Lieutenant Cook, having laid in a fresh stock of beef, water, and
wine, set sail from the island of Madeira, in the night of the 18th of
September, and proceeded on his voyage. By the 7th of November several
articles of the ship's provisions began to fall short; for which
reason, the lieutenant determined to put into Rio de Janeiro. This
place he preferred to any other port in Brazil or to Falkland's
Islands, because he could there be better supplied with what he
wanted, and had no doubt of meeting with a friendly reception.

During the run between Madeira and Rio de Janeiro, Lieutenant Cook and
the gentlemen in the Endeavour had an opportunity of determining a
philosophical question. On the evening of the 29th of October, they
observed that luminous appearance of the sea which has so often been
mentioned by navigators, and which has been ascribed to such a variety
of causes. Flashes of light appeared to be emitted, exactly resembling
those of lightning, though without being so considerable; and such was
the frequency of them, that sometimes eight or ten were visible almost
at the same moment. It was the opinion of Mr. Cook and the other
gentlemen, that these flashes proceeded from some luminous animal; and
their opinion was confirmed by experiment.

At Rio de Janeiro, in the port of which Lieutenant Cook came to an
anchor on the 13th of November, he did not meet with the polite
reception that, perhaps, he had too sanguinely expected. His stay was
spent in continual altercations, with the viceroy, who appeared not a
little jealous of the designs of the English: nor were all the
attempts of the lieutenant to set the matter right, capable of
producing any effect. The viceroy was by no means distinguished either
by his knowledge or his love of science; and the grand object of Mr.