PRIZE ESSAYS

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 556, 28 October 1902, Page 3

PRIZE ESSAYS

(Second prize in District High School, awarded to Miss Ethel Am bridge).Tho courago of Captain Cook to cuibS tho oceans in a small barque is umversady "dmired. His boat was only able to carry 380 ions, and yet bo ventured across tne | stormv seas of the Bay oi Biscay, Atlantic , Ocean, and Pacific. Unc ot lus nmmi* [ f'<- es sma.i u...,-' would be oasietto handle in ruugn weatner | and could be more easi.y lupaired luau one of larger dimensions. Cuptuhl Cook was bom at Mart,a-, a village in Yorkshire, m October, i7dS. When old enough he entered the Royal Navy, whore ho acted us muster mate, uud In 1739 became master of tho Mercury, which formed part of tho squadron sent imainst Qoebcc during the siege ill which Genera! Wolfe was killed. In the year 1703 on the 26th August, ho set sail irom Plymouth in the Endeavour with oighiyfour companions, among whom weie ilr Banks. Dr Solander, and Mr Green the astronomer. They took abundance of hiearms, ammunition, and provisions lot eh'htocn months. bailing past Rio Janeiro tney reachec d’abiti on the 13th of April, 1769, and or iho 3rd of Juno following observed .thi transit of Venus. Leaving Tahiti tho; sailed in search of now lands, and on tb 6th of October saw “ whst tho genera opinion seemed to bo” the "Terr Australis Incognita ” but which lurmi out to bo a portiou of tho East Coast t the North Island near to “ Young Nick Head," being called that after the bo (Nicholas Young) who first saw the lam On Sunday, October Bth, Captain Goc with some of his companions landei leaving the bout anchored near tho rnoul of a small river about half a leaguo froi Tbe natives were assembles!

I great numbers on tho beach watching this I now aight, and when Cook a interpreter explained his errand they looked at him in distrust. In the evening they made an attack uri his boat and one of their men .vat killed. Although Cook remained several days to try to gain their cotifidene he could not, so lie sailed avyay, calling the place i'overty Hay. He waited at Cape Turrmgain for a while and then sailed North again to Tolago Hay. Ho landed hero at a place which is now l.nown as “Co ik’s Cove,” above which is iue huge arch cut in the rt ck which lie described. There are several initials cut i i the lock, and there is an artificial spring where lie obtained water. Ho sailed north naming places as ho went, and arriving at Cape North he steered d iwn ih: western side of tho North Island to Cook Straits. Hu anchored there to r a f. w days and then sailed to Castle IVmt, t ui completing the navigation of tho I oitii H it nd. lie then started the navigation of the j S luth Island. On the East Coast ho dis-C-vered Traps, and uftir bailing round S ewart Island he passed up the western si ic of tin Island to i.upe Farewell. Hern n L, OK fan well of New Zealand and

i leiieil England in 1771. Cook paid four iiber lisits 10 New Zealand. The first

la ui lie sighted on his second visit was i) isky I aunt, Ins fnurtli Mt. EgmOllt, and lin huh Hock’s I’oii it. After Ins fifth visit

ue sailed to Hawaii mid spent seven weeks >ailing murid and surveying the group. Cue natives on these islands exhibited gieut confidence towards the explorers arid traded with less restraint than those of any other islands. While at Kurakakoou, a village in Owyhee, the largest island in

tho group, disputes arose concerning thieving practices tho natives had been carrying on. A fierce fight ensued, during which Captain Cook was killed, in the year 1779, tho 14th February. Through tho bravery of Captain Cook many new places wero discovered, and as wo live in ono of tile places which lie visited it is only right that wo should commemorate his memory by a statue or something to mark our appreciation of his eourago and bravery. In fact it does not speak well for the colony that we have only just startod to collect for tho memorial.