e expedition, and Cook says his idea of the transit of Venus was, "the
North Star passing through the South Pole. His own words." The crew were
accused of smuggling, and it was repeatedly asserted that the Endeavour
was not a king's ship. Parkinson, one of Mr. Banks's staff, says that
frequently some of them let themselves down from the cabin window at
midnight into a boat, and driving with the tide till they were out of
hearing of the guard boat established over them, rowed ashore and made
short excursions into the country, "though not so far as we could have
wished to have done."

Banks, speaking of the supplies obtained at Rio, says the beef was cheap
but very lean and dry; the bread tasted as if made with sawdust, and
justified its name of Farinha de Pao (wooden meal); the fruits, excepting
the oranges, were very indifferent, and he takes particular exception to
the banana, which he had not tasted before, it was not at all to his
liking. The water also was very bad, and the crew preferred what they had
brought with them, though it was very stale.

M. de Bougainville reports that when he visited Rio he was at first
received in a very friendly manner by this same Viceroy, but after a time
the treatment was altered, and he had to put up with even greater
insolence than Cook.

THE SECOND DEATH.

When the stores had been received on board, the anchor was weighed in
order to take up a more favourable position for making a start, but,
unfortunately, shortly after the ship got underway, a man named Peter
Flowers fell from the main-shrouds into the sea and was drowned before
assistance could be rendered: the second death since leaving England. The
next day the wind was contrary, but every one was so anxious to turn
their backs on the place that Cook ordered out the boats to tow, but they
were immediately brought up by a shot from the fort of Santa Cruz. A
remonstrance was sent ashore, and received the lame excuse that the
permit for leaving had been signed but had been delayed on its way, and
the officer in command could not allow the vessel to leave till it was
received. Another attempt to get away was soon after made, but the anchor
fouled a rock, and there was again delay; at length, on the 7th December,
they were able to make a start, discharge their pilot, and bid farewell
to the guard boat which had so constantly kept watch over them. They were
informed that an Englishman, named Foster, an officer in the Portuguese