James Cook held the rank and position of Commander of the sloop Resolution.  However, he was called by everyone Captain, as was usual for those in charge of ships

Staten Island

On 1 January, 1775, Resolution was anchored off a small Island to the north of Staten Island, which lies on the eastern side of Tierra del Fuego, separated from the larger island by the Le Maire Strait. 

Cook “sent M^r Gilbert with the Cuter over to Staten land to look” for a harbour.  Joseph Gilbert was the ship’s Master.  Cook continued, “About 10 o’Clock M^r Gilbert returned from Staten land where he had found a good Port...  Its shores are covered with Wood for fuel and there are in it several Streams of fresh Water...  The day on which this port was discovered occassioned my calling it New Years Harbour”.

Cook also “sent two other boats for the [Sea] Lions &c^a we had killed the preceeding evening and soon after I went my self and observed the Suns Meridion altitude at the North East of the island”, which he named Observatory Island.  He continued, “After shooting a few geese and some other birds and l[o]ading the Boat with young Shags, we returned on board to dinner”.

Johann Reinhold Forster wrote, “We found on the Rocks, all along the Shore of the [Observatory] Island, vast Numbers of a kind of Seal, which deserves to be called the Sea-Lion... for the Males... have all a shaggy long kind of Hair, from the head down to the Shoulder & fore-Fins...  The largest Males we saw were from 12 to 15 Feet long”.  They were the South American Sea Lion (Otaria flavescens).  Later in the day, he “saw some Pinguins of which I shot one, which we drew & described; it is eatable, & pretty heavy”.  They were the Magellanic Penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus).

The next day, “As we could not sail in the morning for want of Wind”, wrote Cook, “I sent a party of men on shore to the [Observatory] Island on the same duty as yesterday”.  According to Forster, “a Couple of Boats were sent a shore to take the Blubber of the Seals.  I remained with my Son [George] on board & described & drew the New animals.  M^r [Anders] Sparrman went ashore, shot one Goose & got a new plant”.  First Lieutenant Robert Palliser Cooper added, “boil’d Shags & Penguins on the Copper for the Ships Company’s Dinner”.

On 3 January, Forster wrote, “at 3 o’clock [AM], the Anchor was hove.  At 4 o’clock we set sail”.  Cook commented, “The SW Coast of Terra del Fuego, with respect to Inlets, islands &ca may be compaired to the Coast of Norway”.  He had visited Norway in Whitby ships when working for John Walker before joining the Navy.

The next day, Cook wrote, “our Course was SE with a view... to explore the Southern part of this [Atlantic] ocean”.  Forster noted, “We carried away in a sudden Squall our Main top Gallant Mast & the Starboard Maintop Studding Sail Boom.  The same Squall carried 3 of my Shirts off, which were hung up for drying”. 

On 5 January, Forster wrote, “The Ships Crew refuse to eat the Pinguins which have been boiled in the Copper, tho’ the Captain, & I & many Officers tasted & found them very good”. 

The loss of the Main top Gallant Mast meant another one needed to be made.  Trees had been cut down and brought aboard for this kind of need at both New Caledonia and at Norfolk Island.  Unfortunately, they did not prove suitable.  According to Cooper “the Spare one we cut for that purpose at New Caledonia we found to be full of knots & too heavy to make one”.  According to Second Lieutenant Charles Clerke, “the Norfolk Island spar proving but indifferent”. 

As a result, wrote Cooper, they “Got the Shallops Mast from Between Decks to make a Main top g[allan]t Mast”.  The shallop was a large boat stored in several parts or frames ready to be constructed should the need arise.

On 8 January, Forster wrote, “We saw the black & whiterumped, the blue, & the large Sooty Petrels, with yellowbilled Albatrosses & some Quebranta huessos”.  They were the White-chinned Petrel, Wilson’s Storm Petrel, Great-winged Petrel, Grey-headed Mollymawk/Albatross and a Giant Petrel.

