This time, the Admiralty clearly formulated the purpose of the expedition - to open a sea route from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through the north of North America. As you know, the result of Cook's second expedition was the cessation of the search for new lands in the southern latitudes. Everything that could be discovered was already open.

Route of James Cook's third expedition

The expedition this time also consisted of 2 ships: the proven flagship “Resolution” and the second ship, of smaller displacement, “Discovery”. The ships set off on different dates in mid-summer 1776.

They connected in Cape Town and set sail for the Pacific Ocean on December 1st. On January 26, 1777, both ships were already in Tasmania.

Then, through New Zealand we went to the Friendship Islands and then to Kuku’s almost native Tahiti, where they arrived on August 12.

On January 18, 1778, the expedition discovered the Hawaiian Islands, which were fatal for its commander. Cook named Sandwich, but not in honor of the sandwich, but in honor of one of the inspirations of his travels, the First Lord of the Admiralty Jonah Sandwich A. (Alas, the lord was unlucky - the name did not stick.)

A week later, they moved to the coast of North America, got caught in a storm and, approaching the shore, began repairs in the area of ​​​​present-day Vancouver. On April 26 we moved on. In Alaska they began to repair again. Then, in early August, they crossed the strait separating Asia and America, crossed the Arctic Circle and entered the Chukchi Sea. And then the ships ran into ice hummocks. It was impossible to go further. Winter was approaching, so Cook decided to turn to warmer climes.

Meeting with the Russians

On October 2, 1778, Cook met Russian industrialists for the first time in the Aleutian Islands.

, which turned out to be much more accurate than the cards he himself had. Cook redrew this map and named the strait between Asia and America.

On November 26, 1778, both ships safely reached the Hawaiian Islands. On the shore they were met by thousands of natives, who apparently took Cook for one of their deities.

Good neighborly relations were established with the islanders, but the natives turned out to be a thieving people, stealing everything they could get their hands on. In order not to aggravate relations, Cook left the bay, but, unfortunately, the Resolution was caught in a storm, the rigging was seriously damaged and needed mandatory repairs. The expedition had no other choice but to return to the ill-fated islands, because there was no other stop nearby.

Everything that needed repair was pulled ashore - sails, rigging, etc. Meanwhile, the attitude of the aborigines became openly hostile. “And everyone was incited by the sorcerer, the cunning and the evil one! Hey guys, grab Cook!” Why did the Aborigines eat Cook? On February 14, 1778, the natives stole the longboat. The commander’s patience came to an end; Cook decided to take one of the native leaders hostage. With a group of armed sailors, he went to the village and invited the leader onto the ship. He pretended to accept the invitation, but then resisted. And his fellow tribesmen

large quantities surrounded the squad. History is silent about who exactly started the battle; the natives killed Cook himself and several of his comrades in the clash. turned out to be James Cook's last. He, like Ferdinand Magellan, died at the hands of the natives on the Pacific Islands. This happened on the evening of February 14, 1779. It turns out that on Valentine's Day.

Captain Clerk took command of the expedition. He tried to obtain the release of Cook's body from the natives through negotiations. Did not work out. Then Clerk organized an armed raid against the invaders, burned several settlements and drove the natives into the mountains. There is nothing to be done, the Hawaiians returned forty kilograms of meat and a human head without a lower jaw to the Resolution.

On February 22, 1779, the remains of the great navigator James Cook, as befits a naval officer, were buried at sea.

Results of Cook's third expedition

Hawaiian Islands discovered

The Northwest Passage around North America was not discovered

Great navigator Cook found himself killed at the hands of the Aborigines.

More pages about James Cook and his expeditions

P Comforters of the Age of Great Geographical Discovery

HMS Endeavor - ship James Cook, on which the famous navigator made his first trip around the world.

Bark "Endeavour" launched in 1764 in the Yorkshire town Whitby and had the name "Earl of Pembroke" (Earl of Pembroke). The main mission of the ship was to transport coal. But in 1768 the ship was acquired by the English Admiralty, then it was chosen for its expedition James Cook and renamed it to "Endeavour" - "Aspiration".

The Endeavor was an ugly but strong vessel with excellent seaworthiness. It had a straight, wide bow, shallow draft and all-wood planking. Two of its three masts (foresail and mainsail) carried straight sails, and a cruisel and counter-mizzen were raised on the mizzen. Under the bowsprit there was a blind and a bomb blind. In good wind "Endeavour" could travel at speeds of up to 8 knots, which was very good at that time. The length of the sailing ship was 36 meters, the width was slightly more than 9 meters, and the displacement was 360 tons. The sailing ship's armament consisted of 22 guns: 10 cannons and 12 mortars on rotating carriages. Additionally for "Endeavour" a longboat (for transporting food and water) and a captain's boat were built.

August 26, 1768 Captain James Cook went out on the ship "Endeavour" from English Plymouth and headed for Tahiti. The official purpose of this trip was to study an astronomical phenomenon: transit of Venus across the disk of the Sun, the unofficial one is the search for the Southern continent and the study of southern latitudes. The expedition was led by an English scientist Joseph Banks.

