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George William Anderson
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George William Anderson
Anderson served as a surgeon's mate, and later surgeon, of the ' Resolution ' on Captain James Cook's second (1772 - 75) and third (1776 - 79) voyages. In later years Cook testified in strong terms to his abilities and devotion. Two Welshmen, David Samwell and Robert Davies, were 1st and 2nd surgeon's mates in the third voyage under Andserson, who kept a punctilious journal, recording the temperature six times daily, the weather , the state of the sea, and their position.
In May 1778 the 'Resolution' , sailing Master 22 years old William Bligh, of Bounty Fame, had reached the Bering Sea, Anderson's self diagnosis of consumption (tuberculosis) six months earlier, had now confined him to his cabin, "a pathetic huddled figure, who could no linger even write".
Cook visited him at least once a day, and Samwell did what little he could to ease his suffering. On 2nd August, Anderson was seen to be near death, he lasted through the night and expired on Monday the 3rd august 1778. "His poor shrunken frame" was wrapped in sacking , and he was consigned to the deep. An Island sighted on that bay, was named Anderson Island by Cook "after his friend and companion".
Anderson wrote several short treatises; A vocabulary of various languages, and the properties of Kerguelan Cabbage (Pringlea antiscorbutia) were included in the narrative of the third voyage. An account of some poisonous fish in south seas, and of a detached rock near Cape Town, were published in ' Philosophical Transactions' vols 66,68. A manuscript treatise, describing new animals and plants seen on the voyage, was deposited in the Banksian library, British Museum.
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