Hicks, Zachary 1739-1771 : Log of HMS Endeavour

Log written by Hicks on the voyage of scientific discovery of the `Endeavour' to New Zealand, 1768-1771. The first page of the log contains copies of two letters by James Cook to the Admiralty relating to Cook's vessel the `Grenville' which had its rig changed in Debtford in 1764. Also three letters to Cook from the Admiralty Office, the Navy Office and the Victualling Office. At some point this page has been tipped into the log.

First entry in the log is Thursday the 8th December 1768 recording the departure of the `Endeavour' from Rio Janerio. Daily entries include course position of the vessel, wind and weather conditions, bearings of the ship when at anchor, and general observations of life on deck as the ship made the trip around Cape Horne to King George Island then onto the South Pacific. Continues with the mapping of New Zealand and voyage to the eastern coastline of Australia. On 11th June 1770 the `Endeavour' ran aground on the Great Barrier Reef and eventually made its way to a river mouth (Endeavour River). Repairs were carried out over the next seven weeks. Last entry in the log is Friday 22nd June 1770.

The log does not include the page containing entries for the crew's first sighting of New Zealand, October 1769.

Publication - Further information regarding Hick's log is published in `The Journals of Lieutenant Cook's Officers', by James Cook.

Other - Page(s) for the log entries for 14-24 January 1769, 13-18 August 1769, and 6-15 October 1769 are missing from the manuscript, either cut or torn out. See reference in `Cook Journals Vol 1, The voyage of the Endeavour', edited by J C Beaglehole, 1955.

Zachary Hicks (Hickes) was a Royal Navy officer and second-in-command (second lieutenant) on Cook's 1768 voyage to New Zealand on the Endeavour. Hicks Bay in the Gisborne region is named after Zachary Hicks. The Endeavour sailed into the bay on the 31st October 1769 where they were meet by two canoes of fifty Māori each who dared the English to fight.

Quantity: 1 volume(s) (134 pages).

Physical Description: Holograph (33cm; cream vellum boards in navy morocco case)

Provenance: Purchased by Alexander Horsburgh Turnbull from Bernard Quatrich in London, in 1900, for £110