The name of this navigator occupies an honorable place in the list of great pioneers. Just like Francis Drake and many others, he changed the map of the world and supplemented it with his observations and discoveries. Every schoolchild knows about his discoveries, as well as about his tragic death.
What did James Cook discover and who is he? This question interests not only schoolchildren, but also adults who admire the fortitude and courage of the people of the past. The future traveler was born into a simple Scottish family on October 27, 1728. He was the fifth child, attended school for five years, and then worked for a local farmer. The year 1746 was a turning point in James' life: he got a job as a cabin boy on a coal ship.
Before telling what James Cook discovered, it should be noted that the young man met the greatest people in his service. William Bligh (better known as the legendary captain of the Bounty ship), Georg Forster, Joseph Banks inspired him to explore the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Before he organizes three expeditions and goes down in history as the discoverer of Australia, James diligently studies seamanship, geography, mathematics and navigation. The diligent sailor was noticed by the shipowner brothers Walker, who offered him to lead one of their ships. However, Cook refuses and continues to serve in the British Navy.
James Cook is a navigator, a participant who shows remarkable abilities. He is noticed at the Admiralty, and this predetermines the further development of his career. In 1768, he was entrusted with the ship Endeavor, on which he set off on his first expedition.
What did James Cook discover in the south of the globe, a mysterious and unexplored corner? It is worth noting that the pundits of that time believed that there should be another continent there. The famous captain went in search of him. In addition to Australia, which he discovered on April 29, 1770, he mapped many more islands; Great Cook carefully explored the coastline of the southern continent, gave names to bays and bays, and noted in his report places suitable for life. With his light hand, the largest Australian port city, Sydney, was later founded.
We can safely say that James Cook discovered not just a new land, but a new era of colonization. Not only did geographers get work, biologists discovered dozens of species of plants and animals previously unknown to science. Great Britain was replenished with a new land, where it hastened to resettle dangerous criminals. Romantics flocked to the open continent, hoping to discover untold treasures, as in America, and find a new home.
James Cook, whose discoveries are difficult to overestimate, died during his third expedition at the hands of the natives. During clashes with local residents, the captain was hit in the head by a heavy stone. The team was forced to retreat to the ship, leaving the body on the shore. A few days later, the natives sent her the remains of the commander, which were placed at sea with great honor.
Narine Prazyan, RIA Novosti.
The name of James Cook is etched in the memory of millions of Russians thanks to Vladimir Vysotsky’s song “One Scientific Riddle, or Why Did the Aborigines Eat Cook?” Not many people probably know that he is the largest British explorer, cartographer and navigator, who led two trips around the world and made a number of outstanding geographical discoveries. The Cook Islands archipelago, a number of bays and bays, as well as the strait between the two islands of New Zealand bear the name of this famous Briton.
James Cook was born exactly 280 years ago - on October 27, 1728 in the English county of South Yorkshire into a poor Scottish family. He began his sailor's career at the age of 18, when he was hired as a cabin boy on a merchant coal-mining brig. Even then, he spent a lot of time reading books on geography, navigation, mathematics and astronomy. At the age of 27, Cook enlisted in the Royal Navy, and two years later he was appointed captain on his first ship, the Pembroke.
James Cook went down in history and brought glory to himself and the English crown thanks to three expeditions, two of which were around the world. After their completion, Cook was promoted to captain of the 1st rank for his outstanding discoveries, and on February 29, 1776 he became a member of the Royal Society of London.
Cook made his first circumnavigation of the world in 1768-1771. on the ship Endeavor. His goal was to search for the so-called Southern Continent (or Terra Incognita). During this expedition, Cook proved that New Zealand consists of two islands, discovering a strait between them, which was named after him. Before this, it was believed that New Zealand was part of an unknown continent. In addition, he discovered the Great Barrier Reef, and also explored and mapped the eastern coast of Australia, which had previously been virtually unexplored.
