James Cook held the rank and position of Commander of the sloop Resolution, and Tobias Furneaux was Commander of the sloop Adventure.  However, both people were called by everyone Captain, as was usual for those in charge of ships. 

Adventure Sails Home Alone

On 1 July, 1774, Adventure had almost arrived in English waters.  Furneaux wrote, “Spoke to two French Ships from China.  Read the Articles of War and Abstract to the Ships Company”.

Furneaux wrote very little in his journal over the next fortnight.  Here are some examples.

4th  “Lost a Logg & 2 Lines.  Saw a Sail to the Estw^d standing EBN”.
5th  “Scraped and payed the Boats with Varnish of Pines”.
8th  “Scraped the topmasts & payed them with Tallow”.
9th  “Saw a sail to the North standing to the SW”.
10th “Saw some Birds”.
11th “Saw a Sail to the N^ow^d standing to the Estw^d…  Sounded 88 fathom, fine Sand with small pieces of Shells”.
12th “Bro^t [to] & Sounded, 55 F[athoms].  Sand w^th broken Shells”.

On 13 July, Furneaux wrote, “3 Sail in Sight.  Saw the Land bearing NE…  Several Sail in Sight… Spoke Sir James Douglas in the Marlborough & Saluted him with 15 Guns, he returned 13”.  Marl­borough was a Third Rate Ship of 74 guns.  Her captain was Samuel Hood.  She was the flagship of Vice-Admiral Sir James Douglass. 

Adventure arrived at Spithead, a deep water channel that leads into Portsmouth Dockyard. 

On 14 July, the Admiralty wrote to Furneaux at Spithead, “You are hereby required and directed to proceed (without a Moments loss of time) with His Majesty’s Sloop under your command to the Nore, and wait there for further orders”.  The Nore was a sandbank at the mouth of the River Thames. 

The next day, the Navy Board wrote to the Admiralty, “In obedience to the directions of the Right Honble the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty of yesterday for our proposing where to pay off and lay up his Majesty’s Sloop the Adventure.  We desire you will propose to her Lordships that she may be paid off and laid up at Deptford”.  The Admiralty agreed, and wrote to Furneaux with these orders”.

Two days later, the Admiralty wrote to Furneaux at the Nore, “Having ordered His Majesty’s Sloop under your Command to be paid off and laid up at Deptford, you are hereby required and directed to put out her Guns and Gunners Stores in Galleons Reach, and then go on to Deptford, and use the utmost Dispatch in getting her put into proper condition for being delivered into the charge of the officers of His Majesty’s Yard there, agreeable to the standing orders for that purpose, which you will find lodged in the Hands of the Clerk of the Cheque of the said Yard, taking care to make out and transmit to the Navy Board proper Pay Books for her Company that they may be paid the Wages due to them, as soon as conveniently may be”.

On 19 July, the London Evening Post reported, 

CAPTAIN FURNEAUX, of his-Majesty’s sloop the Adventure, who sailed from Plymouth the 13th of July, in company with Captain Cook, in his Majesty’s sloop the Resolution, upon a voyage to make discoveries in the Southern Hemisphere, arrived at Spithead the 14th instant, having penetrated as far towards the South Pole as the latitudes of 67. 10. and circum­navigated the globe chiefly between the latitudes of 55 and 60, in which tract he met with much ice, but no land.  The Adventure parted company with the Resolution on the 29th of November last, off the coast of New Zealand, and Captain Furneaux does not expect the latter will return to England this year.

On the same day, the General Evening Post had,

The native of Otaheite [Omai], who voluntarily came over with Capt. Furneaux, was presented to his Majesty on Sunday last [17 July], and is now with Mr. Banks, the gentleman who first projected the voyages to the South Seas for discoveries, and who had made himself so much master of the language of the inhabitants of that island as to be able to converse with him in his native language.  He is a tall, genteel, well-made man.

On 21 July, the General Evening Post reported,

The native of Otaheite..., lately brought over by Capt. Furneaux in the Adventure, is to continue with Mr. Banks during his stay in England, which it is presumed will be for some years, until he has acquired the English language, and a thorough knowledge of the customs of this Country.

