she was allowed to remain to drop to pieces. Enquiries into this
story gave satisfactory results, and a box made from her timbers was
presented to J. Fennimore Cooper, the American author, with letters
authenticating, as far as possible, the vessel from which the wood had
been taken. Miss Cooper mentions this box in her preface to her father's
Red Rover, and several other relics of the old ship are still to be found
in the neighbourhood of Newport.

CHAPTER 12. 1771. PREPARATIONS FOR SECOND VOYAGE.

After reporting himself to the Admiralty on his arrival in England, Cook
proceeded to his home at Mile End Old Town, where he was for some time
employed in completing his Charts and Journals, and on 14th August, the
Annual Register announces, he was introduced to His Majesty at St.
James's, when he:

"presented his Journal of his Voyage, with some curious maps and charts
of different places that he had drawn during the voyage; he was presented
with a captain's commission."

He also found time to write two long and instructive letters to his old
master and good friend, Mr. John Walker of Whitby, which are to be found
in Dr. Young's work. They give a rapid glance at the different places
visited, with a few pithy remarks as to their peoples and productions;
mention the pleasing reception he had from the king, and he alludes to
the probability of being despatched on a second voyage with two ships.

Edgeworth, in his Memoirs, states that about this time Cook was a
frequent visitor at Denham Place, the home of Mr. Louis Way, F.R.S., but
as that gentleman died in this year, and Edgeworth also refers to events
of a later date as occurring at the same time, it is more probable that
these visits were paid after the Second Voyage to Mr. Benjamin Way, also
F.R.S., and a Director of the South Sea Company. In another place
Edgeworth infers that Banks, Solander, and Cook were members of a club
which met at Slaughter's Coffee House in 1765. Of course, this is an
error, for Cook was then engaged in Newfoundland, and unknown to the
Royal Society, whose members composed the club spoken of; in fact, Cook,
though a frequent guest in after times, was never a member of the Royal
Societies Club.

Fanny Burney (Madame d'Arblay) says that in September her father, Dr.
Charles Burney, spent a few days at Hinchinbroke, Lord Sandwich's place,
in order to meet Cook, Banks, and Solander, and it is evident that the
second voyage had been resolved o