The next day, he commented, “many dread to fall in with Land, for fear that this might retard our early arrival at the Cape [of Good Hope]: but as Land might have new plants, birds & fish, & the little Store of Brandy will of course necessitate the Cap^t to return in time to the Cape, I am quite impartial”.  Two days later, he added, “We have now very little hope of seeing any Land before we reach the Cape of Good Hope”.

On 12 January, Master’s mate Isaac Smith wrote, “Clean’d & Smoak’d between decks with [gun] powder”.  The next day, Cooper “Saw many Penguins, a great number of Porpoises & Blue Petrels about the Ship”.  On the following day, Forster wrote, “At about 10 o’clock an Ice Island was seen a head...  The Ice appeared like Land...  The bets run high, whether it is Land or Ice.  Some laid it was Ice ten to one.  Others 5 to one that it is Land”.  According to Cook, “We had but little wind all the morning and at 2 PM it fell Calm.  It was now no longer doubted but that it was land and not ice which we had in sight: it was however in a manner wholy covered with snow”. 

On 15 January, Forster wrote, “It snows continually, blows fresh, & we have a great Sea, which makes the Ship pitch very disagreably”

South Georgia

On 16 January, Cook wrote, “saw the land...  It appeared to be very mountainous and rocky and was allmost wholy covered with Snow...  the land we first saw proved to be an Island which obtained the name of Willis’s Island after the person who first saw it”.  Thomas Willis was a midshipman.  Cook “chose to begin with the Northen Coast” of the mainland.  “With this view we bore up for Willis’s Island all sails set”.  He sailed past the NW “point of the Main land which I called Cape North...  We coasted or ranged the Coast at one league distance till near 10 o’Clock when we brought to for the night”.

The next day, Cook wrote, “seeing the appearance of an Inlet we hauled in for it and as soon as we drew near the shore, hoisted out a Boat in which I (accompanied by M^r Forster and his party) imbarked... we put off from the Ship which was about 4 Miles from land...  Not a tree or shrub was to be seen, no not even big enough to make a tooth-pick.  I landed in three different places, displayed our colours and took possession of the Country in his Majestys name under a descharge of small Arms... I called the Bay... Possession Bay”.

According to Forster, “We killed several new Penguins blueish-black above, below silky white, bill red below, the point of the undermandible black: behind the Ears, two large ovated Gold-yellow Spots ending in a line under the throat”.  They were the King Penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus), the second largest species of penguin.  “We killed a couple of Ducks with yellow bills & blackish green Legs”.  The South Georgia Pintail (Anas georgica georgica). 

The next day, Cook wrote, “The nearest land to us was a projecting point which terminated in a round Hillock, it was, on account of the day, named Cape Charlotte”.  Queen Charlotte, the wife of King George III, was born on 19 May, 1744, but had an official birthday on 18 January.  “On the West side... lies a Bay which obtained the name of Royal Bay...  an isle that seemed to terminate the Coast to the East... was called Coopers isle, after my first Lieutenant”.

On 19 January, Forster wrote, “Vast Flights of Shags come off, great Quantities of blue Petrels are observed...  One Shag was so shot that he fell into the Ship”.

The next day Cook “made sail to SW round Cooper Island...  At this isle the Coast [of the mainland] takes a SW direction... to a point which I named Cape Disappointment...  As we advanced SW the land opened... in the direction of N 60° West...  It proved [to be] an Island quite detached from the Main and obtained the name of Pickersgill Island after my third officer”.  The Third Lieutenant was Richard Pickersgill.  “Soon after a point of the main beyond this Island came in sight... which exactly united the Coast at the very point we had seen and set the day we first came in with it and proved to a demonstration that this land which we had taken to be part of a great Continent was no more than an Island...  This land I called the Isle of Georgia in honor of H. Majesty”, King George III.  According to Forster, the name was given on 7 February when “I suggested to Capt Cook to call [it] South Georgia”. 