Resolution is Alone in the Pacific

On 1 July, Captain James Cook “reached two high Islands… one on which [there is a] Vulcano is… called by the Natives Amattafoa and the other which is round high and Peaked Oghao”.  The two Tongan islands were Tofua and Kao. 

From here, Cook continued with the decision he had taken on 5 June, when he wrote, “I directed my Course to the West: this was with a View of carrying into execution the Resolution I had taken of visiting Quiros’s discoveries”.  The explorer Pedro Fernan­des de Quiros had visited and documented some islands in 1606, naming them La Australia de Espiritu Santo (Southern Land of the Holy Spirit). 

On 2 July, Cook wrote, “Saw Land from the Mast head bearing WNW by Compass which we steer’d for... we discoverd the Land to be a small Island”.  Four days later, Cook wrote, “Near the Reef were seen several Turtle which occasioned my giving that name to the Isle”.  It was Vatoa, a south-eastern islet of the Fiji group, and the only one of that group seen by Cook.  They sailed west for the next fortnight.

On 13 July, Forster wrote, “This day two year we left Plymouth; & are now probably gone through the greater part of those disagreable circumstances, which we must undergo.  The Almighty keep us alive & healthy & free from too great difficulties, & give us still opportunities of making useful & interesting discoveries in these Seas”. 

Two days later, Cook wrote that we are “now in the Latitude of Quiros’s land”.  The next day, “Con­tinued to Steer to the West till 3 o’Clock in the PM when we saw land bearing SW”.  Johann Reinhold Forster, the naturalist, wrote “We tacked all night [16-17], had rain & several Squalls...  All night the water entered my & my son’s [George], just as if we were quartered on deck, all our bed swims, all our cloth[e]s, & books are wet, & we are deprived of sleep”

Resolution is at Vanuatu / New Hebrides

On 17 July, Cook wrote, “in the AM Stood in...  I made no doubt but this was the Australia Del Espiritu Santo of Quiros or what M. D. Bougainville calls the Great Cyclades, and the coast we were now upon the East side of Aurora Island”.  The island was Maewo, the north-eastern island in the Vanuatu group.  The northern end of the island was rounded in a gale and Resolution sailed south between it and the island to the west called by Bougainville “the Isle of Lepers”.  It has several local names: Amba, Aoba, Omba, Oba and Opa, reflecting the many languages and dialects spoken in the 83 Vanuatu islands.

The next day, Cook sailed between Maewo and Amba “with a view of geting to the South to explore the lands which lies there”.

On 20 July, Forster wrote, “in the morning, we saw [the island of] Pentecote & even a little of the Land behind it to the South”.  This island was given the name Pentecost by Bougainville.  To the south could be seen the island of Ambrym.  Cook “observed two very large columns of smoak, which I judge assended from Volcanos”.  They were Mounts Marum and Benbow”.  Cook made for another nearby island.  The next day, First Lieutenant Robert Palliser Cooper wrote, “Bro’t too & hoisted the Pinace & Cutter out & sent them in to Sound.  ½ past they made a Sig[na]l for Anchorage, stood in & came to Anchor with the Best Bower [anchor] in 12 fms [fathoms] water, Sandy bottom”.  They had arrived at the island of Malekula.

On 22 July, William Wales the astronomer wrote, “After Breakfast the Capt, Lieut and the Lieut of Marines [John Edgcumbe] with his Party went on shore With People to Cut wood: It was then about Low-Water, so that the Boats could not come near the Shore.  The Capt leaped into the Water & walked towards the shore without Gun where several Hundreds of the Natives were Standing with Bows Arrows and other Weapons: but when they saw him advance alone without Arms, one who seemed to be a Principal Man amongst them gave his Bow & Arrows to another & came into the Water to Meet him, and spreads his Arms open as if to receive him; and when they met took the Capt by the hand & led him on shore”.  Cook added, “proceeded up the Harbour in order to Sound and take a view of it and to search for a stream of fresh Water, for as yet we have seen none... nor did we meet with any better success now”.

