[Enclosure.]
Lieutenant Cook to The Viceroy.

The Memorial of Lieutenant James Cook, commander of his Britannick Majesty's ship Endeavour, in answer to one from his Excellency Count Rolim, Viceroy and CaptainGeneral of the States of Brazil, dated the 22 Novem'r, 1768.

It is admitted that this ship hath not that warlike appearance that others of his Britannick Majesty's who has put in here might have manifested, she being fitted out for the receiving on board such persons as should be appointed to observe the transit of Venus over the sun's disk as the most convenient for that purpose of any in the Royal Navy. It seems strange, and is a new thing to me, that the build, make, or shape of a ship should prove whether she belongs to the King or subject, that, in foreign parts, when questioned can be only proved by the commission, which ever before now was thought sufficient.

Your Excellency's doubts and information of my people smugling are certainly ill-founded, and can amount to no more than perhaps one of the sailors selling his jacket or shirt from off his back for a bottle of rum. If even this or anything of greater moment can be proved upon any of my people, your Excellency would do well to take the person so offending into custody and acquaint me therewith, that I may punish him for acting contrary to my express orders and my word of honour, which I gave to the officers who first visited the ship, that no such thing should be done.