to
England, he married Miss Elizabeth Batts, a young lady of respectable
family. By her he had six children, three of whom died in their
infancy. His last visit to Newfoundland was as marine surveyor, in
1767. After the establishment of peace between England and France, two
expeditions had been fitted out to circumnavigate the globe, one under
Lord Byron, and the other under Captains Carteret and Wallis. Before
the return of the latter commanders, a new expedition was designed for
the purpose of observing the transit of Venus, which had been calculated
by astronomers would occur in 1760. Various parts of the Pacific were
talked of as most suitable; but before the expedition was ready, Captain
Wallis returned and recommended King George's Island or Otaheite as the
most eligible situation for observing the approaching transit.

After various persons had been proposed to command the expedition, the
Secretary of the Admiralty named Cook; and Sir Hugh Palliser, who was
applied to, strongly recommending him, he was at once appointed.

Instead of selecting a frigate or larger ship, Sir Hugh Palliser chose
the _Endeavour_, a bark of three hundred and seventy tons, built for a
collier, as more suitable for the purpose, as she could, from her build,
carry ample provisions and stores, could run into shallow water, and
might be laid on shore to be repaired without risk.

She was at once carried into a basin in Deptford yard, and Lieutenant
Cook received his commission as commander. She was fitted with ten
carriage and ten swivel guns, and those appointed to sail on board her
numbered, in addition to the commander, his officers, and scientific
men, forty-one able seamen, twelve marines, and nine servants, making
altogether eighty-five persons. She was victualled for eighteen months.
One of the chief promoters of the expedition was Mr Banks, afterwards
Sir Joseph Banks, President of the Royal Society, who obtained
permission to join the expedition. He took with him Dr Solander, a
Swedish naturalist, a secretary, two draughtsmen, and four servants.
The Admiralty also appointed Mr Green, an astronomer, to assist
Lieutenant Cook in his observations. A large supply of such articles as
were likely to be useful were taken on board by Mr Banks.

The _Endeavour_ having gone round to Plymouth, set sail from thence on
the 26th of August, 1768, and steered a course for Madeira. Here the
simple nuns of the convent of Santa Clara, h