where he thinks he may have fallen into error, and gives his reasons for
so thinking, and the opinions of others are worth recording.

A DULL SAILOR.

Admiral Wharton says:

"Never has a coast been as well laid down by a first explorer, and it
must have required unceasing vigilance and continual observation in fair
weather and foul, to arrive at such a satisfactory conclusion, and with
such a dull sailor as the Endeavour was, the six and a half months
occupied in the work (2,400 miles of coast) must be counted as a short
interval in which to do it."

M. Crozet, second to M. Marion du Fresne in command of the French
expedition that was out in the following year, says:

"As soon as I obtained information of the voyage of Cook, I carefully
compared the chart I had prepared of that part of the coast of New
Zealand along which we had coasted, with that prepared by Captain Cook
and his officers. I found it of an exactitude and of a thoroughness of
detail which astonished me beyond all power of expression. I doubt
whether our own coasts of France have been delineated with more
precision. I think therefore that I cannot do better than to lay down our
track of New Zealand on the chart prepared by the celebrated English
navigator."

CHAPTER 10. 1770. AUSTRALIA.

The next thing to be done was to decide the course to be taken towards
England. Cook would have liked to have returned by the Horn and thus
settle the existence or non-existence of a large body of land in the
South Pacific, but the time of year and the condition of his ship
suggested that would be to court disaster. The same reasons held good
against a direct course to the Cape of Good Hope, with the added
disadvantage of there being no probability of any fresh discoveries, as
that part of the Ocean had been frequently traversed.

"It was therefore resolved to return by way of the East Indies by the
following route. Upon leaving this coast to the Westward until we fall in
with the East coast of New Holland, and then to follow the direction of
that coast to the Northward or what other direction it might take us,
until we arrive at its Northern extremity; and if it should be found
impracticable then to Endeavour to fall in with the Land or Islands
discovered by Quiros."

This extract from Cook's Journal shows that he made no claim to the
discovery of Australia, and settles the stupid story that his connection
with the discovery of the east coast was an accide