On the way down the river from Quebec, the fleet appears to have found
the passage very difficult, the dangers of the Channel being aggravated
by the strength of the current and bad weather. The Captain, Vesuvius,
and Royal William were aground for some time, but were ultimately got off
again without much damage; and the Terrible, which was drifting and in
great danger, was only brought up by means of an anchor constructed for
the occasion by lashing one of the quarter-deck guns to two small
anchors. When her large anchors were hauled up they were found to be
broken; and so great was the loss of these articles that Lord Colville
was obliged to press the Admiralty for a fresh supply to be sent out
immediately, as he found it impossible to replace those lost in the
Traverse either at Boston or any other place in America.
RELIEF OF QUEBEC.
Colville's squadron arrived in Halifax on 27th October, Cook's
thirty-first birthday, and as soon as the winter was over, and the ships
were cleaned and fitted for sea as well as the limited appliances would
permit, it left for the St. Lawrence, sailing on 22nd April 1760, but was
"so retarded by frozen fogs, seas of compacted ice, and contrary winds,"
that it did not arrive off the Ile de Bic before 16th May. Here they were
met by a sloop with the news that Quebec was in urgent need of help.
General Murray, hearing of the approach of General de Levis, with a
French force, had left the shelter of the forts, and notwithstanding he
was greatly outnumbered, had offered battle in the open. He had at first
chosen a strong position, but hearing from spies that the French were
busy cleaning their arms after being caught in a heavy storm the night
before, he advanced upon them, and owing to the sudden attack and the
superiority of his artillery, at first gained a considerable advantage,
but afterwards the weight of numbers told, and the British were forced to
retire to the town with sadly reduced numbers, and Quebec was again
besieged. On receipt of this news Colville pushed on with his squadron,
and the arrival of the Vanguard and Diamond on the 17th, followed by the
Northumberland and the remainder on the next day, caused the French to
retire.
During the next four months the fleet passed an uneventful time in the
Canadian waters, the flagship being moored in the Basin, and then on the
12th September they received the acceptable news that Montreal and the
rest of the province of New France had surrendered to General Amherst,
and on 10th October the squadron again returned to Halifax to winter
quarters.
On 19th January 1761, Lord Colville records in his Journal that he had
"directed the storekeeper to pay the Master of the Northumberland, fifty
pounds in consideration of his indefatigable industry in making himself
master of the pilotage of the River St. Lawrence." This is the first
official recognition that has been found of the fact that Cook had gone
beyond the ordinary duties incumbent on every Master in His Majesty's
Service, namely: "To observe all coasts, shoals, and rocks, taking
careful notes of the same." There is no record in any of the official
documents that Cook was specially engaged in surveying the river, but it
is very evident from this entry that he must have done the work during
the four months that his ship was moored in the Basin of Quebec. That is
to say, his promotion to the Northumberland was previous to, and not a
consequence of his survey of the river, and that it was on account of his
fitness for the work, and not because it had been done, as is constantly
asserted, that he had been selected.
THE NORTH AMERICAN PILOT.
Admiral Saunders had issued orders the previous year, that the general
instructions of the Admiralty as to taking observations, soundings, and
bearings were to be carefully carried out, and the information obtained
was, as opportunity offered, to be forwarded to him "so that all existing
charts may be corrected and improved." This information, in the ordinary
course, would be handed to Mr. Bissett, the Master of the flagship, for
comparison and compilation, and he, knowing Cook's fitness for the work,
may have asked for his assistance and thus introduced him to the notice
of Saunders, noted for his quick eye for merit, who, seeing his aptitude,
selected him for the completion of the task. Saunders, after his return
to England, wrote to the Secretary of the Admiralty, on 22nd April 1760,
saying that he had, ready for publication, a Draught of the River St.
Lawrence with its harbours, bays, and islands, and asked for their
Lordships' directions thereon. With their Lordships' approval it was
published, and may be found at the end of The North American Pilot,
London, 1775, together with other maps, some of which are Cook's work. At
the commencement of the book is a letter from Cook to the compiler of the
volume, congratulating him on the collection, and referring to the fact
that some of the charts contain his work, but he does not lay claim to
any special ones. On Saunders' chart there is a long note which
concludes:
"The distances between Isle Coudre and Isle of Orleans, the Pillar Rocks
and Shoals in the south channel were accurately determined by triangles.
The other parts of this chart were taken from the best French Draughts of
this River."
It is doubtful if this triangulation could have been carried out by Cook
during his passage up and then down the river, the only time he had in
1759, but if it were, it argues much greater knowledge of nautical
surveying than he is generally supposed to have had at the time.
During the winters that the Northumberland stayed in Halifax Harbour,
Cook employed his spare time in improving his knowledge of all subjects
that were likely to be of service to him in his profession. He read
Euclid for the first time, and entered upon a study of higher
mathematics, especially devoting himself to astronomy. King in his sketch
of Cook's life, says, on the authority of the man himself, that these
studies were carried on "without any other assistance than what a few
books and his own industry afforded him."
