to suffer
yourself to be surprised by them, but to be always on your guard against
any accidents.

You are also, with the consent of the natives, to take possession, in
the name of the King of Great Britain, of convenient situations in such
countries as you may discover, that have not already been discovered or
visited by any other European power, and to distribute among the
inhabitants such things as will remain as traces and testimonies of your
having been there; but if you find the countries so discovered are
uninhabited, you are to take possession of them for his majesty, by
setting up proper marks and inscriptions, as first discoverers and
possessors.

But forasmuch as, in undertakings of this nature, several emergencies
may arise not to be foreseen, and therefore not particularly to be
provided for by instructions before-hand, you are, in all such cases, to
proceed as you shall judge most advantageous to the service on which you
are employed.

You are, by all opportunities, to send to our secretary, for our
information, accounts of your proceedings, and copies of the surveys and
drawings you shall have made; and upon your arrival in England, you are
immediately to repair to this office, in order to lay before us a full
account of your proceedings in the whole course of your voyage, taking
care, before you leave the sloop, to demand from the officers and petty
officers the log-books and journals they may have kept, and to seal
them up for inspection; and enjoining them, and the whole crew, not to
divulge where they have been, until they shall have permission so to do:
And you are to direct Captain Clerke to do the same, with respect to the
officers, petty officers, and crew of the Discovery.

If any accident should happen to the Resolution in the course of the
voyage, so as to disable her from proceeding any farther, you are, in
such case, to remove yourself and her crew into the Discovery, and to
prosecute your voyage in her; her commander being hereby strictly
required to receive you on board, and to obey your orders, the same, in
every respect, as when you were actually on board the Resolution. And,
in case of your inability, by sickness or otherwise, to carry these
instructions into execution, you are to be careful to leave them with
the next officer in command, who is hereby required to execute them in
the best manner he can.

Given under our hands the 6th day of July, 1776,

SANDWICH,
C. SPE