April 10, 1769 "Endeavour" dropped anchor off the coast of Tahiti. Contrary to established tradition, the British behaved quite peacefully; they tried to exchange food and water with local residents and not take by force. Team members were prohibited from using violence against Aboriginal people. Here in Tahiti, Cook's team observed the passage of Venus through the solar disk. And since the official purpose of the journey was fulfilled, "Endeavour" went to the shores New Zealand. James Cook it was discovered that New Zealand consists of two islands separated by straits. Subsequently, this strait was named Cook Strait.

In April 1770 Cook has reached eastern shore Australia and dropped anchor in the bay, where many unknown plants were discovered. Cook named this bay - Botanical. June 11, 1770 "Endeavour" ran aground and significantly damaged the hull. The hole was plugged with canvas, the ship required major repairs. But it so happened that "Endeavour" was cut off from the coast of Australia by the Great Barrier Reef, and the ship with a hole in its side had to travel 360 miles to go around the reef. Thanks to this, another discovery was made - a strait was discovered separating New Guinea and Australia. Through this strait "Endeavour" proceeded to Indonesia, where it was put in port for repairs Batavia. Despite the fact that no one died of scurvy on the ship (of which Cook was so proud), a malaria epidemic began on the ship in Indonesia. In the spring of 1771 "Endeavour" reached African Cape Town. During this period, 22 crew members died on the ship from malaria and dysentery, and the crew had to be supplemented. On July 12, 1771, James Cook returned to England.

As a result of this expedition, Australia became an English colony, a number of islands were also annexed to England, and the islands of the Pacific Ocean and the coast of Australia were explored and described. It is believed that "Endeavour"- the first ship on which longitude was determined.

Information about the fate of Cook's ship after the voyage is contradictory: according to one version "Endeavour" was sold to a French merchant, renamed "La Liberte" (Freedom) and transported to North America, according to another version, the sailing ship simply rotted off the coast of the Thames, and then was dismantled.

In honor of the famous sailing ship "Endeavour" in 1971 the command module of the ninth manned spacecraft was named Apollo 15. And in 1993, a replica of the legendary sailing ship built by John Longley was launched.

SWIMMING IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN IN 1776-1780.

VOYAGE NORTH IN THE SUMMER OF 1779, DEATH OF CAPTAIN CLERK AND RETURN TO ENGLAND

DIARY OF LIEUTENANT J. KINGA

12 June. The weather is moderate. Early in the morning they began to weigh anchor... At 3 o'clock they raised the main anchor and set off under sail. At 8 o'clock the anchor was dropped. The prison [Petropavlovsk] was on the bearing NtO, the rock on the W bank of the passage was on the bearing SOtS.

June 13. At 4 o'clock we went to the exit of the bay with an ebb current, using boats because of the calm. At 10 o'clock the wind blew from the sea across the passage from SOtS, the ebb current changed to tidal current, and we were forced to drop anchor. The high rock had a bearing of S 0.75 O, the fort had a bearing of N 0.5 W. After lunch, I, together with Captain Gore, went to the O bank of the passage, and on the slope of a high hill we noticed the remains of a parapet with four or five embrasures. This fortification “commanded” the passage, and in Bering’s time there were cannons here. Nearby there were ruins of huts and underground rooms that were probably storage rooms. At 6 o'clock, with the ebb current, they raised the anchor, the wind was still from the sea, due to thick fog, they lay drifting until 8 o'clock...

June 15. They were surprised when before dawn they heard a noise like distant thunder, and at dawn they discovered that the deck and sides were covered with a fine dust, similar to sandpaper. This dust hung in the air, and because of it there was darkness. In the direction of the volcanic mountain [Avacha Sopka], that is, to the N of the fort, such darkness thickened that we could not see the outlines of the mountain ranges. Around noon and afternoon the volcanic eruption was still going on, creating sounds like distant thunder and accompanied by clouds of ash; in general, its particles were the size of a pea, but pieces the size of a walnut were picked up on the decks, and many of these particles did not undergo the changes caused by the fire. The ash mixed with dirt and settled in streams of rain, and ash fell with it. Towards evening there was a terrible thunder and sparkle, and the deep darkness scattered in the air created an unprecedentedly depressing impression. The effect of the volcano must have been felt at a great distance on the open sea: we were at a distance of 8 leagues from it, and the ashes fell wherever the eye could reach...

DIARY OF CAPTAIN CLERK

July 18. ...At 10 o'clock we saw ice ahead, which at noon extended with NO 0.5 O to WtN at a distance of about 2 miles, and they were in the same condition as before. I was afraid that they would extend over a long distance and would interfere with all our attempts to advance to the N, but we had to survey the boundaries of the ice and try to do everything we could. Observed latitude 70°26" N [longitude 196°18" O]...

July 19. ...We were at the edge of the ice and could not advance further to the N, and therefore we went downwind and walked along the edge of the ice field, which extended to the S. ...Observed latitude 70°10.5" N...