The second circumnavigation of the world began in 1772. This time, the expedition was allocated two ships - Resolution and Adventure. As a result of this journey, James Cook became the first navigator in history to cross the Antarctic Circle. During the second expedition, Cook landed in New Zealand and visited Tahiti, the Tonga, Easter, and Marquesas Islands. New Caledonia and South Georgia were discovered, but this time it was not possible to reach Antarctica.
The main goal of Cook's third expedition was to search for the so-called Northwest Passage connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The expedition was again allocated two ships - Resolution and Discovery. Cook's team explored the ocean right up to the beginning of the Arctic ice, but never discovered the passage. But in 1778, while crossing the Pacific Ocean, Cook made his main discovery - the Hawaiian Islands, where he was later destined to find his death.
In addition, during his last expedition, Cook explored the North Pacific coast of America, discovered Christmas Island, Kerguelen Island and some other islands.
There are different versions of how Captain James Cook died. It is reliably known that this happened in the Hawaiian Islands, where Cook was initially mistaken for the god Lono, whose return was predicted by Polynesian legends. Therefore, the aborigines greeted the expedition with magnificent ceremonial celebrations. However, such warm relations between the members of the expedition and the Hawaiians did not last long. According to one of the common versions, Cook's team did not get along with the Hawaiians because one fine day the islanders stole the longboat of one of the ships. As a result, Cook decided to take one of the local chiefs hostage in order to force the Hawaiians to return the stolen goods.
A countless crowd of angry natives gathered in arms to defend their leader and surrounded Cook and his crew. The belligerence of the islanders forced Cook to fire his musket, and a skirmish ensued in which James Cook was killed. Four more sailors died along with him, the rest managed to retreat to the ship.
After Cook's death, Captain Clark, who took command of the expedition, demanded that the islanders hand over the body of the deceased captain. But they did not agree, and the British had to use force - to drive the Hawaiians into the mountains and burn their village. Only after this did the natives send part of the remains and the head of James Cook to the ship - all that remained of the great navigator. On February 22, 1779, Cook's remains were buried at sea.
There is another version, according to which the aborigines dealt with Cook’s body in accordance with local customs: the body was dismembered, and the bones were tied together and buried secretly so that no one could abuse them. Such a ritual is evidence of the highest honor on the part of the Hawaiians, and Cook, according to the testimony of some of his contemporaries, enjoyed very high respect among them.
But whether the aborigines actually ate the body of the famous navigator is still not known for certain. One of the few evidence of this is the words of Vysotsky’s famous song. But the song is a joke...
On August 26, 1768, Captain James Cook set sail across the Pacific Ocean. According to official reports, Cook was supposed to make astronomical observations, but the captain also had another task - to find out whether the southern continent existed.
James Cook was born on October 27, 1728 in the family of a poor farmer. At the age of 18, he unexpectedly became interested in sea travel and joined a ship transporting coal as a cabin boy. Nine years later he was already able to operate such vessels perfectly. But he chose to leave the merchant navy and again became an ordinary sailor in the Royal Navy. Two years later he was already captain of his own ship. In 1768-1779 James Cook made three Pacific voyages. He sailed from Antarctic waters to the Arctic Ocean. Cook made a breakthrough in the study of the southern seas, giving their first systematic and reliable cartographic description. The maps he compiled allowed him to conclude that there was not a single landmass there, but separate lands.
Secret mission
In the 18th century Europeans knew almost nothing about the South Pacific. Since antiquity, geographers have believed that there is a large continent in the southern hemisphere, stretching from the South Pole to the tropics. In 1768, Royal Navy Captain James Cook was assigned to lead a scientific expedition to the Pacific Ocean to observe the passage of Venus between the Earth and the Sun on June 3, 1769. In fact, the English government was interested in the unknown southern continent, on which rich mineral deposits were supposed to be discovered.
The ship Endeavor was neither beautiful nor fast, but it was very durable
Cook insisted that a large, sturdy coal-carrying ship set sail. The ship, called the Endeavor, had enough space on board for a crew of 94, including naturalists, an astronomer and other “gentleman explorers,” as scientists were called at the time. During the voyages, scientists drew up maps of open lands, sketched and described new species of plants, and also collected valuable information about the peoples inhabiting the islands of the Pacific Ocean.
