skottowe; whose kindness to the parents of our navigator was unabated. It was in this year that Cook's father, who, having ​been employed by Mr. Skottowe in repairing and building walls, had acquired some practice as a stone mason, built a house for himself near the centre of the village of Ayton; where he resided for several years, following the occupation of a mason, while he also rented and cultivated a piece of land near the village. The house, now occupied by Joseph Shearwood, is a well built stone house, having over the door the initials of James and Grace Cook, with the date; J. G. C. 1755.
Independent of the recommendations of his friends, Mr. Cook soon became a favourite on board the Eagle; his activity, talents, and good conduct, being observed by Capt. Palliser, and all the officers. When he had been two years or more in the service, he was preferred to the station of Master's Mate; in which capacity he served on board the Pembroke, in 1758, at the taking of Louisburg; from whence he wrote Mr. Walker a distinct account of the transactions at that place. Next year, he was promoted to the rank of Master. He was first appointed to the Grampus sloop. May 10th; but this appointment not taking place, he was assigned to the Garland, four days after; and, that vessel having sailed before he could join her, he was next day. May 15th, appointed Master of the Mercury; there being a fixed resolution on the part of those in power, to promote a youth so deserving, and so well recommended.
The Mercury sailed for North America, and joined the fleet under Sir Charles Saunders, engaged, along with the land forces under Gen. Wolfe, in the memorable siege of Quebec. Here the talents of Mr. Cook were called into action, in a ​service of high importance for the prosecution of the siege. It was necessary to take the soundings in the channel of the St. Lawrence, directly in front of the enemy's entrenched camp at Montmorency: and Cook, being recommended for this service by his friend and patron, Capt. Palliser, performed it in a manner that gave complete satisfaction to his officers, but with no small peril to himself. For several nights in succession, he was employed in taking the soundings, and making a survey of the channel. But when he was finishing his task, he was discovered by the French, who collected a number of Indians in a wood near the river side, where they launched their canoes, to surround him and cut him off; and he had just time to escape, by pushing ashore on the island of Orleans, near the guard of the English hospital; abandoning his boat to the Indians, who entered it at the stem, while he was leaping out at the bow. By that time, however, he had so effectually accomplished his work, that the draught of the channel and soundings, which he furnished to the Admiral, was found as correct and complete as it could have been made in day light, after Quebec had come into the possession of his countrymen. In executing such a task in the night time, and in the immediate presence of an enemy, Mr. Cook gave a most striking proof of his cool bravery, accurate observation, unwearied patience, and indefatigable perseverance; qualities for which he was ever after distinguished. His success was the more remarkable, as he had never been taught drawing, and was not known to have ever used a pencil before. This effort of his talents was presently followed by another, which did him equal credit. ​He was employed to survey the whole of the river St. Lawrence below Quebec; and so completely did he execute this service, that his chart of the St. Lawrence, which was published, with the soundings, and directions for sailing, immediately came into general use, and still maintains its high reputation.
On the 22nd of September, 1759, Mr. Cook was appointed Master of the Northumberland man of war, commanded by Lord Colvill; and wintering at Halifax, he employed his leisure hours in reading Euclid, and studying astronomy, with other branches of science connected with his profession. His books were few, and his opportunities for improvement limited; yet by dint of application, and vigour of intellect, he made uncommon progress. It is scarcely necessary to add, that he soon gained the esteem and friendship of Lord Colvill, as of every officer under whom he served. In 1762, after the Northumberland had been employed in the recapture of Newfoundland, Cook's talents were again conspicuously displayed, in making a survey of the harbour and heights of Placentia; which gained him the favour and high esteem of Capt. (afterwards Admiral) Graves, Commander of the Antelope, and Governor of Newfoundland.
Toward the close of the year 1762, Mr. Cook returned to England, and on the 21st of December, married, at Barking in Essex, Miss Elizabeth Batts, an amiable and worthy lady, who still survives him, at a very advanced age. His marriage brought a considerable accession to his happiness; although his domestic enjoyments could only be tasted at intervals, the duties of his profession obliging him to be much more abroad than at ​home. This is one of the many privations to which seamen must submit, and for which they are entitled to the sympathy of their countrymen.
