Majesty's Ships, The Resolution And
Discovery, On The Death Of Captain James Cook, Who
Was Unfortunately Killed By The Natives
At An Island In The South Sea
On The 14TH Of February In The Year 1779,
And Died At Sea Of A Lingering Consumption The
22ND August In The Same Year, Aged 38.

* * * * *

"Copie sur l'inscription Angloise par ordre de M^r le C^{te} de la
Perouse chef d'Escadre, en 1787.

"This plate La Perouse caused to be nailed on the wooden monument. We
found it there, although it had more than once been removed. The
monument itself, however, appeared to promise but short duration; for
the tree, which was more than half decayed, could not stand above a
few years longer, and it was become necessary to raise a more durable
one to Cook's companion. We also found the coffin, containing the
remains of De Lisle de la Croyere, as we were digging up the ground, a
few paces from Clerke's tomb, after having long sought for it in vain.
La Perouse had erected a monument to him also; and, upon a copper-
plate, had engraved an inscription, containing a few of the
particulars of his life. Of this there was not the least vestige
remaining, though no longer space than eighteen years had since
elapsed. The _memento_ of these two persons, equally skilled in the
science of navigation, and who had both lost their lives in one of the
most inhospitable quarters of the globe, could now be united in one
monument; and, for this purpose, a durable pedestal of wood was
erected as near as possible to the old tree, in order still to
preserve the locality; and over this a pyramid; on one side of which,
the plate, which La Perouse had engraved, was fastened; and on the
opposite side, a copy of Captain Clerke's escutcheon, made for the
occasion by M. Tilesius. On the other two sides were the following
inscriptions, in Russian: 'In the first voyage round the world,
undertaken by the Russians, under the command of Captain Krusenstern,
the officers of the ship Nadeshda erected this monument to the memory
of the English captain, Clerke, on the 15th September 1805.'

"And on the side facing the south: 'Here rest the ashes of De Lisle de
la Croyere, the astronomer attached to the expedition commanded by
Commodore Behring, in the year 1741.'