Crew health
Cook made sure that during the voyage the sailors' diet included foods rich in vitamins, and that the ships sparkled with cleanliness.
James Cook was very concerned about the health of his crew and made sure that among the food supplies taken were huge quantities of sauerkraut and onions, as well as oranges and lemons, which were supposed to be a substitute for fresh vegetables. As a result, scurvy, a disease associated with a lack of vitamins that decimated sailors on long voyages, was almost never encountered on Cook's ships. Wherever possible, Cook ordered his people to collect wild herbs rich in vitamins. In addition, Cook strictly demanded cleanliness from his people: every day he checked whether the hands of the sailors of his crew were washed and left those who forgot about hygiene without a daily portion of alcohol.
Sir Joseph Banks, a botanist, traveler, patron of science and director of the Royal Botanic Garden in London, took part in Captain James Cook's first expedition to southern waters. He sailed with Cook along the entire route and explored the local flora, including breadfruit.
New Zealand
Setting off on its first voyage, the expedition had to find out whether New Zealand, discovered in 1642 by the Dutchman Abel Tasman, was part of the hypothetical Southern continent. Sailing in August 1768 from the port of Plymouth, Cook crossed the Atlantic Ocean, circled South America, entered the Pacific Ocean and reached the island of Tahiti. On October 7, 1769, Cook approached New Zealand. Having sailed around it, he determined that it was two large islands, not connected to any mainland, and mapped the contours of their shores.
New continent
Deciding to return home via the Indian Ocean, Cook headed for Australia and on April 19, 1770 reached its eastern shore. The flora of these places was so rich that the bay, on the shores of which the city of Sydney now stands, was named Botany Bay (Botany Bay). The natural scientists accompanying Cook collected hundreds of specimens of unfamiliar plants. Turning north, Cook stayed close to the coast to accurately map its outline. Despite the precautions, the ship still hit the reef. The Endeavor was pulled ashore, and for two months while she was being repaired, Cook explored the wonderful world of the Great Barrier Reef.
By island
Cook respected the way of life of the indigenous people of the islands. Meeting with residents of the Sandwich (Hawaiian) Islands.
Cook compiled a detailed geographical description of many Pacific islands. Having visited Tahiti during his first voyage, he discovered the neighboring islands, naming them the Society Islands in honor of the Royal Geographical Society, as well as the island of Tonga, whose inhabitants received him very friendly. On his next voyages, he discovered the Harvey (now Cook) Islands, visited Easter Island, the Marquesas Islands and the New Hybrids archipelago, and landed on the Sandwich (Hawaiian) Islands.
Death in Paradise
In February 1779, Cook made a stop in the Hawaiian Islands. They seemed like a kind of heaven to him. The islanders gave the captain and his companions a very warm welcome. But later the relationship deteriorated. It is believed that the Europeans broke a local taboo and the natives stole a boat used to repair the ship. The quarrel escalated into an armed clash, and Cook was killed by a dagger.
In New Zealand, Cook met the Maori people. At first the Europeans were met with hostility, but Cook managed to establish relations with them
Expeditions and finds
James Cook's first expedition
In the fundamental work of the English historian J. Baker, “The History of Geographical Exploration and Discovery,” one of the chapters is titled “The Age of Cook.” Despite the obvious exaggeration of the achievements of the outstanding navigator, one cannot help but give him his due: each of his three voyages around the world deserves mention.
James Cook. Portrait by Nathaniel Dance-Holland, c. 1775. National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
James Cook served as a navigator in Canada during the war with the French. In his free time, he engaged in self-education. When the Royal Society (academy) and the British Admiralty organized a major scientific expedition to the Southern Hemisphere in 1768, James Cook was put in charge.
