On 19th January 1761, Lord Colville records in his Journal that he had
"directed the storekeeper to pay the Master of the Northumberland, fifty
pounds in consideration of his indefatigable industry in making himself
master of the pilotage of the River St. Lawrence." This is the first
official recognition that has been found of the fact that Cook had gone
beyond the ordinary duties incumbent on every Master in His Majesty's
Service, namely: "To observe all coasts, shoals, and rocks, taking
careful notes of the same." There is no record in any of the official
documents that Cook was specially engaged in surveying the river, but it
is very evident from this entry that he must have done the work during
the four months that his ship was moored in the Basin of Quebec. That is
to say, his promotion to the Northumberland was previous to, and not a
consequence of his survey of the river, and that it was on account of his
fitness for the work, and not because it had been done, as is constantly
asserted, that he had been selected.

THE NORTH AMERICAN PILOT.

Admiral Saunders had issued orders the previous year, that the general
instructions of the Admiralty as to taking observations, soundings, and
bearings were to be carefully carried out, and the information obtained
was, as opportunity offered, to be forwarded to him "so that all existing
charts may be corrected and improved." This information, in the ordinary
course, would be handed to Mr. Bissett, the Master of the flagship, for
comparison and compilation, and he, knowing Cook's fitness for the work,
may have asked for his assistance and thus introduced him to the notice
of Saunders, noted for his quick eye for merit, who, seeing his aptitude,
selected him for the completion of the task. Saunders, after his return
to England, wrote to the Secretary of the Admiralty, on 22nd April 1760,