At the opening of the season, Lord Colville dispersed his squadron to
those stations where their services appeared most necessary, and remained
with his ship at Halifax, as it was considered inadvisable to leave such
an important naval post open to attack from the French or the Spaniards.
He had been advised by despatches, dated 26th December 1761, that war had
been declared with the latter nation. During this period of waiting the
words "nothing remarkable" are in constant use in Captain Adams's (the
second Captain of the Northumberland) Journal. Cook utilised this time to
make a thorough survey of Halifax Harbour, the notes of which are now in
the United Service Museum, Whitehall.
At length the period of inaction was ended. Captain Charles Douglas,
H.M.S. Syren, who was cruising off Cape Race, received information that a
squadron of four French ships of the line, having some 1500 picked troops
on board, had made a descent on Newfoundland, and had captured St.
John's, the capital, which had been most shamefully neglected, and its
garrison reduced to 63 men. The Grammont, 22-gun sloop, was unfortunately
in harbour at the time, and was also taken. Douglas at once pressed two
English merchant vessels into the service, and putting a petty officer in
command of one, the William, and his Master in the other, the Bonetta,
despatched them to cruise in search of Captain Graves, the reappointed
Governor of Newfoundland, who was daily expected from England. The
Bonetta soon fell in with the Antelope, Graves's ship, and she
immediately joined Douglas, and then proceeded to strengthen the Isle of
Boys as far as time would allow. Then going to Placentia, a place of as
much importance as St. John's, and more capable of defence, they set
about making preparations to beat off any attack, leaving a garrison of
99 men and as many marines as could be spared. Graves then despatched
Douglas with the remainder of the Syren's marines to take possession of
Ferryland, and sent the ship herself off with letters to Lord Colville,
but the William having missed the Antelope, made her way to Halifax with
the news of what had occurred.
RECAPTURE OF ST. JOHN'S.
Colville at once sent word to General Amherst, Commander-in-Chief in
America, asking him to forward any troops he could spare, and started,
accompanied by the Gosport, and an armed colonial vessel, the King
George, 20 guns, to cruise off the Newfoundland coast in order to prevent
the arrival of French reinforcements or supplies. He met Graves at
Placentia on 14th August, and landed all the marines he could, and then
continued his cruise. Amherst collected every available man from New
York, Halifax, and Louisberg, and putting them under the command of his
brother, Colonel William Amherst, ordered him to use every despatch and
join Lord Colville without delay. This the Colonel succeeded in doing on
12th September off Cape Spear, and the next day they landed at Torbay,
some three leagues north of St. John's. They drove in the French outposts
and took possession of a small harbour named Quidi Vidi, which had been
blocked at the entrance by the French. Clearing away the obstructions
they landed their stores and some artillery, and advancing on St. John's,
compelled its surrender on the 17th. Notwithstanding that, as Captain
Graves reported, "the French had put St. John's in a better state of
defence than ever we had it in."
On the 16th a strong gale blew the English ship some distance off the
coast, and was followed by a thick fog, during which the French squadron
managed to tow out of the harbour, but were in such a hurry to get away
that they did not stop to pick up their boats and immediately made sail,
being so far out of reach in the morning, that though some of them were
seen by the British, it was not realised that they could be the French
escaping from a squadron inferior in strength. Lord Colville, writing to
the Admiralty, says:
"At six next morning it being calm with a great swell, we saw from the
masthead, but could not bring them down no lower than halfway to topmast
shrouds, four sail bearing South-South-East, distance 7 leagues. We lost
sight about seven, though very clear, and sometime after a small breeze
springing up from the South-West quarter, I stood towards Torbay in order
to cover the shallops that might be going from thence to Kitty Vitty. In
the afternoon I received a note from Colonel Amherst, acquainting me that
the French fleet got out last night. Thus after being blocked up in St.
John's Harbour for three weeks by a squadron of equal number, but smaller
ships with fewer guns and men, M. de Ternay made his escape in the night
by a shameful flight. I beg leave to observe that not a man in the
squadron imagined the four sail, when we saw them, were the enemy; and
the pilots were of opinion that they must have had the wind much stronger
than with us to overcome the easterly swell in the harbour's mouth. I
sent the King George as far as Trepassy, to bring me intelligence if the
enemy should steer towards Placentia; and I directed Captain Douglas of
the Syren to get the transports moved from Torbay, a very unsafe road, to
the Bay of Bulls."
As soon as information was received in England that an expedition had
been sent from France, the Admiralty despatched a squadron under Captain
Pallisser in pursuit, and as it arrived in St. John's only four days
after M. de Ternay left, they must have been very close to a meeting.
COOK MEETS COOK.
Whilst the movements leading up to the recapture of St. John's were being
carried on, communication between Colville and Amherst was kept up by the
boats of the fleet under the charge of the third lieutenant of H.M.S.