On 21 January, Cook wrote, A “Storm was succeeded by a thick Fog attended with rain... and at 5 o’Clock in the Morn^g it fell Calm... then we got a breeze Southerly with which we stood to the East, till 3 in the after noon when... we made Sail and Steered North”.

The next day Cook noted, “Variable light airs next to a Calm and thick Foggy weather till half past 7 o’clock in the evening when we got a fine breeze”.  The following morning “At 11 o’Clock a short interval of clear weather gave us a Sight of 3 or 4 rocky Islots extending from SE to ENE two or three miles distant”.

On 24 January, Cook wrote, “The rocks above mentioned obtained the name Clerke’s Rocks, after my second officer, he being the first who saw them”.  The next day, Cook “Steered ESE with a fresh gale at NNE attended with very Foggy weather”.  On the following day, “seeing no land to the East, I gave orders to steer South”.

On 26 January, Forster wrote, “Till this day we had at our Table fresh Meat from the Penguins & Geese, which we had roasted & put into melted Lard.  Now we return to the old Diet of Salt Meat”.

The next day, Cook “reckoned we were in the Latitude 60° [South] and farther I did not intend to go, unless I met with some certain signs of soon meetings with land...  I was now tired of these high Southern Latitudes where nothing was to be found but ice and thick fogs.  We had now a long hollow swell from the West, a strong indication that there was no land in that direction”

On 28 January, Cook wrote, “Continued to stand to the East till half an hour past two o’Clock PM, when we fell in all at once with a vast number of large Ice Islands... some were two or three miles in circuit”.  They are known as tabular ice bergs.  Forster “observed several snowy Petrels & still more blue ones”.

The next day, Cook “steered NE... interrupted by numerous ice islands”.  Forster saw “Whales, white & blue Petrels, several Pinguins”.

On 30 January, Cook wrote, “pass’d one of the largest Ice Islands we had seen the Voyage...  Weather still Foggy with sleet”.  According to Forster, “We have several Patients, who are afflicted with colds & Rheumatisms & are suddenly taken with fainting Fits, probably for want of Animal Spirits, all the organic nourishing particles of our Food now being almost destroyed by the long keeping”

South Sandwich Islands

On 31 January, Cook wrote, “the fog very fortunately cleared away a little and we discovered land ahead 3 or 4 miles distant... three rocky islots of considerable height, the outer most termi­nated in a lofty Peak like a Sugar Loaf and obtained the name of Freezland Peak, after the Man who first discovered it”.  Samuel Freezland was one of the sailors.  The current name is Freezland Rock.

Then Cook saw “an elevated coast, whose lofty and snowey summits were seen above the Clouds... I called it Cape Bristol in honour of the Noble family of Hervey’s”.  It was actually part of an island, now called Bristol Island.  Augustus John Hervey, 3rd Earl of Bristol, was a Lord of the Admiralty.  

Cook continued, “At the same time a nother elevated Coast appeared in sight, bearing SWBS...  I called this land Southern Thule because it is the most southern land that have yet been discovered: it shows a surface of vast height and is every where covered with Snow”.  The name Southern Thule is derived from Thule, the most northerly location mentioned in ancient Greek and Roman literature. 

Cook continued, “Some thought they saw land in the space between Thule and Cape Bristol; it is more than probable that these two lands are connected and that this space was a deep Bay, which I called Forsters Bay”.  It is not a bay, and is nowadays called Forster Passage. 

There are two islands between Thule and Cape Bristol.  The larger one was named Cook Island in 1820 by the Russian explorer Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen who was born in 1779, the year of Cook’s death.  The smaller island was named in 1931 to honour Bellingshausen who described it.

The name Southern Thule is nowadays applied to this group of three islands.

On to Cape Town

On 25 February, Cooper “Saw a Seal & 2 Penguins”.  Two days later, Smith “Clean’d & Smoak’d between Decks”.

On 28 February, Forster hoped “soon to reach the Cape of good Hope, perhaps in 10 or 11 days or in a fortnight at farthest”.

