Captain James Cook in Newfoundland, 1762-1767

Introduction

James Cook was based in Newfoundland, off the Eastern coast of Canada, from 1762 to 1767. He arrived there in 1762 as master of HMS Northumberland. The next year, 1763, he returned as surveyor of Newfoundland and was given command of the schooner Grenville. He then spent the summers of 1763 to 1767 surveying a large portion of the coast of the island. For most of this period we have copies of logbooks and journals that Cook (or more likely, the master's mate, William Parker and Michael Lane) kept, recording the results of the surveys, their movements, the weather and other assorted pieces of information. Cook also wrote up sailing directions for the South, West and North coasts of Newfoundland and they are reproduced here. Finally, a considerable amount of correspondence exists concerning Cook's surveys and this will be added as it becomes available.

I have undertaken to provide notes to provide background information about locations, people, ships, nautical terms and any other pieces of text that warrant explanation. This extra information appears in the right-hand column under notes but gradually live links will take you to fuller explanations on other pages. The pages were started in late November 2004. Now (May 2005), most of the transcriptions of the logbooks and journals have been added though most of the notes fields are far from complete. These will be added more slowly, as and when I have time.

Cook's time in Newfoundland was most important but remains largely unknown and ignored. It gave Cook the opportunity to acquire new skills (surveying, astronomy and leadership) and hone existing ones (navigation and seamanship) so that when the Endeavour voyage was contemplated in 1768, Cook was the ideal candidate for the job of leader of the expedition.

Links to other pages

The following links lead to pages containing the information from Cook's logbooks and journals for particular time periods.

1762 1763
1764. Part 1: January to August 1764. Part 2: September to December
1765. Part 1: April to July 1765. Part 2: August to December
1766. Part 1: January to June 1766. Part 2: July to November
1767. Part 1: January to June 1767. Part 2: July to November

  The following links lead to pages containing information that, hopefully, will explain and clarify Cook's logbooks and journals.

Grenville muster rolls People
Ships  
Places Other terms

 

The Transcriptions

In reproducing these logs and journals, I have introduced some punctuation to the text, which was largely missing in the originals. The logs consisted mainly of loosely linked phrases and words. Spelling was also erratic and I have usually reproduced words in their modern version, except for the names of places, which remain as Cook recorded them. For these names, I have given the proper spelling and/or current name in the accompanying notes. Cook (or his scribe) often used a form of shorthand and abbreviated words. I have written them in full.

I have introduced an extra column on the right, in which I have added notes to help explain words and phrases in the text. All words for which I have added an explanation are bolded. I have separated the remarks describing actions from those about observations on the weather. There have been some words that I have been unable to decipher and they are denoted by xxxx and/or a question mark.

Sources

Log Books and Journals

The following part of a remarks book from Cook's time on HMS Northumberland is held at the National Library of Australia in Canberra. It is Manuscript MSS 6961.

Cook, James. Remarks book for 1762.

The following Log books and Journals for the Grenville during Cook's time in Newfoundland are held at National Archives in Kew, London. They are grouped together as ADM 52/1263.

1764-1765

Remarks, etc on board His Majesty's Schooner the Grenville, James Cook Master, between the 14th of June 1764 and the 23 of June 1765.

Grenville Log Book between the 24th of June 1765 and the 31st December 1765. By James Cook Master.

A Journal of the Proceedings of His Majesty's Schooner ye Grenville from the 14th June to the 31st of Decr 1765. By James Cook Master.

1766

A Journal of the Proceedings of His Majesty's Brigg the Grenville. By James Cook Master. 1767

Grenville Log Book between the 3rd March and the 15th November following.

Journal of the Proceedings of His Majesty's Brig the Grenville between the 3rd of March 1767 and the 15th Novr following.

 

Muster Books

 

Sailing Directions

Cook, James. Directions for Navigating part of the N.E. side of Newfoundland and in the Streights of Belle-Isle.

Cook, James. Directions for Navigating part of the South Coast of Newfoundland.

Cook, James. Directions for Navigating the West-Coast of Newfoundland with a Chart thereof, and a particular account of the Bays, Harbours, Rocks, Sands, Depths of Water, Latitudes, Bearings and Distances from Place to Place, the Flowing of Tides, etc. From an actual survey, taken by order of Commodore Pallisser, Governor of Newfoundland, Labradore, etc. London: Printed for the author, and sold by J. Mount and T. Page, etc, 1768.

About the editor

I live in New Zealand, which is about as far from Newfoundland as it is possible to be, making research very difficult. However, I believe the years that Cook spent in Newfoundland waters to be most worthy of proper investigation and what he acheived should be far better known. Those years were pivotal in Cook's life and hugely important in his development. Yet they remain under studied and poorly understood. Even in Newfoundland, Cook's contribution to the island's history is hardly recognsed except by a select few.

Having been lucky enough to have two books about Cook published, I set out to research Cook in Newfoundland. However, it soon became obvious that the chances of having anything published were very slim, if non-existant. I decided instead to make material available on the web and these pages are the result

I welcome any comments or contributions.
John Robson, New Zealand.