21 July. ...It was clear that it was absolutely impossible to advance further N near this coast, and it was difficult to hope that these gigantic masses of ice could melt in the few remaining weeks of summer. Undoubtedly, the ice will remain here as an insurmountable barrier, preventing any attempts to break through it. Therefore, I believed that for the benefit of the matter it was best to walk along the ice to the Asian coast, trying to find a passage in them that would allow me to at least somewhat advance further to the N, and if this fails, then make a similar attempt, keeping to the shore; however, I did not flatter myself with the hope that great successes awaited there, since now the sea was so clogged with ice that there was no point in thinking about finding a passage [latitude 69°37" N, longitude 193°7" ABOUT].

DIARY OF LIEUTENANT J. BARNEY

Tuesday, July 27... Seeing that it was impossible to further advance to the N, nor to approach the shores of the Asian or American continent, since this was prevented by the ice that filled the entire sea, we considered all further attempts of this kind useless [latitude 67 ° 55 "N , longitude 188°26" O].

July 31st. We went to S; the Asian coast is visible all day. At noon latitude 65°08" N, longitude 189°08" O, declination 25° O...

Sunday, August 22. In the morning a boat came from the Resolution, and we were informed that Captain Clerk had died. At noon we were abeam the Shupinsky Nose [Cape Shipunsky], its latitude 53°08" N, longitude 159°56" O.

Monday, August 23. In the evening we saw a watchtower in Avacha Bay; in the darkness, beacon lights were lit on it. At midnight we dropped anchor at the entrance to Avacha Bay at a depth of 11 fathoms.

Tuesday, August 24th. In the morning they raised anchor and went to the stockade; in the afternoon we anchored in the harbor of St. Peter and St. Paul. The area now looked most charming; really, it seems that summer and winter Kamchatka are two different countries. Major Bem, we heard, left for St. Petersburg shortly after our departure (in June). The main commander of Kamchatka was now Captain Shmalev, the prison of St. Peter and St. Paul was under the jurisdiction of the same sergeant who commanded when we were here before.

DIARY OF ASSISTANT SURGEON D. SAMVELL

Sunday, August 22. This morning, between 8 and 9 o'clock, our chief commander, Captain Charles Clerk, died of consumption, which he had suffered from since we left England. He was born at Wethersfil Hall Braintree in Essex and died at the age of 38. His father was a justice of the peace, and the annual income from the captain's own estate was approximately 500 pounds. Our captain began his service in the navy in his youth and took part in some of the action during the late war. He was on board the Bellona when the crew of that ship captured the [frigate] Courageous. Mizzen mast, on the top of which G.Ch. The clerk stood in this battle, was demolished and crashed into the sea, but she was lifted on board, and she was not harmed at all 366 . He, as a midshipman, took part in the first voyage of the Dolphin, and on the Endevre he served as assistant navigator, and on the return voyage after the death of Mr. Hicks, Captain Cook made him a lieutenant. 367 . During the previous voyage he was second mate on the Resolution and upon his return was appointed commander of the Discovery. In the current expedition, after the unfortunate death of Captain Cook on February 14, he took command of the ships. Captain Clerk was a warm-hearted man and an excellent sailor, but he still lacked firmness and determination - qualities necessary for a great commander. He was not confident in himself and constantly experienced hesitation and doubt, but once a certain line of behavior was developed by him, no one could implement it as readily as Captain Clerk did. The post of first assistant commander would have suited him better, and it was easier for him to carry out orders than to give them. However, the fortitude he showed during the voyage after the death of Captain Cook, the fortitude that overcame his physical ailments, allowed him to fulfill his duty with honor and leave behind a good memory. The main quality of his character was sociability, and as a cheerful interlocutor, perhaps no one could compare with him. To this it should be added that he had an open disposition and was the adornment of any company, and therefore his death caused bitter regret. Only he and Captain Gore, his successor, alone in the whole world completed three voyages around the world. The vacancy left by the death of Captain Clerk was filled only after we entered the harbor of Peter and Paul, so that we waited a day or two for this event. We wished to bury Captain Clerk in the village of Paratunka, for such was the will of the deceased. He bequeathed 100 rubles to the local church...

Tuesday, August 24th. At 8 o'clock in the morning... we pulled out into the tidal harbor. A pennant was hoisted at half-mast on both ships as a sign of the presence on board of the body of Captain Clerk. With a light tailwind we entered the harbor and at 3 p.m. anchored. At the moment when the ships dropped anchor, Sergeant [Surgutsky] lined up his entire small garrison in full armor and then arrived aboard the Resolution to the commander. Having informed him about the death of Captain Clerk, we mentioned that we intended to bury the late commander in the Paratunka church, but it was clear that he did not want to allow this, because we did not seem to him to be Christians. Since this matter essentially concerned only the priest and the sergeant could not take upon himself the solution of such an issue, he sent messengers to him in Bolsheretsk, wanting to inform the current governor of Kamchatka, Captain Shmilov [Shmalev], about our arrival. What struck us most now was the contrast between the current appearance of the area and the one that opened up to us when we came here in May, when everything was covered in snow. Now the hills and valleys were covered with the most delightful greenery, and we never expected to find such a luxurious scene in such a country.

On the gentle slopes of the bay grew the same trees as on Mount Edgham near Plymouth. And nowhere else have I seen such a beautiful view - the top of a distant mountain, white with snow, rose above the nearby hills, and the valley was completely covered with greenery, so that at the same time the country presented a majestic and impressive image of the picture of winter and summer.