Gosport, Mr. James Cook, formerly Master of H.M.S. Mercury, who performed
this duty to the complete satisfaction of Lord Colville as signified in
his despatches to the Admiralty. It is certain, therefore, that the two
namesakes must have come face to face here, and most probably previously
in Halifax Harbour.
Entering St. John's Harbour on 19th September, the flagship remained till
7th October, during which time Cook was very busily employed in assisting
to place the island in a better state of defence. In a despatch of Lord
Colville's, dated "Spithead, 25th October 1762," he says:
"I have mentioned in another letter, that the fortifications on the
Island of Carbonera were entirely destroyed by the enemy. Colonel Amherst
sent thither Mr. Desbarres, an engineer, who surveyed the island and drew
a plan for fortifying it with new works: when these are finished the
Enterprise's six guns will be ready to mount on them. But I believe
nothing will be undertaken this year, as the season is so far advanced,
and no kind of materials on the spot for building barracks or sheds for
covering the men, should any be sent there. Mr. Cook, Master of the
Northumberland, accompanied Mr. Desbarres. He has made a draught of
Harbour Grace and the Bay of Carbonera, both of which are in a great
measure commanded by the Island, which lies off a point of land between
them. Hitherto we have had a very imperfect knowledge of these places,
but Mr. Cook, who was particularly careful in sounding them, has
discovered that ships of any size may lie in safety both in Harbour Grace
and the Bay of Carbonera."
Mr. Desbarres's design for the fortification of Carbonera, drawn by John
Chamberlain, dated 7th April 1763, is to be found in the British Museum;
he was afterwards Governor of Cape Breton.
On the return of the Northumberland to Spithead, where she arrived on
24th October, her Master, James Cook, was discharged, the Muster Roll
merely noting "superseded" on 11th November, and the pay sheet records
the deductions from his wages as: "Chest, 2 pounds 1 shilling 0 pence;
Hospital, 1 pound 0 shillings 6 pence. Threepence in the pound, 3 pounds
14 shillings 9 pence," leaving a balance due of 291 pounds 19 shillings 3
pence. He also received from Lord Colville for the Secretary to the
Admiralty the following letter which shows the estimation he was held in
by his immediate superiors, and would doubtless be of weight when the
appointment of a man to execute greater undertakings came under the
consideration of their Lordships.
London, 30th December 1762.
Sir,
Mr. Cook, late Master of the Northumberland, acquaints me that he has
laid before their Lordships all his draughts and observations relating to
the River St. Lawrence, part of the coast of Nova Scotia, and of
Newfoundland.
On this occasion I beg to inform their Lordships that from my experience
of Mr. Cook's genius and capacity, I think him well qualified for the
work he has performed and for greater undertakings of the same kind.
These draughts being made under my own eye, I can venture to say they may
be the means of directing many in the right way, but cannot mislead any.
I am, sir, your most obedient and most humble servant,
Colville.
MARRIAGE.
Before the close of the year Cook took upon himself further
responsibilities as set forth in the following extract from the register
of St. Margaret's Church, Barking, Essex:
"James Cook of ye Parish of St. Paul, Shadwell, in ye County of
Middlesex, Bachelor, and Elizabeth Batts, of ye parish of Barking in ye
County of Essex, Spinster, were married in this Church by ye Archbishop
of Canterbury's Licence, this 21st day of December, one thousand seven
hundred and sixty-two, by George Downing, Vicar of Little Wakering,
Essex."
Besant, who obtained his information from Mrs. Cook's second cousin, the
late Canon Bennett, who as a boy knew her well, speaks most highly of her
mental qualities and personal appearance, and says the union appears to
have been a very happy one. It covered a period of about sixteen years;
but taking into consideration the times he was away on duty, sometimes
for long periods, Cook's home life in reality only extended to a little
more than four years, and Mrs. Cook must often have been months,
sometimes years, without even hearing of the existence of her husband.
Her family were fairly well-to-do; her grandfather, Mr. Charles Smith,
was a currier in Bermondsey; her cousin, also Charles Smith, was a
clockmaker of repute in Bunhill Row. Her mother, Mary Smith, married
first John Batts of Wapping, and secondly, John Blackburn of Shadwell.
Miss Batts is described as of Barking in the Marriage Register, so may
perhaps have been living with relations there, and may have met Cook when
on a visit to her mother in Shadwell, where he was residing. The
engagement must have been very short, for from the time of his joining
the Navy in 1755 to his return from Newfoundland in 1762, his leave on
shore had been very limited, and, with the exception perhaps of a day or
two between leaving the Eagle and joining the Solebay, and again when
leaving the latter ship for the Pembroke, none of his time was spent in
London. There is a story that he was godfather to his wife, and at her
baptism vowed to marry her, but as at that time, 1741, Cook was assisting
his father on Airy Holme Farm, the tale is too absurd, but has for all
that been repeatedly published.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Cook lived for a time in Shadwell, and
then removed to Mile End Old Town, where Cook purchased a house, which
was their home till after his death. This house, which he left to his
wife, has been identified as Number 88 Mile End Road, and a tablet has
been placed on the front to mark the fact.