guishes himself in nothing more
than in preserving his men from wet and the other injuries of the
weather. These were most essential points with this humane commander. In
the torrid zone he shaded his people from the scorching sun by an awning
over his deck, and in his course under the antarctic circle he had a coat
provided for each man, of a substantial woollen stuff, with the addition
of a hood for covering their heads. This garb (which the sailors called
their Magellan jacket) they occasionally wore, and found it more
comfortable for working in rain and snow, and among the broken ice in the
high latitudes of the South.

Let us proceed to another article, one of the most material, the care to
guard against putrefaction, by keeping clean the persons, the cloaths,
bedding, and berths of the sailors. The Captain acquainted me, that
regularly, one morning in the week, he passed his ship's company in
review, and saw that every man had changed his linen, and was in other
points as clean and neat as circumstances would permit. It is well known
how much cleanliness is conducive to health, but it is not so obvious how
much it also tends to good order and other virtues. That diligent officer
was persuaded (nor was perhaps the observation new) that such men as he
could induce to be more cleanly than they were disposed to be of
themselves, became at the same time more sober, more orderly, and more
attentive to their duty. It must be acknowledged that a seaman has but
indifferent means to keep himself clean, had he the greatest inclination
to do it; for I have not heard that commanders of ships have yet availed
themselves of the _still_ for providing fresh water for washing; and it
is well known that sea-water doth not mix with soap, and that linen wet
with brine never thoroughly dries. But for Captain Cook, the frequent
opportunities he had of taking in water among the islands of the
South-Sea, enabled him in that tract to dispense to his ship's company
some fresh water for every use; and when he navigated in the high
latitudes of the Southern Oceans, he still more abundantly provided them
with it, as you will find by the sequel of this discourse.

Of the hammocks and bedding I need say little, as all officers are now
sensible, how much it concerns the health of their people to have this
part of a ship's furniture kept dry and well-aired; since by the
perspiration of so many men, every thing below, even in the space of
twenty-f