The next day, Cook wrote, “At 7 o’Clock AM weighed and with some variable light Airs of Wind and the Assistance of our Boat towing got out of the Harbour”, which he named “Port Sandwich” after the Earl of Sandwich.  Cook “stood to the South in doing of which we discovered at least three small isles”.  According to Cooper, “This Evening many of the Officers & people were seized with violent Reachings & excruciating pains from eating the fish (called Groopers) caught last night, also a Pig & sev[era]l Dogs who had eat Some part of them were effected, notwithstanding we Boiled a Spoon with them which did not appear at al discoloured.  I remember a similar accident happen’d when I was in Princess Louisa at Tobago in the West Indies with Adm[ira]l Tyrrell by eating the same kind of Fish that was supposed to have fed on a Copperas Bank whereby many of the Officers & people were seized in like manner”.

The next day, Wales wrote, “All our Mess (the Gun-Room) and those of another have been much allarmed... at the effects of a Fish we had eaten that was caught in the Harbour: Not one who had eaten of it but who were seised with a Vomiting & Violent Pains in the Head & bones, attended with a numness in the Joints.  The Surgeon & myself who had eaten little were but slightly affected, compared to some others.  One Hog & several Dogs who had eaten the Intestines are also exceeding bad”.

On 25 July, Resolution passed three small islands.  Cook wrote, “I named the one Montagu and the other Hinchinbrook and the large Island Sandwich, in honour of my Noble Patron the Earl of Sandwich”.  John Montague was the 4th Earl of Sandwich, and First Lord of the Admiralty, whose seat was at Hinchingbrooke House, Huntingdon, Cambridge­shire.  The large island was Efate.

Two days later, Resolution was sailing south along Efate’s east coast.  Cook wrote “there seem’d to [be] a Bay, which if examined may be found to afford good Anchorage, but this was not so much an object with me as [to] get to the South in order to find the Southernmost extremity of the Archipelago”.  The next day, “At Sun-rise a new land was discovered bearing South”.  It was Erromango.

On 30 July, Forster wrote, “We had been driven from the new land [Erromango] during [a] calm... this morning we stood for it”.  The next day, “Calm all night & the most tantalizing Situation is ours; to be in Sight of Land & not be able to approach it in any shape”.

On 1 August, Forster wrote, “we were this morning alarmed by a fire in the Stewarts-room, where near the Lamp a piece of Otahaitee-cloth was left, which took fire, & raised a great Smoke... it was soon found & put out...  A marine who was drawing water for the washing of the deck, leaned too hard upon the rail, which gave way & he fell over board; he could not swim, but the ship was brought to in an instant, several ropes were thrown over board, one of which he got hold & the Sternladder was thrown over whereon a Man descended & helped him up”.  The marine was William Wedgeborough. 

On 4 August, Wales at Erromango wrote, “In the morning the Capt. with some of the Officers went in the Boats to search for a landing Place and see if there was any likelihood of getting Wood & Water.  As they rowed along Shore the Natives every where followed them in great numbers seemingly both much surprized & pleased at our arrival amongst them... When they were preparing to put off again the Natives seized one of the Boats & wanted to haul both it and the People up onto the Beach & ran away with two of the Oars.  What further they would have done is not known had they not been fired on by which means two were killed dead on the spot; and two others lay for some time and then crawled up into the Bushes, how many more were wounded could not be known.  On this they attacked Our People with Spears & Stones from behind the Bushes, which being covered with a Bank of Sand from the Boats they could not be dislodged but continued their attack as long as the Boats stayed & Capt. Cook thought it better to leave his Oars than run the risk of having any of his men killed”.

The next day, as Resolution sailed south, Cooper “Saw a very large fire on the shore, which at day light was found to be a Volcano from which issued great clouds of smoke, succeeded by very loud bellowing equal to loud claps of Thunder”.  It was the island of Tanna and the volcano was Mount Yasur.  “During all the Evening the Volcano has continued his thundering, almost every 4 or 5 minutes, & there were some Explosions that lasted about half a minute...  The whole deck is covered with Ashes & cinders, & the Falling of them is hurtfull to the Eyes”

On 5 August, Cook “sent two Arm’d Boats under the command of Lieut^t Cooper and the Master [Joseph Gilbert] to examine and Sound... it was not long before our Boats made the Signal for Anchor­age and we stood in [for] a potential anchorage which was deemed suitable...  Placing our Artillery in such a manner as to command the whole harbour, we embarked the Marines and a party of Seamen in three boats and rowed in for the Shore...  two divisions of the Natives were drawn up on each side the landing place... not one was without arms: In short every thing conspired to make us believe they intended to attack us...  I thought it was best to frighten them away... and accordingly order[ed] a Musquet to be fired over the heads of the party... this was the Signal for the Ship to fire a few four pound Shott over them which presently dispersed them and then we landed”.

