COOK MEMORIAL

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 573, 18 November 1902, Page 3

COOK MEMORIAL

LETTER FROM MISS FLORENCE BALGAENIE.

Tho Secretary of the Cook Memorial Fund has received the following lottor from Miss Balgarnie, together with a contribution of 0s towards the fund:—“lt may intorest you to learn that on the Cleveland Hills, nbovo Captain Cook's hirthplaco at Marton, a monumont has long stood. It is in tho form of an obelisk, and is a'landmark for many miles around ; although

tiro house whore Captain Cook was born has long since disappeared, tho sito of it is still called Cook’s Garth (or homestead), and in tho parish register at Great Ayton, close by, one may still read tho entry of his baptism. Scarcely a summer passes that I do not visit Whitby, tho port from which he sailed, and pass up the streot which runs down to tho quay, where his old house stands. It is a three-storied building of rou biiek, and has a rod tiled roof, mellowed with age, a green front door, and windows filled with small pares of glass. I also know Staithos, where he served his apprenticeship to a storekeeper, and whore, it is Haid, ho first saw the South Sea shilling which fired his imagination and prompted him to adventure. Tho shop has now fallen into the sea, as landslips on the Yorkshire coast are frequent. As I steam along the dangerous coasts of New Zealaud I never cease to marvel at the marvellous seamanship of a man who could traverse your stormy bobs for throe years in his 300-tonner, and navigate it amongst hidden rocks and into unknown inlets. It is then that I recollect with pride that ho was a child of tho North Sea, and learned his calling whero waves mounted higher and storms beat louder thau in your softer southern clime,”