Wednesday, August 25th. Today, Captain Gore took command of the Resolution and appointed that ship's first mate, Lieutenant King, as commander of the Discovery...

Astronomical observatories were installed on the shore and a tent was pitched for both captains...

Friday, August 27th. That night, our old friend, the parish priest from Paratunka, Roman Fedorovich Vereshchagin, arrived and visited Captain Gore in the morning. He refused to bury Captain Clerk in Paratunka, citing the fact that we are not Christians, or at least people not affiliated with the Greek Church, but proposed to bury the body in the place where a church should be built next year and where many Russians are buried. The priest said that Professor Delisle [de] la Croyer, who accompanied Bering to the shores of America, was also buried there 368 . Taking into account that it was impossible to convince these people, we agreed with the priest’s proposal, and both captains went ashore with him to choose a proper place for the grave. When a site was chosen, a party of men was sent there to mow the grass, remove underbrush, and clear a clearing for the funeral procession. In the evening they dug a grave at the foot of a tree in the very depths of Peter and Paul Bay in order to bury Captain Clerk there on Saturday.

Sunday, August 29. Between 12 o'clock and 1 o'clock the body of Captain Clerk was interred with military honors worthy of his rank, according to the ceremonial adopted by the Church of England. The ships fired 12 cannon salvos each, and the soldiers fired three musket salutes at the grave. The funeral was attended by the captains, all the officers of both ships, a priest, and a sergeant. There were many Russians and most of our sailors as spectators. In the tent, the captains and officers dined with the priest and the sergeant...

Friday, September 3. A Russian ensign named Ivan Ivanovich Sind (the son of Lieutenant Sind, a navigator who is listed as Sindov on the maps) arrived here from Bolsheretsk with an apology from Captain Shmilov. He wrote that he was not expecting us and that since the sloops expected from Okhotsk had not arrived in Kamchatka, he could not yet supply us, but as soon as these sloops arrived here, he himself would come. However, he informed us that from Verkhnyaya 369 16 heads of cattle and a translator from Russian into German are coming to us...

Sunday, September 5th. The sergeant handed us the bull. He was slaughtered and half of the carcass was given for the personal needs of Captain Horus, the rest was distributed between the crews of both ships 370 .

Thursday, September 9. Today we saw a Russian sloop at the entrance to the harbor, and the navigator from the Resolution and ensign Sind were sent to it on the pinnace. They returned with the sloop, which anchored outside the harbor. It was a sloop, or two-masted galliot, which was expected from Okhotsk.

Friday, September 10th. There was no wind; four boats were sent to unload the Russian sloop into the harbor; At about 12 o'clock he anchored in the harbor of Peter and Paul. The sloop was greeted with four shots. The sloop carried 50 soldiers, and with him came an officer sent by Major Bem to receive the crew in the harbor of Peter and Paul. This officer and the navigator dined in Captain Gore's tent. The officer, who, being a second lieutenant, was equal in rank to a lieutenant, took command from the sergeant and sent him out of the house. On the galliot they brought us flour, ropes, resin and pitch, according to the promise of Major Bem, and a letter from the Governor of Okhotsk to Captain Clerk. Another letter was delivered from a doctor from Okhotsk to the surgeons of our ships. A merchant arrived with the ship with various goods - silk, scarves, nanka, etc. The sloop carried flour and everything else for the local garrison and two cannons for it...

Saturday, September 11th. A strong wind blew at night, and the Russian sloop washed ashore, but suffered no damage. In the morning both ships received ropes, pitch and pitch. The Discovery was supplied with six barrels of tar, two barrels of pitch, a bundle of 4.5-inch rope for 135 fathoms, a 3.5-inch cable for 125 fathoms and a 2.5-inch cable for 125 fathoms, 42 pounds of twine and 40 sail needles . A number of nails were delivered, but we did not need them and therefore did not take them. Until the 16th, people went about their usual business, the sergeant dined daily in a tent with Captain Gore.

Thursday, September 16th. Today the interpreter we were expecting arrived and was introduced to us by the captain. He understood German fairly well, but could not speak it. He was a Russian nobleman, and he was exiled here about thirty years ago. This man's name was Pyotr Matveevich Evashkin. He was born in 1723, was an ensign in the Life Guards of Empress Elizabeth and her favorite, but for a crime (and for what exactly, he does not know) he was exiled to this country (one can assume that it was precisely because he was in intimate connection with the empress). But be that as it may, his crime turned out to be of such a nature that subsequent rulers of Russia did not consider it necessary to recall him from exile, although many rulers of Kamchatka repeatedly reported to the court about his case. Before his exile, he was beaten with a whip and his nostrils were cut (slit), and the sign of this punishment remained with him forever. His father was a general in the Russian army. He told us that while here he experienced great hardships, and for 30 years he did not taste bread, and ate only fish until Major Bem became interested in him and made his life more bearable. However, although Major Bem tried to obtain permission for him to return to Russia, he was unsuccessful in this, and the major only managed to obtain permission for this man to travel freely no further than Okhotsk.