On 2 March, Cooper wrote, “Survey’d & condemn’d the Best Bower [anchor] Cable & cut it up for Junk”.  Junk was the name for old or inferior cable or rope (hence the modern meaning of junk for old things), which was cut up into short lengths, and used for making fenders, reefpoints and gaskets.

Four days later, Forster wrote “the preceding night one of the two Otaheitee Sows died; she was with pigs, & near the time of farrowing: there are suspicions that she was killed by the people.  The only goat we have likewise fell sick, so that it seems the people are determined not to let a living Quadruped on board: & one of the Cap^ts Dogs disappeared some weeks ago”.

On 7 March, Cook wrote, “In the PM had some intervals of Clear weather when M^r Wales, M^r Clerke and M^r Gilbert observed several distances of the Sun and Moon, the result shewed that our reckoning was without any error”.  William Wales was the astronomer, Charles Clerke was the Second Lieutenant, and Joseph Gilbert was the Master.

The next day, Forster wrote “The change & mildness of Climate causes a relaxation in our habits & loss of appetite for the Salt provisions”.  Two days later, Cook observed, “We used the last of our Raisins which were put on board by the Victualling Office three years ago, and we thought them but little worse by keeping.  It is a custom in the Navy for no ships to be supplyed with Flour, Raisins or suet for a longer time than Three Months, from a supposistion that these articles will not keep good longer, but if this is the Reason it is not well founded, for they have been found to keep as well if not better than any other of our Provisions, nothing more is required but to pack them in good and well seasoned Casks and to see that they are good when packed: I have always found Seamen prefer flour and fruit to Salt Beef and I am well assured that the one is more wholesom and nourishing than the other...  I am well convinced that some improvements might be made in the Victualling which would greatly contribute to the health of Seamen and in the end be a saving to the Crown, but this is not a place for the full discussion of this subject”.

On 11 March, Cooper wrote, “Hoisted out the small Cutter, & some of the Officers went to Shoot Birds...  Hoisted the Boat in having killed 4 large Albatrosses & 18 diff^t kinds of small Petrels”.

Two days later, Cook observed, “Every one was impatient to get into Port and for good reasons, as we had nothing but stale and Salt Provisions to live upon for a long time and for which every one had lost all taste.  These reasons induced me to yield to the general wish and to Steer for the Cape of Good Hope”.  Cooper “Got the Guns out of the Hold & mounted them” ready for the expected ceremonial occasions at the Cape. 

On 14 March, Forster wrote “Changed cloth[es] as it grows very warm: & we may justly observe that warm & cold are only relative Ideas: for the Indiamen coming from hot Climates always complain of the pinching cold in the neighbourhood of the Cape; but coming from the South we find it rather warm... This night the Cap^t, my Son & I got a sore Throat”.

The next day, Clerke noted, “confin’d Messieurs Maxwell, Loggie and Coglan for going into the Galley with drawn knives and threatening to stab the Cook”.  The sailors were James Maxwell, Charles Loggie and John Coghlan.  The following day, “the Captain upon examining the Prizoners finding M^r Loggie somewhat less culpable than the other two dismiss’d him from confinement”.

Cooper “Saw a Ship in the NW standing to the Westward...  Read the Articles of War to the Ships Company.  Saw another Ship on the weather Bow sailing to the Westward...  fired a Gun to Leeward & hoisted our Colours to the Ship to Windward & she Hoisted Dutch Colours”.  Cook wrote, “I now in persuance to my Instructions demanded from the Officers and Petty officers the Log Books and journals they had kept, which were delivered to me accordingly and Sealed up for the Inspection of the Admiralty.  I also enjoined them and the whole crew not to devulge where we had been till they had their Lordships permission so to do”.  Smith’s log ended on 11 March, that of John Davall Burr another master’s mate ends on 15 March.  The log of Gilbert ends on 22 March, and that of Cooper not until on 23 May.  The Forsters, Sparrman, Wales and Hodges were not affected by the ruling.

