GILBERT'S JOURNAL OF CAPTAIN COOK'S LAST VOYAGE.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
SIR, In the review on Mr. Walter Besant's " Captain Cook," in the Spectator of April 26th, the critic observes :—" We infer that Mr. Besant is satisfied in his own mind that the journal is genuine, or he would not have quoted from it so profusely. The wonder is that, considering the interest in Cook, such a journal should have lain perdu for a century." 1 am in a position to explain the mystery. The journal was preserved by Mr. Gilbert's elder brother, my maternal grandfather. During his lifetime he objected to its publication, as Captain Cook's widow was living, and certain passages in the journal rather reflected on the conduct of the great circumnavigator when irritated by the natives of an island in the Pacific. After my mother's marriage, the journal came into the hands of my father, Dr. Doran, F.S.A. He frequently thought of
publishing it, but did not carry out his intent, as he felt that his literary experience lay rather in the direction of history and the drama than travel and navigation. After my father's death in 1878, the journal remained in the hands of my mother and myself. A. year ago, finding that Mr. Besant was preparing a Life of Cook, I placed the journal at his disposal. I shall be happy to show it to your critic if he would like to inspect it.—I am, Sir, &c.,
Granville Place, Portman Square, W. ALBAN DORAN.
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