He was a tall and strong man, and apparently he was handsome in his youth. He played the violin well and was well brought up, understood French and German languages, in his youth he traveled to Paris and Amsterdam and, apparently, suffered greatly from his evil fate, which doomed him to vegetate in this wild country. He lived mostly in Verkhny, received a pension from the government and was his own complete master. Upon further acquaintance, we all gained respect for him. 371 .

Friday, September 17th. Both captains went hunting with a group of our people, accompanied by P.M. Evashkin with the intention of spending several days outside the harbor. They took with them a cook, tents and other supplies, so that this party resembled not a group of athletes, but a caravan setting off on a long journey. Two Kamchadals went with them...

Monday, September 20. Today a messenger arrived, telling us that Captain Shmilov would arrive here in a day or two. There was a disagreement between the Russian sergeant and the corporal, and the matter was sorted out by a second lieutenant; The sergeant received a severe flogging, doubly cruel if we take into account the position he held and how he was treated by Captain Gore, who daily invited him to dinner along with our officers. This punishment was regarded to a certain extent as an act of insult to us, and caused indignation at its obvious injustice. If the captain of a warship condescends to put himself on the same level as a sergeant by inviting him to his table, then, naturally, one would have to believe that this sergeant cannot be punished under military regulations. And indeed, the Russians viewed the short relationship between our chief commander and the sergeant in an unfavorable light for us, as translator P. Mat repeatedly hinted to us. Evashkin. In the afternoon, Captain King and Evashkin returned from bear hunting without meeting a single animal and without satisfying their passion for sport. They loaded flour from the sloop.

Wednesday, September 22. On the anniversary of His Majesty's Coronation this afternoon at noon each sloop fired a 21-shot salute and the officers of both ships dined with Captain Gore. Captain Shmilov, who arrived this morning from Bolsheretsk, was present at the dinner. He was greeted on board with 11 shots.

Thursday, September 23. Captain Shmilov visited the Discovery, where he was greeted with 11 shots, and then dined with Captain King and the officers of both ships in a tent.

Saturday, September 25th. Captain Shmilov said goodbye to us and left for Bolsheretsk. Captain Gore gave him a gold watch, a rifle, a set of knives in a case and a quantity of rum. Before leaving, he dismissed the second lieutenant and re-appointed a sergeant in his place as commander, which was partly caused by our statements regarding the above-mentioned matter and the fact that the second lieutenant was committed to drunkenness. The latter was now supposed to return to Okhotsk. Captain Gore gave Evashkin a set of outerwear, a shirt, etc., and Captain King gave him a rifle and various things. The ships were ready to go to sea, but we were waiting for the bulls to arrive, and they were supposed to appear in the coming days.

Sunday, September 26th. Freemasons from both ships held a meeting of their lodge in Russian barracks and there they accepted new members - the first and, probably, the last Masons from among the inhabitants of this country. Today one of the booths overturned, but the residents in it were not injured and the dwelling retained its previous shape.

Monday, September 27th. The Masons met again and accepted several more new members. Parties of our people often went to Paratunka to see the priest and along the way had fun duck hunting, and there were a lot of ducks on the river. Several gentlemen, while in Paratunka, wished to go on a bear hunt and for this purpose hired a servant and a Paratunka toyon to accompany them. At night (namely, at night bears descend from the hills to lakes to catch fish) the hunters approached a large lake and saw three or four bears there. We managed to shoot one when he was crossing a small pond, but he immediately went into the forest, growling angrily... (The following is about the hunt in which the son of priest R.F. Vereshchagin Fedor participated, and the hunting techniques of Kamchatka bear hunters. - Note lane)

Thursday, September 30th. 16 head of cattle and two horses arrived, provided to the officers during our stay. This morning Captain Gore went to Paratunka, taking with him a carpenter, in order to install the coat of arms of Captain Clerk in the church. Below it was engraved the following inscription:

“Above is the coat of arms of Captain Charles Clerk. He took command of His Majesty the King of Britain's ships Resolution and Discovery after the death of Captain James Cook, who, unfortunately, was killed by the natives on one of the islands South Sea February 14, 1779, after exploring the coast of America from 42°30" to 70°44" north latitude in search of a passage from Asia to Europe. Captain Clerk died of pulmonary consumption at sea on August 22, 1779, at the age of 38, and rests at the foot of a tree near the fort of St. Peter and St. Paul. He made a second attempt to find a passage from Asia to Europe and to penetrate north to the limit that Captain Cook had reached, but he became convinced that further advance was practically impossible.”

In the place where Captain Clerk was buried, an earthen mound was built, fenced with a palisade of stakes dug into the ground. Two old shipmates planted several willows around the grave. A board with the following inscription was nailed against the tree at the head of the tree:

“At the foot of this tree lie the ashes of Captain Charles Clerk, who took command of His Britannic Majesty's ships Resolution and Discovery on the death of Captain James Cook, who was killed on an island in the South Sea on February 14, 1779. He died at sea from pulmonary consumption on August 22 of the same year at the age of 38.”

This text was compiled by Captain Gore...

