Transcript: Letter from James Cook to Charles Morton
Letter from Lieutenant James Cook, Rio de Janeiro, to Charles Morton, Secretary of the Royal Society, 30 November 1768.
Rio de Janeiro 30th Novembr. 1768
Sir
I take the opportunity of a Spanish Packet bound from hence to Europe, to acquaint
you of the Arrival of His Majesty's Bark the Endeavour under my Command at this
port on the 13 Instant & that having recruited our Water & stock of Provisions shall
put to sea again without loss of time, being now in as good a condition for
prosecuting the voyage as the day we sailed from England; neither Mr Green nor
myself hath as yet been able to make any Observations worthy of the Attention of
the Royal Society, no one Gentleman in this Ship have been permitted to go ashore
at this place, this unheard of treatment has not only prevented Mr Green & myself
from making any Astronomical observations here, but, Mr Banks and Doctor
Solander from Collecting any of the productions of this country; I am not at a loss to
Assign the true reason the Vice Roy had for treating us in the manner he hath not
withstanding several Memorials & Letters have passed betwixt me & him on the
same subjects, he only pleaded Custom & the orders of His Court, the first of which
he could not support by any Precedent, and the latter appear'd very dubious from
the different treatment the Spanish Packet which put in here met with; the account
we gave of our Selves, of being bound to the Southward to observe the Transit of
Venus / a phenomenon they had not the least Idea of / appeared so very strange to
these narrow minded Portuguese that they thought it only an invented Story to cover
some other design we must be upon, this I believe to be the reason for the
unpresidential reception we met with here & I have this day drawn on the Council of
the
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Royal Society at thirty days sight in favour of Messrs. Scott & Pringle an order for
account of Mr Feliciano Teixira Alves the sum of Fifteen pounds fourteen shillings and
ninepence Sterling the value there of being laid out in necessaries for Mr Green and
Myself which I hope will meet with their approbation I am
Sir
Your most obedt, humble
Servant
James Cook
