Captain Cook

Geographers of the eighteenth century were positive that a

huge continent could be found in the southern waters of the Pacific

or Atlantic Oceans. When King George III of England was having

trouble with his rebellious American Colonies, he was sure that

settlements could flourish on the southern continent.

James Cook was the son of a poor farm laborer. During his

spare time he taught himself mathematics, astronomy, and

navigation. At forty years old he was singled out to lead the

historic expedition.

Joseph Banks was 24 years old, hansom, rich, and eager to

travel the world. He was interested in botany and zoology. Banks

traveled with Cook on his first voyage. He was a great asset on the

voyage being that he was a good observer and he participated in

rites and rituals.

On August 26, 1768 the Endeavor set sail from Plymouth,

England. Nine months later the Endeavor anchored in Matavi

Bay, Tahiti. The Tahitians did not share the Europeans' belief in

the sanctity of private property. They were constantly tempted by

the things they had never seen before. To get these things back

Cook had to detain some of their things until the sailors' property

was returned.

Cook arrived at New Zealand, and country that had been

discovered by the Dutch navigator, Abel Tasman in 1642. Before

leaving, Cook raised the Union Jack and claimed the land in the

name of His Majesty King George III. Cook called it Poverty Bay.

Two weeks after leaving New Zealand the Endeavor reached

Australia, which was then called New Holland. Cook spent four

months charting two thousand miles of Australia's east coast.

Hew named it New South Wales. By July 12, 1771 the Endeavor

returned home to England. Their voyage lasted two years and

eleven months.

The Admiralty approved of Cook's plan to circumnavigate

the world. His plan was to travel through the South Atlantic,

Indian, and South Pacific Oceans. Cook lead two ships, the

"Resolution" and the "Adventure."

On July 13, 1772 Cook sailed from Plymouth, England. The

two ships headed directly south into unknown and frozen waters.

The only signs of life were whales, sea birds, and penguins.

Cook was the first to sail across the Antarctic Circle. After

one hundred and thirty days the Resolution reached the Easter

Islands. This ship covered four thousand miles before sighting

South America on December 17, 1774. This voyage proved to the

world that James Cook was one of the history's greatest

navigators.

For three centuries after the discovery of the Americas,

European navigators had searched in vain for an all water route to

the west.

Cook's third voyage was launched from Plymouth Harbor,

England and was headed towards New Zealand. On February25,

1977 Cook sailed from New Zealand to Tahiti.

The crew sighted the Hawaiian Island of Kauai on the

morning of January 19, 1778. Cook named these islands the

Sandwich Islands in honor of the Earl of Sandwich.

His ships found a harbor Nootka Sound, an inlet of

Vancouver Island. Following the coastline, the ships continued to

be approached by natives. They traded nails and other small

trinkets with the natives in return for furs.

Traveling on, his men sighted a Hawaiian Island they had not

visited before. While Cook was in Maui, the natives mistook him

for their god, "Lono." Lono was the Hawaiian god of prosperity

and peace. He was said to be a white god that was fated to come

to them on a magical floating island during the holiday of

Mahahilli. The captain cooperated. Whenever Cook would go for

a walk he was always preceded by a priest.

On February 4, 1779 they sailed away. Cook had to return

because of storms. When he came back he was looked down

upon. Everyone was very edgy and a fight broke out. While Cook

was waving the ships in, he was attacked from behind with a club.

For revenge the sailors destroyed a number of homes and sacred

buildings. On the afternoon of February 20, six days after the

disasters, the remains of Cook were returned.

On April 29, 1779 the ships reached Kamchetka in Siberia.

The ships anchored on December 4, 1779 near Latin, China. The

ships arrived back home in London on October 4, 1780. This

voyage lasted four years, two months, and twenty-two days.

Captain James Cook's explorations were influential on the

English who colonized and developed New Zealand and Australia.