time as "sick on shore," and on 11th June 1760 was superseded by one John
Emerton. Soon after he was appointed third lieutenant of the Gosport, his
commission bearing date 1st April 1760, that is before he left the
Mercury. He was with his new ship at the recapture of St. John's,
Newfoundland, in 1762, with John Jervis, afterwards Lord St. Vincent, as
his Captain. In 1765 he was on the Wolf on the Jamaica station, and was
selected by Admiral Burnaby to carry despatches to the Governor of
Yucatan. This duty he successfully carried out, and in 1796 published a
pamphlet describing his adventures during the journey. On his return to
England he applied to the Duke of Newcastle for the command of a cutter,
and the letter is now in the British Museum, having been included in a
collection in mistake for one written by his celebrated namesake. There
is a certain similarity in the writing, but in the signature he writes
the Christian name as Jas, whilst Captain Cook usually wrote Jams. The
Mercury Cook was lieutenant of the Speedwell in 1773, and having had some
property left him in Jersey he received leave of absence in August. He
never rose above lieutenant, and disappears from the Navy List after July
1800.

A manuscript log kept by James Cook whilst Master's mate of the Eagle is
now in the possession of Mr. Alexander Turnbull of Wellington, New
Zealand.


CHAPTER 3. 1757 TO 1759. H.M.S. PEMBROKE.

Cook joined H.M.S. Solebay on the 30th July 1757 at Leith, where she was
then stationed, but the date of his warrant has not been ascertained,
although the Public Records and Trinity House have both been searched for
the purpose. His stay was not long, for after a cruise of a few days she