Forster “began to inquire for the Names of things & got several Words...  They said the Name of their Isle was Tanna”. 

The next day, Wales “went on shore with the Boats which went for Water...  It was my duty to... Contrive some means of getting at least the Rate of the Watch [chronometer] without staying on shore All Night.  I did not Judge it safe to Carry the Watch backward & forwards every day for fear of Accidents, as we had to land in a surf on a flat shore...  I resolved to make use of it only with this precaution to venture the Watch on Shore the first & last Day, & be... certain of one steady hand to assist me always in it”.

On 7 August, Cooper “Punish’d John Seamer [Seymour] Carp[enters] Mate 1 dozen for neglect of Duty & disobeying orders”.  The next day, Gilbert wrote, “The Launch out for Ballast”.  Wales noted, “Some who went to get Ballast to day scalded their fingers in a stream of Water which bubbled up amongst the stones they were gathering to carry on board the Ship”.

On 10 August, Forster “found... that they speak in this Isle two if not three different Languages”.  Two days later, Cooper “Punish’d Aneas Atkins Coxswain of the Pinace, John Davies & John Leverick 1 dozen each for neglect of Duty on shore”.

On 12 August, Wales wrote, “Cloudy all the After­noon so that nothing could be done.  And as I could neither leave the Beach where my Instruments were nor get on board the time was wearysome enough, for Amusement, I got some of the Natives to throw their spears at two stakes which had been driven down to fasten the Boats too.  One of them hit a Stake which was about 6 Inches broad & 20 high several times”. 

On 15 August, Cook wrote, “having completed our wood and Water, a few hands were only employed ashore Cuting stuff for brooms, the rest were imployed on board seting up the rigging and putting the Ship in a Condition for Sea”.  Forster “went ashore...  We saw a green Parrokeet & shot it, & likewise a Kingfisher of the same kind as we had gotten in New Zealand & a Pigeon”.

The next day, Isaac Smith master’s mate “found the head of the tiller sprung.  Unship’d it to repair”.  Cooper “Punish’d W^m Tow Marine 1 dozen for trading with the natives when on guard on shore”.  The following day, Forster “went into the woods... & saw several black Parrokeets with red heads & breasts, but they are amazingly shy & therefore could shoot none, though we stood 2 hours on the same spot & were most miserably bitten by the Mosquitos”. 

On 17 August, Wales wrote, “This Afternoon Capt Cook tried with a... Thermometer the heat of the Spring which rises on the Shore opposite the Ship and found that the Thermometer rose to 191 [degrees Fahrenheit, which is 88 degrees Centigrade]”.

On 19 August, Cooper wrote, “a Centinel on shore fired at one of the natives for attempting to fire an arrow at him , which shatter’d the Elbow of his left Arm & enter’d his side, he was immediately taken to a small distance & expired in a quarter of an hour, this act of hostility had been often offered to our Centinels before unnoticed which has totally rendered them disregarded by the natives to a great of insolence: the rest of the natives on the Beach quite passive & undisturbed”.  The sentinel was William Wedgeborough.  Cook commented, “What made this affair the more unfortunate, it not appearing to be the man who bent the bow, that was shott, but another who stood by him”.  Forster added, “The Cap^t... sent the Marine, after having him relieved, prisoner on board”.

