genial weather and more profitable latitudes. All this time there was no
scurvy, and very little sickness of any kind; an indisputable proof of
the untiring supervision Cook exercised over the health of his men. The
object of his voyage, so far as the Southern Pacific was concerned, was
now accomplished, and Cook might have rounded Cape Horn, and made for the
Cape of Good Hope, completing his tour of the world in southern
latitudes; but such was not his idea of his duty. His own nervous words
will explain his feelings best:--

"We undoubtedly might have reached the Cape of Good Hope in April, and so
have put an end to the expedition so far as related to the finding of a
continent, which indeed was the first object of the voyage; but for me at
this time to have quitted this Southern Pacific Ocean with a good ship
expressly sent out on discoveries, a healthy crew, and not in want either
of stores or provisions, would have betrayed not only a want of
perseverance, but of judgment, in supposing the South Pacific Ocean to be
so well explored that nothing remained to be done in it. This, however,
was not my opinion; for, although I had proved there was no continent but
what must lie far to the south, there remained, nevertheless, room for
very large islands in places wholly unexamined, and many of those which
were formerly discovered are but imperfectly explored, and their
situation as imperfectly known. I was, besides, of opinion that my
remaining in this sea some time longer would be productive of
improvements in navigation and geography, as well as other sciences."

Cook mentions that, on communicating his intentions to his officers, they
all heartily concurred; and he adds, "Under such circumstances it is
hardly necessary to say that the seamen were always obedient and alert,
and they were so far from wishing the voyage at an end that they rejoiced
at the prospect of its being prolonged another year." This, be it