The official purpose of the expedition was considered to be “observations of the passage of the planet Venus through the solar disk, June 3, 1769.” Cook did not know about the main goal of the expedition. He was given a sealed envelope, which was supposed to be opened upon arrival on the island of George III (later renamed Tahiti), where astronomical observations were to be made.
For long-distance voyages, Cook chose the three-masted bark Endeavor (Attempt) with 22 guns. In the summer of 1768, they set off from Plymouth, crossing the southwest Atlantic. There were 80 crew members and 11 scientists on board.
In the bay of Rio de Janeiro, an incident characteristic of that time occurred: they were mistaken for pirates, and several crew members were arrested. Subsequently, the voyage was successful. We passed Cape Horn in February in excellent weather.
A small fort was built in Tahiti to keep them safe. We established friendly relations with the natives. However, one of them, snatching a gun from the guard, tried to run away. The British caught up with him and killed him. Only Cook's skillful diplomacy made it possible to avoid further conflicts.
The authoritative expedition did not make any special astronomical discoveries. “We saw an atmosphere or luminous nebula around the entire planet,” Cook wrote, “which reduced the accuracy of determining the moments of contact ... as a result of which there were more discrepancies in our observations than could have been expected.” (At the same time, the “lone amateur” M.V. Lomonosov, conducting similar observations, gave not assumptions, but scientifically based evidence of the existence of an atmosphere on Venus.)
Cook also had troubles with his team. Several sailors stole a large batch of nails (apparently, they used them to pay for the “intimate services” of native women). One thieving sailor was captured and whipped, but he did not give up his accomplices. The result of specific communication with local residents was a venereal disease that spread among the crew, due to which they had to make a special stop for treatment.
But this, of course, was not the main result of staying on the island. Botanical and geological research was carried out there, a volcano was discovered and it was found that wandering local musicians had already composed several songs about the arriving sailors.
On June 3, James Cook opened a package with secret instructions. He was asked to go in search of Terra Australis Incoqnita (Southern Unknown Land), the location of which was supposed to be approximately 40° - 35° south latitude. The local priest Tupia wished to go to England. He became an indispensable intermediary in Cook's communication with the inhabitants of the Pacific Islands.
After a long search in October 1769, the British saw land at 30°30 south latitude in the west that was not marked on the map (it was the eastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand). The newcomers met a warlike Maori tribe.
During the bargaining, a bloody skirmish occurred. The officer, angry with the native, shot him. Nevertheless, Cook was able to establish good relations with the Maori. The ship proceeded north along the coast of the island, rounded it and declared it the possession of Britain. Cook explored the strait that received his name, once again finding himself on the eastern shore. It turned out that this is an island, and not a protrusion of the Southern mainland, as previously thought.
True, there was also land to the south. Cook began to go around it, now moving south. And this land was surrounded on all sides by water. Thus, Cook mapped the “island duo” - New Zealand, which is larger in area than the island of Great Britain. In this region of the Pacific Ocean, contrary to expectations and maps, there were no traces of Unknown Australia.
Near the Great Barrier Reef near Australia, the Endeavor was holed and nearly sank. It took two months for a hole to be repaired in a nearby bay.
Heading west, Cook reached a vast land (Tasman called it Van Diemen's) and walked along it to the north. The dark-skinned, hairy, naked aborigines gave the impression of complete savages. Cook explored almost the entire (except for the southern outskirts) eastern coast of New Holland (Australia), named it New South Wales and declared it an English possession.
After spending a little over three years at sea, Cook returned to his homeland. “I made no great discoveries,” he wrote, “but I explored a significant part of the Great South Seas to a much greater extent than all my predecessors.”
James Cook in Search of the Southern Unknown Land
Image of a kangaroo, from illustrations for the journal of the Endeavour's voyage
James Cook began this circumnavigation of the world in 1772 with two ships: Resolution and Adventure. The scientific support for the expedition was provided by German naturalists Johann Forster and his son Georg.
The main goal: to discover the Unknown Southern Continent (in the existence of which Cook had lost faith) and establish British rule there.
