were thwarted by the continued hostility of the natives ; and he had to content himself with a voyage of six mouths duration round the coast, in which he traced the existence of a narrow channel dividing New Zealand into two large islands. From New Zealand he proceeded to Australia (then called New Holland), and on April 28 came in sight of Botany Bay. On account of the hostility of the natives his discoveries here also were confined to the coast, of which he took possession in the name of Great Britain. The prosecution of this voyage was attended with dangers which, on several occasions, threatened the entire loss of the ship and crew. From Australia Cook sailed to New Guinea, and thence to Batavia, where his ship, greatly
.shattered and disabled, had to put in for repairs.Arriving in England, on June 11, 1771, Cook was imme diately raised by the king to the rank of captain. Shortly after his return, the existence of a great southern continent began to be matter of renewed speculation, and Cook was again appointed to lead an exploratory expedition. For this purpose he was placed in command of the " Resolution," a ship of 4G2 tons burden, and a smaller ship called the "Adventure," with a complement in all of 193 men. Setting sail from Plymouth, July 13, 1772, he reached Madeira on the 29th of the same month, and after touch ing at the Cape of Good Hope, he explored the specified latitudes, but without discovering land. Satisfied that no land existed within the limits of his researches, he abandoned the investigation on the 17th January 1773, and sailed for New Zealand. After wintering among the Society Islands, he set out to make further explorations to the eastward ; and afterwards, steering northward, he navigated the southern tropic from Easter Island to the New Hebrides, and discovered the island named by him New Caledonia. After a third attempt he gave up all hope of finding land, and returned to England (July 30, 1774). He was immediately raissd to the rank of post-captain, appointed captain of Greenwich Hospital, and soon afterwards unani mously elected a member of the Royal Society, from which he received the Copley gold medal for the best experi mental paper which had appeared during the year.
The attention of Government having been turned to the discovery of a north-west passage in the Arctic regions, Cook volunteered to conduct the expedition, and his offer was gladly accepted. Two ships, the " Resolution " and the " Discovery," were speedily equipped and placed under his care. Cook s instructions were to sail first into the Pacific through the chain of the newly discovered islands which he had recently visited, and on reaching New Albion to proceed northward as far as latitude 65 and then to endeavour to find a passage to the Atlantic. Several ships were at the same time fitted out to attempt a passage on the other side from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. Setting sail from the Nore, June 25, 1776, he cruised for a considerable time in the South Pacific, dis covering several small islands ; and in the spring of 1777, judging it too far advanced in the season for attempt ing the navigation of the northern seas, he bore away to the Friendly Islands. Hero he continued for several months, and only set sail for the north in January 1778. On his passage from the Friendly Islands, he discovered a group which he named the Sandwich Islands, after the earl of Sandwich, who had taken great interest in the expedition. After circumnavigating these, and laying down their posi tion on a chart, Cook reached the coast of America in March 1778; and following the coast-line northward, penetrated into the bay afterwards known as Cook s Inlet. Disappointed of a passage in this direction, he sailed for Behring s Straits, where again he found the passage inter cepted by an impenetrable wall of ice. Returning to winter at the Sandwich Islands, he discovered Mowee (Maui) and Owhyhee or Hawaii, where he met his tragical death. During the night of the 13th February 1779, one of the " Discovery s " boats was stolen by the natives ; and Cook, in order to recover it, proceeded to put in force his usual expedient of seizing the person of the king until reparation should be made. Having landed on the following day, a scuffle ensued with the native?, which compelled the party of marines who attended him to retreat to their boats. Cook was the last to retire ; and as he was nearing the shore he received a blow from behind which felled him to the ground. He rose immediately, and vigorously resisted the crowds that pressed upon him ; but as the boats crews were able to render him no assistance, he was soon over powered (14th February 1779).
As a navigator, the merits of Captain Cook were of the very highest order. His commanding personal presence, his sagacity, decision, and perseverance enabled him to overcome all difficulties ; while his humanity and sym pathetic kindness rendered him a favourite with his crews. His valuable researches into the nature and use of anti scorbutic medicines proved of the greatest utility. The account of his first voyage was published under the care of Dr Hawkesvvorth, but his second was chronicled directly by himself. A narrative of his third voyage was published from his notes, by Lieutenant King. Distinguished honours were paid to his memory both at home and by foreign courts ; and a suitable pension was settled upon his widow.
COOK'S ISLANDS, or the Hervey Archipelago, a considerable cluster of islands in the South Pacific, lying between the Friendly Islands and the Society Islands, in 1GO W. long, and about 20 S. lat. They were discovered by Captain Cook in 1777, and in 1823 became the scene of the remarkable missionary labours of John Williams. The most important members of the group, which has a total area of about 300 square miles, are Mangeia, Raratonga, Aitutake, and Atiu. They are almost destitute of drinking water ; but abound in cocoa-palms, bread-fruit trees, and plantains. The inhabitants belong to the Malay race, and display great industry and skill in various manufactures. Their houses are well built, and have a pleasant appearance with their white walls of coral lime. The population of Raratonga is estimated at 2000, of Mangeia at 2300, of Aitutake at 1550, and of Atiu at 1200 or 1500.
COOKERY. In the condition in which man finds most of the natural substances used as food they are difficult of digestion. By the application of heat he can change the character of his food, and make it more palatable and more easily digestible. The application of heat to animal and vegetable substances for the purpose of attaining these objects constitutes the science and art of cookery. In numerable discussions have taken place among scientific, men as to the natural food of man. Too much importance is, perhaps, attached to meat, but it is now generally accepted that a mixed animal and vegetable diet is best.
as the potato, we find that in 1000 parts we have 760 of water, 200 parts of starch, and some mineral salts and albu minous compounds. In cooking the starch cells absorb water, and the greater number of them burst. This disin tegration of the starch cells is preparatory and necessary to more important changes. The starch in all vegetable substances must undergo a similar change before it can mix vith the various fluids developed in the mouth and the walls of the alimentary canal. Some of these fluids, such as the saliva and pancreatic fluid, change the starch into dextrin and then into glucose or grape sugar, and this change appears necessary before the carbon and hydrogen can be oxidized. Without the preliminary operation of cooking
this change would in all cases be imperfect and often impossible ; and the thorough cooking of all starchy foods is