Saturday, October 2. Captain Gore required the officers of both ships to submit in writing their opinions on the course that should be taken to return to England. Today these recommendations were presented, and everyone agreed that it would be necessary to go east of Japan, stop at Macao in China to resupply supplies, and such a plan would be the most preferable for proceeding to our homeland. Winter was already approaching, and stormy weather was to be expected in the latitude of Japan, and it would not be safe to conduct surveys of the Japanese coast, much less to go west of Japan. Both ships were taken out of the harbor into Peter and Paul Bay...

Sunday, October 3. The anniversary of the coronation of the empress was celebrated by the Russians as a great holiday. Cannon salvoes were fired from the ships at long intervals, and gun salvos thundered on the shore for most of the day. At noon, the Resolution fired a salvo from 20 guns in honor of this event, and Captain Gore presented beef and rum to the officer and sergeant and celebrated with them on shore.

Monday, October 4th. Today the priest and his whole family were expected on the ship: they intended to pay a visit to Captain Gore. Gentlemen from both ships were invited to dinner on board the Resolution, in order to then take part in the evening dances which the priest wished to watch. In the evening he arrived with his wife and daughter. The sergeant's wife and all the Kamchadal women of the village came on board, and we had Russian, Kuril and Kamchadal dances, which were performed to the accompaniment of the violin of Evashkin, our translator. At the same time, a messenger arrived from Bolsheretsk with gifts for the commanders and officers of both ships (they gave us tea and sugar). A sloop arrived in Bolsheretsk from Okhotsk, and in a letter he wrote to his brother-in-law (D. Samwell writes incomprehensibly: in a letter he wrote to his brother-in-law. The pronoun he [he] can refer to anyone, but apparently we are talking about some resident of Okhotsk. - Note lane) , he reported that England and France were at war with each other and that the British had captured 50 French warships that helped the Americans, and he congratulated us on this victory. We didn’t know what to think about this, because the Russian language was little accessible to us and we weren’t sure that we understood everything correctly, but we believed that we had been captured merchant ships, although the Russians assured us that we were talking about warships. However, we had to be patient: after all, in a few months everything will become clearer for us. We were also told that Prince Orlov fell out of favor at court and was expelled from Russia, but the Russians themselves did not know where exactly 372 . The sergeant is going to Russia, and he will take with him the recommendations of Captain Clerk.

Tuesday, October 5th. The priest, his family and the sergeant and his wife dined at the Resolution. In the evening there was dancing. All Kamchadal residents, like last night, came on board.

Wednesday, October 6. After noon the priest said goodbye to us. There was a small volcanic eruption that continued into the afternoon.

Thursday, October 7. Tents and everything else were brought on board, as we intended to start tomorrow. Winter came here very quickly, the leaves flew away, the grass withered, and the country, so green at the time of our arrival, again took on a sad and deserted appearance. The mountains inland were covered with snow and it became very cold. A woman who, even in our first visit, had fled from her friends and lived with a drummer from the Discovery team in a tent, wanted to go with him to England.

Wednesday, August 25... At 9 o'clock [a.m.] Lieutenant James King arrived on board [Discovery], who took command of the ship, and former [Discovery] commander Captain John Gore took up his post on Resolution the late Captain Clerk. At the same time, Lieutenant John Williamson and Mr. William Lanyon came on board [the Discovery] to replace Lieutenants James Barney and John Rickman, who had been assigned to the Resolution...

Monday, August 30... At noon the body of Captain Charles Clerk was laid in the pinnace for subsequent burial, and the ship's bells rang on both ships. When the body was carried ashore from the pinnace, 12 cannon shots were fired from the ships at intervals of 40 seconds. At 12 o'clock 30 minutes later, when the body was buried, the Marine escort fired three salvos and the cannon salute ended.

Summer here [in Kamchatka] is very short and lasts a little more than four months: in October the country takes on a completely winter look: trees and bushes lose their foliage and the days become cold; I have no doubt that at the end of November and at the beginning of December the ground here is covered with snow.

We replenished the supply of water and fuel and, in terms of provisions, received everything that could be obtained in this place. After a tiring seven-week stay, we left the bay on October 10, 1779 and, since the weather was good, we surveyed the coast all the way to Cape Lopatka. This cape is the southern tip of Kamchatka and lies at latitude 50° N and longitude 155.5° O. Then our intentions were to survey the Kuril Islands, but due to contrary winds we were unable to see any of them. The northernmost of Kuril Islands visible [Shumshu Island] from Cape Lopatka; According to handwritten Russian maps, these islands are small, and there are eighteen of them in total, and the island chain extends SSW to the Yezo Islands [Hokkaido Island]. We also did not see the latter, since the wind was blowing from the W all the time and it was impossible to approach them. There are three of these islands, they are not very large and lie NW from Japan.

Due to the inaccuracy of old maps, Japan is usually considered to be one large island, when in fact it is a collection of a number of islands. But only three islands reach a significant size, and the rest are very small. They are located one next to the other and together are almost equal in area to Great Britain.

On October 24 we reached the NO tip of Nipon Island, the main Japanese islands and almost equal in size to the other two islands. This tip lies at latitude 40.5° N and longitude 141.5° O [Cape Syria - the extreme NO tip of the island of Honshu; latitude 41°26" N, longitude 141°28" O]. We were about 2 miles from a coast of moderate height and apparently very fertile. The land was well cultivated and divided into regular plots, and the overall picture was absolutely charming.

