tem, but, as a matter of fact, encouraged it, through the demand for
combination, international tickets enabling travellers to reach the
south of Europe without crossing the belligerent countries. At the
termination of the war a party of American freemasons visited Paris
under J. M. Cook's guidance, and became the precursors of the present
vast American tourist traffic. At the beginning of 1872 J. M. Cook
entered into formal partnership with his father, and the firm first took
the name of Thomas Cook & Son. In 1882, on the outbreak of Arabi Pasha's
rebellion, Thomas Cook & Son were commissioned to convey Sir Garnet
Wolseley and his suite to Egypt, and to transport the wounded and sick
up the Nile by water, for which they received the thanks of the war
office. The firm was again employed in 1884 to convey General Gordon to
the Sudan, and the whole of the men (18,000) and stores necessary for
the expedition afterwards sent to relieve him. In 1889 Thomas Cook & Son
acquired the exclusive right of carrying the mails, specie, soldiers and
officials of the Egyptian government along the Nile. In 1891 the firm
celebrated its jubilee, and on the 19th of July of the following year
Thomas Cook died. He had been afflicted with blindness in his declining
years. His son, J. M. Cook, died in 1899, leaving three sons, all
actively engaged in the business.

COOK or HERVEY ISLANDS, an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, lying
mainly between 155 deg. and 160 deg. E., and about 20 deg. S.; a
dependency of the British colony of New Zealand. It comprises nine
partly volcanic, partly coralline, islands, the more important of which
are Rarotonga, hilly, fertile and well watered, with several cones 300
to 400 ft. high, above which towers the majestic Rarotonga volcano (2920
ft.), the culminating point of the archipelago; Mangaia (Mangia);
Aitutaki, with luxuriant cocoa-nut palm groves; Atui (Vatui); Mitiero;
Mauki; Fenuaiti; and the two Hervey Islets, which give an alternative
name to the group. The total land area is 111 sq. m. Owing to its
healthy, equable climate, the archipelago is well suited for European
settlement; but the dangerous fringing coral reefs render it difficult
of access, and it suffers also from the absence of good harbours. The
natives, who are of Polynesian stock and speech, have legends of their
emigration from Samoa. They say their ancestors found black people on
the islands, and the strongly Melanesian type which is