to Australia.

Dampier published a most interesting account of all his travels in
different parts of the world, and his book was for a long time the
standard book of travels. Defoe used the materials it contained for his
celebrated novel, _Robinson Crusoe_. But it turned away the tide of
discovery from Australia; for those who read of the beautiful islands
and rich countries Dampier had elsewhere visited would never dream of
incurring the labour and expense of a voyage to so dull and barren a
spot as Australia seemed to be from the description in his book. Thus we
hear of no further explorations in this part of the world until nearly a
century after; and, even then, no one thought of sending out ships
specially for the purpose.

#8. Captain Cook.#--But in the year 1770 a series of important discoveries
was indirectly brought about. The Royal Society of London, calculating
that the planet Venus would cross the disc of the sun in 1769, persuaded
the English Government to send out an expedition to the Pacific Ocean
for the purpose of making observations which would enable astronomers to
calculate the distance of the earth from the sun. A small vessel, the
_Endeavour_, was chosen; astronomers with their instruments embarked,
and the whole placed under the charge of James Cook, a sailor whose
admirable character fully merited this distinction. At thirteen he had
been a shopkeeper's assistant, but, preferring the sea, he had become an
apprentice in a coal vessel. After many years of rude life in this
trade, during which he contrived to carry on his education in
mathematics and navigation, he entered the Royal Navy, and by diligence
and honesty rose to the rank of master. He had completed so many
excellent surveys in North America, and, besides, had made himself so
well acquainted with astronomy, that the Government had no hesitation in
making their choice. That it was a wise one, the care and success of
Cook fully showed. He carried the expedition safely to Tahiti, built
fortifications, and erected instruments for the observations, which were
admirably made. Having finished this part of his task, he thought it
would be a pity, with so fine a ship and crew, not to make some
discoveries in these little-known seas. He sailed south for a time
without meeting land; then, turning west, he reached those islands of
New Zealand which had been first seen by Tasman. But Cook made a far
more complete exploration than had been possible