Since the winds were light, we moved along the coast slowly; the shore stretched towards S. Then the wind blew from the land, and since the current also went towards O, we were only able to observe this shore for two days. We saw two Japanese ships, but they were at a distance of 2-3 miles from us and did not come closer. Considering the speed at which they were going, it would be useless to catch up with them. We lay adrift for some time and, after giving a salute, raised our flags, but this had no effect, and the Japanese ships continued to follow towards the shore.

Three or four days later, with a fair wind, we approached the land 1.5 degrees south of the point at which we turned away from it. The shore was 3 or 4 leagues away from us.

The winds were light and calm, which prevented us from taking a survey of the coast when we headed further to the S. After two or three days we were again carried out to sea by the force of the current, and after a few days we noticed land at a distance of about 12 leagues and many ships near shores. This was the SO tip of the island, lying at latitude 35° N and longitude 140° O. Above it rose a very large pointed mountain, almost equal in height to the highest mountains we had ever seen before [Mount Fuji].

The current which rounded this cape was stronger than before, and carried us so far towards O that all our attempts to approach land again were in vain. Since winter was approaching, we headed S towards the coast of China. For several days there was a lot of ash in the air, which was probably emitted by one of the nearby volcanoes.

It was an unprecedentedly difficult passage: it was stormy all the time, squalls were accompanied by thunderstorms and rain, and the sea was extremely rough. On November 14 we passed the Sulfur Islands [Volcano Islands], lying in latitude 25° N and longitude 140.5° O. There are only three of them, they are small and uninhabited.

Captain Gore wanted to go to two or three small islands called Vashi Islands [Batan Islands], but we missed them because we did not know what their exact position was 373 .

Shortly before we reached the shore, the ships encountered a large reef. It was midnight in pitch darkness, and we heard the sound of the surf breaking on the reef when the ship was already on the sandbank extending from the rocks. We barely had time to jibe and head out to sea. In the morning we jibed again and walked along the southern tip of the reef. This reef is called Pratas and lies at latitude 22°42" N and longitude 116°44" O; declination 0.5° W 374 . This reef is round in shape, about 6 leagues in circumference, and off its western side lies a low sandy island 2 or 3 miles in extent, the shore of which appears to be approachable by boat.

On November 30th we approached the Lama Islands; this is a series of small islands lying near the Chinese coast 375 .

The captains, in accordance with Admiralty orders, requested that all gentlemen hand over to them their diaries, maps, sketches and any notes relating to this voyage. The sailors were also subjected to a thorough search. The purpose of this measure was to prevent the possibility of publication by anyone of reports of our discoveries, for such publication had to be carried out by persons appointed by their lordships, and in the form in which the latter considered it possible to publish it.

We rounded the southern tip of the island of Lama, and after three or four days anchored in the roadstead of Macao, and we all felt the greatest joy and satisfaction, since for three years no news had reached us from Europe. Just three years have passed since we left the Cape of Good Hope.

The next day we weighed anchor and headed for Tipa [Tai-pa - the old harbor of Macau]. This is a reliably sheltered harbor, although it is quite shallow (its depth is only 2.5-3 fathoms, the bottom is shell-like). It is large and is formed by four small islands lying at the entrance to the Canton River [Xijiang], and is located 24 leagues from Canton. We anchored about 4 miles from Macau, a small settlement belonging to the Portuguese. They own the citadel and all the fortifications, but mostly the Chinese live in the city, and they are not allowed to leave the small peninsula on which the Macau settlement is located. Macau lies at latitude 22°10" N and longitude 113°48" O.

Here we heard about the war with France - an event that was completely unexpected for us: after all, we were generally convinced that the American rebellion had long been suppressed 376 .

The Chinese supplied us with a wide variety of provisions, but their prices were very high. Captain King went to Wampa, where the ships of the British East India Company stopped, and acquired various ship supplies from a small brig, owned by one factor of that company; and, although there were nine company ships there, but - alas! - we received less than what we purchased in Kamchatka at one time. In addition to the usual ship work being done, we put the railings on the forecastle and quarterdeck in order and prepared the ships for combat, something we had never bothered with before. In exchange for the main anchor, we exchanged six four-pound guns on the company ship and increased the number of guns on the Resolution to 16 and to 10 on the Discovery. We sold the rest of our skins much more profitably than in Kamchatka; The Chinese were very willing to buy them and gave us from 50 to 70 dollars per skin, which is 11 pounds 5 shillings - 15 pounds 15 shillings, while we bought the skin for an ax or a saw. Two sailors from the Resolution escaped in the night in a six-oar skiff, and we heard nothing more about them.

Having stored water, repaired the rigging and caulked the sides, after a tiring six-week stay we put to sea and headed to S.

Having gone to sea, we sailed for eight days in a storm and bad weather until they reached the island of Pulo Condor. It is a small, high island, covered with forests, lying in latitude 8°39" N and longitude 106°19" O. We anchored in a beautiful harbor on its NW shore in a depth of 6 fathoms and stayed here a week. There are several Chinese families living here, and from them we bought eight or 10 buffaloes, as we needed beef for the ship's crews. We caught a lot of fish with nets and prepared fuel - for this purpose the place in which we stood was very convenient. In the depths of the bay, the shore is almost everywhere overgrown with mangroves, and there are an incredible number of monkeys in them. There is a small spring on the eastern bank, from which we took water for current needs.