Arrival at the Cape of Good Hope

On 18 March, Cooper wrote, “The Dutch ship ahead about 4 or 5 miles...  Saw high land to the North & a sail to the South...  Hoisted out the Cutter & sent her on board the Dutch ship to Windward with an officer for Intelligence...  the Boat ret^d on board, the Dutch ship came from Bengall bound to the Cape.  They inform’d us that the Adventure arrived at the Cape last March, had lost a Boats Crew at New Zealand, Cut off by the Natives, also one of their Lieutenants had died in the Voyage, otherwise the ships Comp^y were healthy”.  According to Cook the ship was “the Bownkerke Polder, Captain Bosch [who] very obligingly offered us sugar, Arrack and whatever he had to spare”.

On 19 March, Cooper wrote, “the English ship to the Westward set all her Steering [sails] & bore down for us [and] Bro’t too.  Hoisted out the Cutter & sent an Officer on board her.  5 sail in sight...  the ship proves [to be] the True Briton Captⁿ Broadley from China bound to St Helena, all healthy...  the Boat came on board, hoisted her in & Made Sail.  The True Briton Tack’d & Stood to the South”. 

Forster “went with others on board of her, where I wrote a letter to the Honble Daines Barrington & my Wife.  We dined on board”.  His wife was Elisabet.  Daines Barrington was a lawyer and naturalist, who had helped Forster join the voyage. 

Cook decided, as “the True Briton... did not intend to touch at the Cape, I put a letter on board [her] for the Secretary of the Admiralty.  The account which we had heard of the Adventure was confirmed to us by this ship; we also got from them a parcel of old News papers, which were new to us and gave us some amusement in reading; but these were the least favours which we received from Captain Broadly, he with a Generosity peculiar to the Commanders of the India Companies Ships, sent us fresh provisions, Tea and other articles, which were very acceptable and deserves from me this publick acknowlidgement”.  The ship reached Deal, Kent, in June.

Cook’s letter was addressed to Philip Stephens, the Admiralty Secretary, from “Resolution, at sea, 19 March, 1775”.

Sir,

Having this moment spoke with the True Britain, India-man, I take the opportunity to acquaint you that his Majesty’s sloop Resolution is within two days’ sail of the Cape of Good Hope.  I lear[n]t from a Dutchman yesterday that Captain Furneaux sailed from the Cape for England twelve months ago; you must therefore know the former part of my proceedings, and a full account of the latter shall be sent you by the very first opportunity after my arrival at the Cape.  I have the satisfaction to say that I have met with no one accident, and the crew thus far hath injoyed a good state of health.

On 20 March, Cooper wrote, “The Captain releas’d the two gentlemen [Maxwell and Coghlan] out of Confinement, they having made a Confession for their behaviour & promised to behave better for the future...  At 10 PM Anchor’d in 17 f[atho]ms water betwixt Penguin Island & Green Point about 2 miles from the latter”.  Penguin Island is more commonly known as Robben Island.  It lies at the entrance to the anchorage at Table Bay.

The next day, “At 6 AM we weigh’d with a light Air of wind” wrote Cooper, “to work into Table Bay where we anchor’d about Noon in 5 fms water...  Sent an Officer on shore & Saluted the Garrison with 13 Guns, they return’d an equal number”. 

Cook wrote, “at Noon the Table Mountain over the Cape Town bore NEBE distant 9 or 10 Leagues.  By makeing use of this bearing and distance to reduce the Longitude shewn by the watch to the Cape Town, the error was found to be no more than 18´ in Longitude...  It would not be doing justice to Mr Harrison and Mr Kendal if I did not own that we have received very great assistance from this usefull and valuable time piece”.  There was more than one chronometer under trial aboard, but the only one that had proved its worth was that by Larcum Kendall, a copy of one created by John Harrison. 

Cook continued, “The next Morning, being with us Wednesday 22^nd but with the people here Tuesday 21^st we anchored in Table Bay”.