On 20 August, Cook wrote, “during the night the wind had veered round to SE; as this was favourab[l]e for geting out of the harbour, we at 4 a.m. began to unmoor and at 8 wieghed our last anchor and put to Sea.  As soon as we were clear of the land, I brought-to to wait for the Lau[n]ch which was left behind to take up a Kedge Anchor & hawser we had out to cast by...  I named the Harbour, Port Resolution after the Ship as she was the first who ever entered it...  The Water Stunk a little after it had been a few days on board but afterwards turned sweet, and even when it was at its worst [filtering it through] the Tin Machine would in a few hours sweeten a whole Cask.  This is an excellent contrivance for sweetning Water at sea and is very well known in the Navy”.  A Lieutenant Osbridge had developed this machine.

Resolution sailed east to the island of Futuna, which Cook considered to be “the most Eastern in this Archipelago”.  Then she sailed southwest to see Aneityum, the southernmost island.

On 21 August, Cook “bore up round the SE end of Tanna and ran a long the South Side”.  The next day, “At 6 o’Clock the high land on Erromanga appeared... and Steer’d NNW for” it.  “At 4 PM we began to draw near” Efate.  After passing it, “we Steer’d NNW for the SE end of” Malekula.  The following day, “Numbers of People appeared on all parts of the Coast [of Malekula] and some attempted to come of to us in Canoes, but as I would not wait their attempt was fruitless”.

On 24 August, Cook wrote, “we advanced to the NNW along a fine Coast covered with trees”, the island of Espiritu Santo.  The next day, “we found the Coast trend away to the South and to form a very large and deep bay [which we believed] was the Bay of S^t Philip and S^t James discovered by Quiros in 1606”.  The following day, “stood up the bay till 3 when being about two Miles from the shore I sent away Mr Cooper and the Master in two boats to sound and reconnoitre the Coast”.  Afterwards, “I ordered the boats to be hoisted in and to make sail”.  The next day, Forster wrote, “We stood on along­shore as well as the calm would permit”.

On 29 August, Cooper wrote, “Punish’d John Innell Seaman 1 dozen for Theft”.

Two days later, Cook wrote, “Having now finished the Survey of the Whole Archipelago and the Season of the year makeing it necessary I should return to the South, while I had yet some time left to explore any lands I might meet with between this and New Zealand, where I intended to touch to refresh my people and recrute our stock of wood and Water, for another Southern Cruise”.

On 4 September, Forster wrote, “In the morning at 7 o’clock M^r Colinet saw Land a head”.  Cook “named [it] after [James Colnett] one of my Midshipmen who first saw this land.  It was part of New Caledonia.

Resolution is at Kanaky / New Caledonia

On 5 September, Forster wrote, “In the morning we went in shore & found that this Island is surrounded by a great Reef on its Northside...  We saw an opening in the Reef... we therefore stood for it: & hoisted the boats out, who soon made the Signal of good Anchoring within the Reef”.  The next morning, Cook commented, “we were visited by some hundreds of the Natives [who] brought with them some arms such as Clubs, darts, &c^a which they exchanged away, indeed these things generally found the best Market with us, such was the prevailing Passion for curiosities, or what appeared new.  As I have had occasion to make this remark more than once before, the reader will think the Ship must be full of such articles by this time, he will be mistaken, for nothing is more Common than to give away what has been collected at one Island for any thing new at a Nother”. 

On 6 September, Cooper wrote, “At 8 Got the Astronomers Instruments on a small sandy Island near the ship, to observe an Eclipse of the Sun which will be about one O’Clock to day”.  Cook later named it Observatory Isle.  It is nowadays known as Poudioué.  For Wales, “The unfavourableness of the Weather hindered me from seeing the beginning of the Eclipse, and it continued so untill near the Middle, when it became pretty Clear and continued so to the End, which I got with great Precision at 3h 28' 4½" Apparent Time.  I was very sorry on account of the Cloudyness of the Weather because it hindered me in some Measure from Exhibiting a new and I think important use which may be made of Hadley’s Quadr., more especially at Sea, where it is impossible to apply any other Instrument of the sort, and that is a most excellent Micrometer, and even at land it may be of great use where a more perfect one is wanting”.  Cook commented, “Mr Wales measur­ed the quantity eclipsed by a Hadlies [Hadley’s] Quad^t a method I believe never before thought of”.