Passing further and further south, the ships kept getting caught in a storm. Around 51° south latitude, ice floes and then ice fields began to appear. It was cold, even though it was November (Antarctic spring). Floating ice mountains, sparkling in the sun, turned into terrible ghosts during fogs, and during storms they threatened to crush ships like nutshells.
It was extremely difficult and dangerous to advance. But Cook did not stop searching. In mid-February 1773, his ships crossed the Antarctic Circle to latitude 67°15 for the first time in the history of navigation. Solid ice stretched ahead. No sign of sushi. I had to head north. In the fog, both ships separated.
"Resolution" continued to search for new lands for some time. Then, at the designated location in New Zealand, the ships met again. And then it became clear that there was a sharp difference in the condition of the two teams: on the flagship all the people were healthy, but on the Adventure the majority were in a deplorable condition, two dozen patients did not get out of bed, suffering from scurvy, one was dying.
Captain Furneaux, leading an independent route, stopped following Cook’s firm instructions: to eat sauerkraut daily for the whole crew. This seemed like a whim of the strict leader of the expedition, as well as his requirement to keep the cabins clean and regularly ventilated. Why do this when it’s already cold?
Now it became clear to everyone how reasonable Cook's demands were. Even on his first voyage around the world, he realized, having lost a third of the crew, what an insidious enemy of sailors - scurvy. And after consulting with experienced doctors, I learned about measures to combat it. Dry cod and crackers, which sailors usually fed on during long voyages, did not protect against scurvy. Cook abandoned an exclusively traditional menu and managed to overcome a dangerous disease.
The ships continued sailing together in June. But already in October, in inclement weather near New Zealand, they were separated again - this time completely. After waiting for the Adventure in the designated bay, Cook headed his ship south.
Meanwhile, the Adventure team suffered a severe shock. Late to the meeting place, they saw an inscription on a tree there: “Look below.” Having dug a hole, they took out a bottle with a letter in which Cook reported on his further route.
In preparation for the voyage, Furneaux sent a boat with ten sailors ashore for provisions. None of them returned. The next day, a detachment under the command of assistant captain Barney was sent to search for them. This is what he wrote in his report:
“On the shore we found two dozen baskets closed and tied with twine... filled with fried meat and fern roots, which are used by the natives as bread. Continuing to examine the contents of the baskets, we found shoes and a hand. According to the letters "T. X." tattooed on his arm. We immediately established that it was the hand of sailor Thomas Hill.”
There were no natives on the shore, smoke was smoking over the neighboring bay, and the sailors went there in a boat. A large group of Maori were sitting around a fire. The sailors fired a volley, the crowd took flight. The British landed on the shore. What they saw was terrible: the heads and entrails of their comrades lay on the ground. The dogs purred as they ate the bloody remains. Taking two hands and one head with them, the sailors returned to the ship.
...This story and others like it aroused unhealthy passions in Europe. There were terrible fables about cannibalistic savages. The belief spread that these monsters in human form ate their own kind out of gastronomic perversions. (When Miklouho-Maclay went to live in New Guinea a century later, everyone vied with each other to scare him with cannibals.)
However, in this case and many others like it, food interests have nothing to do with it. The natives believed that the soul, abilities, and strength of a killed enemy were transferred to the one who tasted his body. They did not kill people specifically for meat. But if there were dead bodies left after the battle, it was customary to eat them. Physiologically, this was justified: the Maoris did not raise livestock, and almost all wild animals on the island were destroyed. The lack of animal proteins with a monotonous plant diet caused a strong need for meat. (By the way, the naive cannibals were perplexed: how can whites kill so many people in war that they have to be buried in the ground? This is monstrous cruelty and stupidity!).
In the tragedy with the unfortunate sailors of the Adventure, they themselves were the culprits. During the trade, having accused or caught one native of petty theft, the sailors began to beat him. His relatives tried to intercede for him. The sailors fired a volley into the crowd and killed two. Without allowing the newcomers to reload their guns, the Maori attacked them and killed them all.
