Today, we dropped anchor at Deptford, England. After 4 years, 3 months, and 2 days, we've finally returned home to sovereign soil. It has been over a year since Captain Cook died, but we have finally returned home. During our voyage home, we stopped in Russia, China, and even saw the coast of Japan to name a few places. I only wish that Captain Cook had lived to see these places. He would have loved them.

The morale of the crew currently is a mixed range of emotions. The ones like myself that have been on this voyage for several years, long for home. Those that are more recent additions seem to be in good spirits. It feels strange that the crew we have today is vastly different from the one we left with in 1776. So many have either died or stayed behind at various English ports.

I had hoped that on our voyage home we would avoid any more losses, but as the weeks dragged on, the death toll continued to rise. Like my mother always told me when I was young, death stops for no man. I've recorded below a handful of the deaths and departures we experienced on our long voyage home to England, after departing Hawaii on March 15th, 1779.

May 16th, 1779: John M'Intosh, Carpenter of the UMS Resolution Died

August 25th, 1779: Captain Charles Clerke of the UMS Resolution Died

January 11th, 1780: John Cave, Quartermaster of the UMS Resolution and Robert Spencer abandoned ship with unauthorized provisions in the middle of the night (neither men or provisions were ever seen again)

September 20th, 1780: Captain James King of the UMS Discovery, William Bayly, Astronomer of the UMS Discovery, and John Webber, Artist of the UMS Resolution departed from the rest of the crew for London, England

September 23rd, 1780: Samuel Johnson, Midshipmen of the UMS Resolution died

September 29, 1780: John Davis, Quartermaster of the UMS Discovery died

To all the brave souls we lost on this voyage, it was my honor to sail with you.

I must confess that for the first time in a long time, I am very happy to be staying on land for a while. I miss my wife. I miss my parents. I miss my siblings. I hope the years have been kinder to them then they have to me on this expedition. This voyage was filled with vast discovery and horrible heartbreak. Sailors were lost. Friends were lost. Every time we lost one of the men, someone back home in England lost a husband, brother, or child.

For now, I do not know when I will return to the sea. At this point, I'm not even sure I want to return to the sea. All I know right now is that it's time for me to go home. I might try to become a farmer like my parents always envisioned I would. While my future at sea is unknown currently, I have time to think things over. The sea isn't going anywhere.

I depart for home in the morning.

- J. Taylor 1780