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If you discover the Continent above-mentioned
either in your Run to the Southward or to the Westward as above directed,
You are to employ yourself diligently in exploring as great an Extent of
the Coast as you can; carefully observing the true situation thereof both
in Latitude and Longitude, the Variation of the Needle, bearings of Head
Lands, Height, direction and Course of the Tides and Currents, Depths and
Soundings of the Sea, Shoals, Rocks, &ca and also surveying and making
Charts, and taking Views of such Bays, Harbours and Parts of the Coast as
may be useful to Navigation.
You are also carefully to observe the Nature of
the Soil, and the Products thereof; the Beasts and Fowls that inhabit or
frequent it, the fishes that are to be found in the Rivers or upon the
Coast and in what Plenty; and in case you find any Mines, Minerals or
valuable stones you are to bring home Specimens of each, as also such
Specimens of the Seeds of the Trees, Fruits and Grains as you may be able
to collect, and Transmit them to our Secretary that We may cause proper
examination and Experiments to be made of them.
You are likewise to observe the Genius, Temper,
Disposition and Number of the Natives, if there be any, and endeavour by
all proper means to cultivate a Friendship and Alliance with them, making
them presents of such Trifles as they may Value, inviting them to
Traffick, and Shewing them every kind of Civility and Regard; taking Care
however not to suffer yourself to be surprized by them, but to be always
on your guard against any Accident.
You are also with the Consent of the Natives to
take possession of Convenient Situations in the Country in the name of the
King of Great Britain; or, if you find the Country uninhabited take
Possession for his Majesty by setting up Proper Marks and inscriptions, as
first discoverers and possessors.
But if you should fail of discovering the
Continent before-mention'd, you will upon falling in with New Zealand
carefully observe the Latitude and Longitude in which that Land is
situated, and explore as much of the Coast as the Condition of the Bark,
the health of her Crew, and the State of your Provisions will admit of,
having always great Attention to reserve as much of the latter as will
enable you to reach some known Port where you may procure a Sufficiency to
carry you to England, either round the Cape of Good Hope, or Cape Horn, as
from Circumstances you may judge the Most Eligible way of returning home.
You will also observe with accuracy the Situation
of such Islands as you may discover in the Course of your Voyage that have
not hitherto been discover'd by any Europeans, and take possession for His
Majesty and make Surveys and Draughts of such of them as may appear to be
of Consequence, without Suffering yourself however to be thereby diverted
from the Object which you are always to have in View, the Discovery of the
Southern Continent so often Mentioned.
But for as much as in an undertaking of this
nature several Emergencies may Arise not to be foreseen, and therefore not
particularly to be provided for by Instruction before hand, you are in all
such Cases, to proceed, as upon advice with your Officers you shall judge
most advantageous to the Service on which you are employed.
You are to send by all proper Conveyances to the
Secretary of the Royal Society Copys of the Observations you shall have
made of the Transit of Venus; and you are at the same time to send to our
Secretary, for our information, accounts of your Proceedings, and Copys of
the Surveys and drawings you shall have made. And upon your Arrival in
England you are immediately to repair to this Office in order to lay
before us a full account of your Proceedings in the whole Course of your
Voyage, taking care before you leave the Vessel to demand from the
Officers and Petty Officers the Log Books and Journals they may have Kept,
and to seal them up for our inspection, and enjoyning them, and the whole
Crew, not to divulge where they have been until they shall have Permission
so to do.
Excerpts from the
Royal Society Instructions |
| Hints
(from the Royal Society) offered to the consideration of Captain Cooke, Mr
Bankes, Doctor Solander, and the other Gentlemen who go upon the
Expedition on Board the Endeavour.
To exercise the utmost patience and forbearance
with respect to the Natives of the several Lands where the Ship may touch.
To check the petulance of the Sailors, and
restrain the wanton use of Fire Arms.
To have it still in view that sheding the blood
of those people is a crime of the highest nature:- They are human
creatures , the work of the same omnipotent Author, equally under His care
with the most polished European; perhaps being less offensive, more
entitled to His favor...
...As resistance may in some emergencies become
absolutely necessary for self defence:- Training the men to fire at a
mark, as was practised during one part of Lord Ansons voyage, and giving
premiums or conferring some mark of distinction upon those who are most
adroit, might have good effect, if it raised only emulation, without
animosity. The last by all means should be carefully avoided...
...From the reports handed about concerning some
of the late Expeditions, it should seem that upon one or two occasions,
some of the Natives had been wantonly killed without any just
provocation:- Particularly, a single man, who was killed in attempting to
Swim towards one of the Boats. -If this account be true there was not the
colour of a pretence for such a brutal Massacre:- A naked man in the water
could never be dangerous to a Boats Crew.
Ships of so small a rate, not being furnished
with Chaplains, it were to be wished that the Captain himself, would
sometimes perform that Office, and read prayers, especially on Sundays, to
the Crew; that they may be suitably impressed with a sense of their
continual dependance upon their Maker, and all who are able on board,
Passengers and others should be obliged to attend upon those occasions.
The primary object of the Expedition is to take a
correct observation of the Transit of Venus on the 3rd of June. - No time
therefore should be lost in getting to the station fixed upon for that
purpose, there being many preparatory operations absolutely requisite,
which may take up six weeks, or two months, previous to the day of the
transit.
(And so on ...) |
