Narrative of the Voyages Round the World, Performed by Captain James Cook | Page 6

whom he served.
In the latter end of 1762, Mr. Cook returned to England; and, on the
21st of December, in the same year married, at Barking in Essex, Miss
Elizabeth Batts, an amiable and deserving woman, who was justly
entitled to and enjoyed his tenderest regard and affection. But his
station in life, and the high duties to which he was called, did not
permit him to partake of matrimonial felicity, without many and very
long interruptions.
Early in the year 1763, after the peace with France and Spain was
concluded, it was determined that Captain Graves should go out again,
as governor of Newfoundland As the country was very valuable in a
commercial view, and had been an object of great contention between
the English and the French, the captain obtained an establishment for
the survey of its coasts; which, however, he procured with some
difficulty, because the matter was not sufficiently understood by
government at home. In considering the execution of the plan, Mr.
Cook appeared to Captain Graves to be a proper person for the purpose;
and proposals were made to him, to which, notwithstanding his recent
marriage, he readily and prudently acceded. Accordingly, he went out
with the Captain as surveyor; and was first employed to survey
Miquelon and St. Pierre, which had been ceded by the treaty to the
French, who, by order of administration, were to take possession of
them at a certain period, even though the English commander should
not happen to be arrived in the country. When Captain Graves had
reached that part of the world, he found there the governor who had
been sent from France (Mons. D'Anjac), with all the settlers and his
own family, on board a frigate and some transports. It was contrived,
however, to keep them in that disagreeable situation for a whole month,
which was the time taken by Mr. Cook to complete his survey. When
the business was finished, the French were put into possession of the
two islands, and left in the quiet enjoyment of them, with every

profession of civility.
At the end of the season, Mr. Cook returned to England, but did not
long continue at home. In the beginning of the year 1764, his old and
constant friend and patron, Sir Hugh Palliser, was appointed governor
and commodore of Newfoundland and Labradore; upon which occasion
he was glad to take Mr. Cook with him, in the same capacity that he
had sustained under Captain Graves. Indeed, no man could have been
found who was better qualified for finishing the design which had been
begun in the preceding year. The charts of the coasts, in that part of
North America were very erroneous; and it was highly necessary to the
trade and navigation of his majesty's subjects, that new ones should be
formed, which would be more correct and useful. Accordingly, under
the orders of Commodore Palliser, Mr. Cook was appointed on the 18th
of April, 1764, marine surveyor of Newfoundland and Labradore; and
he had a vessel, the Grenville schooner, to attend him for that purpose.
How well he executed his commission is known to every man
acquainted with navigation. The charts which he afterward published of
the different surveys he had made, reflected great credit on his abilities
and character, and the utility of them is universally acknowledged. It is
understood, that, so far as Newfoundland is concerned they were of
considerable service to the king's ministers, in settling the terms of the
last peace. Mr. Cook explored the inland parts of this island in a much
completer manner than had ever been done before. By penetrating
further into the middle of the country than any man had hitherto
attempted, he discovered several large lakes, which are indicated upon
the general chart. In these services Mr. Cook appears to have been
employed, with the intervals of occasionally returning to England for
the winter season, till the year 1767, which was the last time that he
went out upon his station of marine surveyor of Newfoundland. It must
not be omitted, that, while he occupied this post, he had an opportunity
of exhibiting to the Royal Society a proof of his progress in the study of
astronomy. A short paper was written by him, and inserted in the
fifty-seventh volume of the Philosophical Transactions, entitled, 'An
Observation of an Eclipse of the Sun at the Island of Newfoundland,
August 5, 1766, with the Longitude of the place of Observation
deduced from it.' The observation was made at one of the Burgeo

islands, near Cape Ray, in latitude 47° 36' 19", on the south-west
extremity of Newfoundland. Mr. Cook's paper having been
communicated by Dr. Bevis to Mr. Witchell, the latter gentleman
compared it with an observation at Oxford, by the Rev. Mr.