At Cape Town

On 21 March, Cooper wrote, “Unbent all the Sails, Fired the Evening & Morning Gun.  Rec’d on board Mutton & Greens for the ship’s Company.  The Ceres East Indiaman Saluted Captain Cook on [him] going on board which we returned”.  Captain Tobias Furneaux in Adventure saw Ceres here on 5 April, 1774. 

According to Forster, “A boat from the Ceres East-india-man Cap^t Knewte came on board with the 4^th mate, offering us assistance.  As it had the Appearance that we should come in late, I went off in the boat of the Indiaman & went ashore.  I got a few letters, which though not quite fresh, let me however know, that my Family was well a year ago”.

Cook wrote, “we anchored in Table Bay, where we found several Dutch Ships, some French and the Ceres Captain Newte, an English East India Company Ship from China bound directly to England, by whom I sent a Copy of this journal, Charts and other Drawings to the Admiralty which Captain Newte was so obliging as to take charge of and as he intended to make but a very short stay at S^t Helena will probably be the first that carries the news of our arrival to England.”  The ship reached Deal, Kent, in June.

Cook continued, “Before we had well got to an anchor, I dispatched an officer to acquaint the Governor with our arrival and to request the necessary stores and refreshments, which were readily granted.  As soon as the officer returned we saluted the Garrison with 13 Guns which Compliment was immediately returned with an equal number.  I found here a letter from Captain Furneaux acquainting me with the loss of Ten of his best men together with a boat in Queen Charlottes Sound”.

On 22 March, Forster wrote, “I went to Mr Brand’s house & took there up my Lodgings: & found there Capt Knewte, who intended to go in 2 days to Europe.  I paid my Visits to the Governor & principal people, who have been kind & civil to me last time”.  The residence of Christoffel Brand, a trader, was the usual one for most Officers belonging to English ships.   Cook and Joseph Banks had stayed with him in 1771, and Cook and Forster had stayed with him in 1772. 

Forster’s journal stops on this day, and does not continue until 27 April, when Resolution departed for England.

On 23 March, Cook wore “I went on shore and waited on the Governor Baron Plettenberg and other Principal officers”.  Wales wrote “Went with Cap^t Cook to the Governour & obtained leave to carry on shore & erect my Observatory & Instruments.  Also agreed with the Widow Xieman For the use of the Ground whereon they stood before, and where Messieurs Mason & Dixon Observed”.  In 1761, Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon had observed the Transit of Venus at the Cape.

During the rest of the month, Cooper noted the arrivals and departures of various ships.  On 24 March, “Sailed the Ceres East Indiaman for S^t Helena, she saluted us with 11 guns w^ch we returned”.  The next day, “Came in the Duch Indiaman we spoke with on 18th Inst”.  The following day, “Came in 2 Dutch Indiamen... got on shore a Tent & a guard”.

On 27 March, Cooper noted, “Came in a French Indiaman”.  Two days later, “Sail’d 2 Dutch India Ships”, and two days after that, “Came in two Dutch Indiamen homeward bound”.

On 28 March, Cooper wrote, “Sent on shore some of the Sails to the Tent to be repair’d”.

Cook stopped dating his journal entries, so it is unclear when he wrote “My first care after our arrival was to procure fresh baked Bread, fresh Meat, Greens and Wine for those who remained on board and with these articles they were provided every day during our Stay, which soon restored them to their usual strength.  We had only three Men on board which were thought necessary to send on Shore for the recovery of their health; these I provided quarters for at the rate of Thirty Stivers, or half a Crown per day, for which they were provided with Victuals, Drink and Lodging.  We now went to work to repair all our defects, for which purpose we, by permission, errected a Tent on shore to which was sent our Casks and Sails to repair.  We also struck the Yards and Top-masts in order to repair and overhaul the rigging which we found in so bad a condition that almost every thing except the standing Rigging was obliged to be replaced with New”.

Ian Boreham

Originally published in Cook's Log, page 17, volume 48, number 1 (2025).