On January 28 we went to sea and, having passed the Strait of Banks [Banca], on February 12 we dropped anchor on the SO shore of Princes Island [Panaitan] in the Sunda Strait at a depth of 26 fathoms; the bottom is thin sand. By all accounts, this is the hottest and unhealthy place on earth. Malays live here; and we bought a lot of fish and turtles from them at a reasonable price. We replenished our water supply from a stagnant pond; the water in it is unimportant. Having acquired here everything that could be obtained, on February 18 we reached the Cape of Good Hope.

On the passage to the Cape of Good Hope we were lucky: the weather was good and the winds, as a rule, were favorable. Only in the last two weeks have light winds blown and there have been calms, which is unusual for the seas off the cape, which often experience storms rather than calms. Two days before we reached land, we saw from the mast six ships sailing at a great distance from us and later learned that they were French warships, who cruised in these waters on their way to the island of St. Mauritius. But the fog thickened, and we saw these ships for only a few minutes. A little later we met big ship, which kept its distance for two or three days, and then descended towards us from the windward side. This ship seemed suspicious, and we drifted and prepared for battle. It approached us from the wind, raised the imperial flag and moved on. We also met a small ship of the East India Company, which was cruising here with orders for the flotilla returning to England. The rudder head on the Resolution was damaged, as a result of which the ship could not go around the Cape of Good Hope and enter Table Bay, and we were forced to enter False Bay, from which it is 16 miles by land to Table Bay. We arrived there on April 11 after an eight-week journey.

Here we learned about the war with Spain and received a declaration from the King of France to all commanders of French warships and ships, prohibiting us from interfering with our voyage or disturbing us. 377 . I was on board a French frigate captured by Admiral Keppel's flotilla and sent by the Admiralty for us in case of our return. We found here the ships of the East India Company, Nassau and Southampton, which did not dare to go to sea because of the French flotilla that we saw. Ten days later, the frigate Sybil entered Table Bay, and under its escort both ships set off for England.

Carpenters from both ships were making a new rudder for the Resolution, and the work was soon completed. Having repaired the ships and taken a sufficient amount of ship supplies and provisions, after a tiring month's stay, we set out to sea on May 9 and headed for the shores of England. On the 12th we lost sight of land. Three ships were seen at different times, but they did not come close to us.

On August 9 we entered the English Channel, and I believe that Captain Gore intended to proceed further through it, but this was apparently prevented by contrary winds. We sailed N towards the west coast of Ireland, in order to pass into Galway Bay, but the wind still blew from O, and we tacked off the coast for a week or 10 days, unable to approach land, although it was at a distance from us no more than 30 leagues. Having lost hope of entering Galway, we headed to the N and on August 21st we reached the islands lying off the western coast of Scotland. This was the first land we had seen since we left the Cape of Good Hope, and after making a most tedious passage, which took us three months, two weeks and three days. During our entire voyage, this was the longest passage during which we did not see land. The next day we entered the harbor of Stremness in the Orkney Islands, but the reason why we came here, when there was enough water on the ships and the winds allowed us to go around the island and go to the river [Thames], was known only to our commander 378 . The wind, favorable for us, lasted for six days, and then moved to SO and, blowing from this direction, did not allow us to continue sailing. Captain King was sent on a small ship to Aberdeen with maps, magazines, etc. to deliver all this to the Admiralty. During his absence, command of the Discovery was taken by Mr. Barney, the first assistant commander of the Resolution. Although we received a variety of provisions and the local residents received us with the greatest cordiality, but - alas - our stay in this place was tedious and difficult for us. After all, we could find out about our loved ones here with no more success than if we were in Tahiti.

We stayed here for a month and only when the right winds blew did we leave the Orkney Islands on September 20th in company with several merchant ships. Captain Gore intended to go up to Lyth, but the wind blew from the Firth, and we went along the coast. Two men from the Resolution crew died here - one of them participated in two of [Cook's] voyages, and the other, a Marine sergeant, went on these voyages three times 379 .

On September 30, we dropped anchor in the Yarmouth roadstead and there we took on new mooring lines - our old ones were completely worn out. After a stay of two days we weighed anchor and made for the River, and on the 7th October 1780 we moored at Woolwich, and the Resolution proceeded to Deptford. Both ships were immediately cleared, and the crews were given six times their full pay, and our men were released from military service, with the exception of the Marines, who were sent to their unit.

Captains Gore and King were confirmed in this rank, as were Mr. Barney, Mr. Williamson, navigators and commanders. All assistant navigators and midshipmen were promoted to lieutenants, and some sailors received the rank of non-commissioned officers.

Thus ended a long, tedious and unpleasant voyage that lasted four years and three months. During the voyage we lost only seven men to illness, and all of them served on the Resolution; three died on Discovery as a result of accidents. The list of these losses does not include the people who died with our great and unfortunate commander.