in's return before Cook sailed, with the news of the discovery of
Tahiti and its friendly inhabitants, caused this island to be finally
selected.

The exact text of Cook's orders cannot be given. They were secret orders;
but, curiously enough, while the covering letter, which enjoined him to
show them to nobody, which is dated July 30th, 1768, is duly entered in
Admiralty Records, the orders themselves, which should follow in the
letter book, are omitted. They have never been published. Nevertheless,
we can gather what they were.

Cook, in the published account of his Second Voyage, says he had
instructions to proceed directly to Tahiti, and afterwards to prosecute
the design of making discoveries in the Pacific by proceeding southward
to the latitude of 40 degrees, and if he did not find land to continue
his voyage to the west till he fell in with New Zealand, which he was
directed to explore, and thence to return to England by such route as he
should judge most convenient.

Precautions against the terrible scourge, scurvy, had not been forgotten.

Besides the supply of all anti-scorbutics then known, a special letter
was written to Cook directing him to take a quantity of malt to sea, for
the purpose of being made into wort, as a cure for scorbutic disorders,
as recommended by Dr. McBride.

The directions for its use were as follows:--

"The malt must be ground under the direction of the surgeon, and made
into wort, fresh every day, in the following manner:--

"1. Take one quart of ground malt, and pour on it three quarts of boiling
water. Stir them well, and let the mixture stand close covered up for
three or four hours, after which strain off the liquor.

"2. The wort, so prepared, is then to be boiled into a panada, with sea
biscuit or dried fruits generally carried to sea.

"3. The patient must make at least two meals a day of the said panada,
and should drink a quart or more of the fresh infusion as it may agree
with him, every twenty-four hours.

"4. The surgeon is to keep an exact account of its effects."

Though it is somewhat anticipating events, it is convenient to record
here the result of these efforts to defeat the hitherto unconquerable
enemy. Mr. Perry's report at the termination of the voyage is as
follows:--

"Sour krout, mustard, vinegar, wheat, inspissated orange and lemon
juices, saloup, portable soup, sugar, molasses, vegetables (at all times
when they could be got) were, some in con