Cook also sent his people to trade with the Maoris, prohibiting violence. But he knew that these were cannibals. One sailor brought to the ship a boiled human head, bought for three nails. To cries of disgust and indignation, Cook objected: they are doing this out of hunger. If you teach them to grow potatoes and raise domestic animals, cannibalism will stop!
He was right, but only partly. It is not so easy to master new forms of farming, and his attempts of this kind were not successful. It is difficult for people to give up long-standing traditions. And the ritual of “eating human flesh” existed among the natives for more than one millennium.
James Cook developed normal relations with local residents. His ship prepared for a long voyage and set off south again. There was thick fog near the Antarctic Circle in calm weather. The dank dampness exhausted the team day after day. And the ice fields closed ever closer. The ship could be in a death trap.
The courageous navigator was forced to retreat. They sailed into warm waters, visited Easter Island, plowed the ocean again, “closing” questionable lands and clarifying the position of many islands, and explored the New Hebrides archipelago. On one of the islands there was a skirmish with the natives, and Cook was forced to give the command: “Fire!” Two islanders were killed and two were wounded. Realizing the power of the aliens' weapons, local residents chose to establish business relations with them.
On his further voyage, Cook discovered a large island - New Caledonia - and several small ones. His general conclusion about the tribes he encountered was favorable: “I must say that the islanders, although they are undoubtedly cannibals, have a naturally good disposition and humanity.”
On the way back to his native shores, he explored Tierra del Fuego, which turned out to be a group of islands. He gave another mountainous land, even closer to the Antarctic Circle, the name of Lord Sandwich, head of the British Admiralty. It was not Cook’s servility that was revealed here, but his subtle irony. This is how he characterized Sandwich Island:
“This new Earth is terrible. Very high sheer cliffs were dotted with gaping caves. At their feet the waves raged, and their peaks were hidden behind the clouds... As far as we were able to establish, this whole island was deserted and terrible... The only inhabitants of these places were large cormorants nesting in the rocks. We didn’t even find shapeless amphibians or elephant seals here.”
Cook's last voyage
"The Death of Captain Cook." Painting by Sean Linehan
Cook's second circumnavigation of the world lasted three years. At this point he could end his voyages. He was given what he deserved, given a quiet position with a good salary. But ten years after the completion of the second expedition, he again decided to go on an exploratory voyage.
By this time, Britain, which was becoming the “mistress of the seas” and expanding its colonial possessions, was preoccupied with the Russian development of the Far East and adjacent waters with the transition to North America. The Spaniards, in turn, moved north along the western American coast. There remained hope of finding a northern sea route to Alaska.
Cook volunteered to become the commander of this expedition. His candidacy was immediately approved, and Resolution and Discovery were placed at his disposal. They set sail south in July 1776, through the Cape of Good Hope, reached New Zealand and visited where their comrades from the Adventure were killed. There was a temptation to take revenge. But, having found out the cause of the previous conflict, the commander abandoned the punitive action.
Continuing his voyage, Cook discovered several islands in the archipelago that received his name. In the Hawaiian archipelago, he discovered a group of quite plausible islands, giving them the name Sandwich (apparently, this lord was not such a hopeless person after all).
From Hawaii, Cook headed to the American continent, explored its northwestern outskirts and visited Alaska, where he met the Russian industrialist Potap Zaikov. Secondly after the Russians, English ships passed the northwestern tip of Alaska, calling it Cape Prince of Wales.
After sailing to Chukotka, Cook turned back and went north of the American coast. He hoped that he would finally be able to find access to the Atlantic Ocean. However, heavy ice stood in the way at a cape called Ice Cape (Ice Cape). I had to go back on course.
They moved from polar latitudes to tropical latitudes, and discovered the largest of these islands (Hawaii) on the Hawaiian archipelago. The appearance of white people on huge ships stunned the natives; they came in droves to Cook, paying homage to him as a deity.
The white newcomers behaved like owners, took many gifts, without giving gifts to the natives and violating their prohibitions. There were clashes during exchanges (and deceptions), and the Hawaiians sometimes took some things without permission, not considering theft a great sin.