Cooper wrote, “Departed this Life Simon Monk, Butcher”.  According to Forster, “Yesterday night late a Man, who was our Butcher, a laborious, indefatigable Man, had the Misfortune to fall down the Main hatchway & grew very ill over night, & at last died probably from a fractured skull & extravasated blood in the head”.  The next day, Cooper, “At daylight sent a Boat with the Body of the deceas’d & committed him to the deep”.

Later that day, wrote Cook, “A Fish was procured from the Natives by my Clerk... it was of a new genius... only the Liver and roe was dressed of which the two Mr Forsters and my self did but just taste”.  The next day, “About 3 or 4 o’Clock in the Morning we were seized with an extraordinary weakness in all our limbs attended with a numness...  I had almost lost the sence of feeling nor could I distinguish between light and heavy bodies...  We each of us took a Vomet and after that a sweat which gave great relief...  When the Natives came on board and saw the fish hanging up, they immidiately gave us to understand it was by no means to be eat”.  It was a Toadfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus). 

On 9 September, Cook “sent a party a shore brooming, my self and the two M^r F^s [Forsters] confined aboard, but much better, a good sweat last night had a good effect”.  According to Forster, “Mr Sparman was all this day employed in describing plants, & my Son [George] drew a few in the Afternoon”.  Anders Sparrman was also a naturalist.  The next day, Forster “went ashore & collected several new plants, for we found ourselves entirely better only a little weaker”.

On 11 September, Cook wrote, “The Cutter was very near foundering by suddinly springing a leek and filling with Water, they were obliged to heave several things overboard before they could free her & stop the leek”.  The next day, Cook “was willing to have the Cutter repaired before we put to sea to incounter with shoals [so] the Carpenters were set to work upon her... and the Launch was employed to replace the water which had been expended...  I went a shore and by Vertue of our being the first discoverers of this Country took posession of it in his Majestys name and as a farther testimony had an Inscription engraved on a large tree close to the Shore near the Watering place, seting forth the Ships Name date &ca &ca as I had done at all others we had touched at, where this cerimony was necessary...  Balade was the Name of the district we were at”.

On 13 September, Cook “got under sail with a fine gale...  As soon as we were clear of the reef... bore up along the out side of the Reef, steering NNW”.  Two days later, “no land was to be seen, so that we had all the reason in the world to believe that we had seen its termination to the NW...  it became now a necessary object to know its SE Extremity”.

On 23 September, Cook wrote “There is... great reason to believe that the whole NE Coast is covered by a reef, as we never came near the land that we did not see it”.  A few days later a small island was seen.  “The Skirts of this isle is wholy covered... with... trees... on which account it obtained the name of Isle of Pines”. 

On 29 September, Cooper wrote, “The Captain & some Officers went on the Island... to examine its produce, also three of the Carpenters to Cut spares for Stearings^l Booms & yards & boats Masts, the Islands having a great number of very tall straight Trees growing on them... the boats ret[urne]d with 9 spars, hoisted them in & the Boats”.  Wales “went amongst others and picked up a large quantity of an herb known commonly by ye name of Lamb’s Quarter, which is a most excellent Green... After getting on board we had a rich repast indeed off our Greens & a piece of salt Pork.  The fear of being affected by eating after so long an abstimiousness from them induced one to eat rather sparingly, and accordingly I felt no bad effects from them; but some of those who ate very plentifully suffered very severe gripings attended with a looseness”.

On 30 September, Cook wrote, “I considered the little Advantages that could accrue by exploreing this Coast, as its extent was already pretty well determined, the great risk we must run, and the time it would require on account of the dangers attending it I determined not to risk the Ship down to leeward amongest these shoals, where we might be hemed in as to find it difficult to return... [I] put again to sea... We had now a hard gale at SSW and a great sea, and had reason to rejoice of having got clear of the shoals before this gale overtook us... the wind seemd to be now fixed in the SW quarter and made it impossible for us to return to the Coast we had left... I called the land we had lately discovered New Caledonia.  If we except New Zeeland it is perhaps the largest Island in the whole South Pacifick Ocean”.  He sailed for New Zealand.

Ian Boreham

Originally published in Cook's Log, page 36, volume 47, number 3 (2024).