nted all their guns; but Captain Gore being informed, at the same
time, that the French had issued orders to their cruisers that the ships
under the command of Captain Cook should be treated as belonging to
neutral or friendly powers, resolved himself to preserve, throughout the
remainder of the voyage, the strictest neutrality.

The expedition left Macao on January 12, 1780, and on the 20th anchored
in a harbour of Pulo Condore. Here a supply of buffaloes was obtained.
They were large animals, and very wild. Two were kept on board the
Discovery by Captain King, who intended to take them to England. They
soon became perfectly tame, but, unfortunately, one of them suffered a
severe injury, and both were killed.

On leaving Pulo Condore the ships passed through the Straits of Banca,
in sight of the island of Sumatra. The Resolution brought up off the
island of Cracatoa, in the Straits of Sunda, and filled up her casks
with water, which the Discovery was unable to do, in consequence of
being becalmed. On reaching Cape Town the English were treated with the
same kindness and attention which they had received on their former
visits. Here they obtained confirmation of the intelligence that the
French had given directions to their cruisers not to molest them.
Having taken their stores on board, they sailed out of Table Bay on May
9, and on June 12 passed the equator for the fourth time during their
voyage.

The ships made the coast of Ireland on August 12, but southerly winds
compelled them to run to the north. On October 4 the ships arrived at
the Nore, after an absence of four years, two months, and twenty-two
days. During that time the Resolution had lost but five men by
sickness, three of whom were in a precarious state of health when
leaving England, while the Discovery did not lose a man. It is
remarkable that during the whole time they were at sea the ships never
lost sight of each other for a day together, except twice; the first
time owing to an accident which happened to the Discovery off the coast
of Owhyhee, and the second to the fogs that were met with at the
entrance of Awatska Bay. A stronger proof cannot be given of the skill
and vigilance of the subaltern officers, to whom the merit of this
entirely belonged.

The death of Captain Cook was already known in England by means of the
despatches sent home through Major Behm. All that a nation could do was
done to testify respect for his memory. His