New-York tribune., 1909-03-14
THE MAN WHO DISCOVERED AUSTRALIA.

..Tau thin grave even austere'-this is how
Besaut, who was an artist IN words: describes
the personal appearance Of Cook, the famous
seaman who discovered" Australia. Some seven
portraits of Cook exist. and for the most part
they are in furious quarrel with each othcr.
But from them all, and from such personal De
scriptions as may be collected, scattered through
contemporaneous literature, 1t is easy TO form d
picture of the famous CirCumnayigator.
He was over SIX feet high, spare built and
erect. The Scottish strain in him is written IN
his high cheek bones. The small head might
seem insignificant but for the broad, medltauYe
forehead: and the brown eyes, clear and well
set as they are, would appear inexpensive but
for the definite curved eyebrows above the;i-
It IS not lighting face, but there Is strength
in the full, long chin and steadfaStneSs IN inc
hrm-shut lips. fine seriousness lies on the
whole countenance; every line in IL suggests
fortitude The nostriIs are finely cut; the brow
is sagacious and meditative; the eyes seem 70
be searching some far-off sea horizon. As one
studies the face the impression grows Of strong.
grave spirit. lonely, perhaps. and medtatiVe' ac-
customed to dwell apart, and familiar with the
vast sotudes of the sea- but humane, resolute,
unsefsh, a master spirit among men.
Cook came Of hardy northern stock. half
Scottish and half Yorkshire. He was the son of
a day laborer born in a o-roomed cottage
built of mud. He learned the rudiments of
spelling in danes school in the intervals be-
twixt crow tending The sea, in a sense, was
native to him. At twelve years Of age he was
shopboy in Staithes fishing village squeezed
into a narrow creyice in the cliffs, which the
mighty waves and fierce winds of the North Sea
break. The little shop within actual sound
of the sea; the encroachinS waters. as matter
Of fact. have since washed away the ground
on which It built, and to-day the rolls
where the counter once stood. At thirteen years
OF age Cook became Il sea apprentice In q collier,
trading on the stormy eastern coast, the best
school for hardy seamanship in the world. But
by virtue Of the Scottish strain in his blood he
had thirst for knowledge which lifted him out
OF the forecastle and when not yet twenty
three years Of age he was mate OF a Baltic
trader.
But there was something in his blood, or in his
brain, which made the poop Of trading ship
too small field for him; and in 1855 when
twenty seven years of age. he volunteered into
the navy as an able seaman. Here was q new
school of discipline, field Of great opportuni-
ties; for it the heroic age of British sea
manship. and with France was just about
to break out Cook was quickly made a mas
ter's mate, served on long cruises in the Chan
nel-again splendid school for seamanship-
took part in smart frigate action, and by the
time he was twenty-nine years of age was mas
ter on board the Pembroke. q fine -rigate, under
orders for America. He served in the siege Of
Lou;-;55urg and. later, IN The siege of Quebec
unde. wolfe. Here, In the perilOus navigation
of the st. Lawrence, Cook found the natural
field for his genius. No ever surpassed him
in the skill patience and hardihood with which
he could sound unknown waters or chart IN
known shoTes.-W. H Fitchett. in CornhiI.