After the general peace, concluded at Paris, in 1763, Capt. Graves was again sent out as Governor of Newfoundland; and knowing the importance of being well acquainted with the country which he was to govern, he obtained an establishment for the survey of the whole coast, and succeeded in procuring the appointment of Mr. Cook, as Marine Surveyor, having the fullest confidence in his qualifications for the service. Notwithstanding his recent marriage, Mr. Cook accepted the appointment, and proceeded with Capt. Graves to his station; where he was first employed in surveying the small islands, Miquelon and St. Pierre, before they were given up to the French; Capt. Graves contriving to retain those settlements till the completion of this survey, although a French Governor had already arrived to take possession of the two islands, in terms of the late treaty.
In the close of the year, Mr. Cook returned to England; but, on the 18th of April, 1764, he was again appointed Marine Surveyor of Newfoundland and Labrador, with a vessel, the Grenville schooner, to attend him in his official duties. In this station, he had now the happiness of serving again under his worthy patron. Sir Hugh Palliser, who had received the appointment of Governor and Commodore of Newfoundland and Labrador. In finishing the survey which he had begun under Capt. Graves, Mr. Cook rendered a most important service to his country, and to the general interests of navigation. He not only produced a faithful delineation of extensive coasts, of which no correct ​charts previously existed, but explored also the interior of Newfoundland, more fully than had ever been done; discovering large inland lakes, and other unknown features of the island. Among other discoveries, he is said to have found copious mines of coal in Newfoundland, so close to the shore, that the coals might be thrown directly from the works into the vessels.
In these undertakings Mr. Cook was occupied for four or five successive years, in each of which he appears to have returned to spend the winter at home, resuming his station again whenever the advance of spring would permit him. The last year in which he went out as Marine Surveyor of Newfoundland, was 1767. But the main object of his appointment was completed in 1766, in which year he delivered his charts of the coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador at the Admiralty office; and, on the proposal of Sir Hugh Palliser, was allowed to publish them for the service and encouragement of navigation. These charts bear the same character for accuracy, as his chart of the St. Lawrence.
In the summer of 1766, Cook had an opportunity of observing an eclipse of the sun, near Cape Ray, on the Newfoundland coast. The result of his observations was communicated to the Royal Society by Dr. J. Bevis, who calls him "an able mathematician;" and who also communicated the result of an exact observation of the same eclipse, taken at Oxford by the Rev. Mr. Hornsby, with a computation of the difference of longitude of the two places of observation, by Mr. Geo. Witchell. The entire paper is inserted in the fifty-seventh volume of the Philosophical Transactions. ​During the progress of his labours as Marine Surveyor, Mr. Cook might occasionally be engaged in other undertakings for the public good; but there is a service ascribed to him by some of his biographers, which was done by another officer of the same name. The following paragraph stands as part of the Life of our navigator, in Chalmers's Biographical Dictionary:
"He received a commission, as Lieutenant, on the first day of April, 1760; and soon after gave a specimen of those abilities, which recommended him to the commands which he executed so highly to his credit, that his name will go down to posterity as one of the most skilful navigators which this country has produced. In 1765, he was with Sir William Burnaby on the Jamaica station; and that officer having occasion to send dispatches to the governor of Jucatan, relative to the logwood-cutters in the bay of Honduras, Lieut. Cook was selected for that employment; and he performed it in a manner which entitled him to the approbation of the Admiral. A relation of this voyage and journey was published in 1769, under the title of 'Remarks on a passage from the river Balise in the bay of Honduras, to Merida, the capital of the province of Jucatan, in the Spanish west Indies, by Lieutenant Cook,' in an 8vo. pamphlet."
The writer of this paragraph has not observed, that there was another Mr. James Cook in the navy, cotemporary with our hero. He was made Lieutenant, April 1st, 1760, eight years before the great navigator attained that dignity; but he never rose above that rank, for long after the death of Capt. Cook, the name of this James Cook still ​remains in the list of Lieutenants, in 1787. To him the honour of the voyage to Merida undoubtedly belongs, and not to our great navigator, who was then busily employed on the coast of Newfoundland. The glories of the latter are so abundant, that there is no occasion to swell the amount by robbing another.
In the year 1765, Mr. Cook's mother died, at the age of 63. The family tomb-stone in Ayton churchyard, which records her death, and that of two sons and three daughters, most of whom died in infancy, is understood to have been carved and lettered by her husband; who, about 10 years after, removed from Ayton to Redcar, to spend the evening of his days with his daughter Margaret, the wife of Mr. James Fleck, a respectable fisherman and shopkeeper, who is still alive.