During one conflict, Cook and a dozen sailors went ashore and took the leader and his sons hostage. The natives wanted to recapture the prisoners. Cook fired and a fight began; two or even three dozen Hawaiians were killed, as well as several Englishmen, including Cook.
The Hawaiians divided his body into parts that were intended for ritual cannibalism. The British carried out a brutal punitive operation, after which they received some parts of the body of the killed commander: the head, hands. Characterizing the morals of the “civilizers,” it can be noted that at that very time, two heads of Hawaiians, chopped off by punitive sailors, were hanging on the Resolution’s yardarm.
Charles Clarke, who took over as commander, sent the ships north into the Chukchi Sea; bad weather and ice soon forced them to turn back. Clark died and was buried in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The captain of the Discovery, John Gore, led the ships around Asia and Africa through the Pacific and Indian oceans, passed the Cape of Good Hope, entered the Atlantic and completed the expedition off the coast of England on October 4, 1780.
...James Cook's circumnavigation of the world marked the end of the era of exploration of the World Ocean. True, this development was superficial, in the literal sense of the word. There was almost no more or less complete data on sea currents and depths, bottom structure, chemical and biological characteristics of water areas, temperature distribution with depth, etc. These studies are still being carried out.
Despite heroic efforts, Cook never discovered the Unknown Southern Land. Returning from his second trip around the world, he wrote:
“I circumnavigated the Southern Ocean at high latitudes and did it in such a way that I undeniably rejected the possibility of the existence of a continent here, which, if it can be discovered, is only near the pole, in places inaccessible for navigation... An end has been put to further searches for the Southern continent, which is on over the course of two centuries, it has consistently attracted the attention of some maritime powers...
I will not deny that there may be a continent or significant land near the pole. On the contrary, I am convinced that such a land exists there and, perhaps, that we have seen part of it (“Sandwich Land”)... These are lands doomed by nature to eternal cold, deprived of the warmth of the sun’s rays... But what should the countries located even further away be like? to the south... If anyone shows determination and perseverance to resolve this issue, and penetrates further south than me, I will not envy the glory of his discoveries. But I must say that his discoveries will bring little benefit to the world.
The risk involved in sailing these unexplored and ice-covered seas in search of the mainland is so great that I can confidently say that no man will ever venture further south than I have done. The lands that may be in the south will never be explored."
This assumption of his was refuted by Russian sailors. And the most remarkable thing is that their discovery was scientifically predicted.
The future navigator James Cook was born in 1728 in England, in the family of a former farm laborer. After he received his education, the young man got a job as a cabin boy on his first ship.
Beginning of service in the navy
Even in his early youth, Cook decided that he would devote his life to the sea. In his free time from sailing, he studied related sciences - geography, astronomy and the history of exploration of new lands. In 1755, the Royal Navy accepted a new sailor. It was James Cook. The man’s brief biography included career growth from a simple sailor to a boatswain in just a month of service.
At this time it began against France and its allies. Cook participated in the battles on the ship Eagle and the blockade of the enemy coast. In 1758 he was sent to North America, where the struggle for colonies and resources continued between the two great maritime powers. At that time, Cook was a master - assistant captain. He, as a cartography specialist, was assigned to explore the channel and fairway. On its banks stood an important one that the British wanted to capture.
The master successfully completed his task, thanks to which the assault and capture of an important fortress took place. The Royal Navy was vitally important to such specialists as James Cook, whose short biography received a new twist. After returning home, he began to prepare for his first trip around the world.
First expedition
The state provided Cook with a small ship, the Endeavor. On it, an experienced sailor had to explore the southern seas in order to find an unknown continent, which was supposedly located in those extreme latitudes. The team also included experienced specialists - botanists and astronomers. This team was to be led by James Cook, whose short biography still attracts numerous readers.
In 1768 he left the port of Plymouth to end up in Tahiti. The captain was distinguished by the fact that he introduced strict discipline on the ship regarding the attitude towards the natives. The team was ordered not to enter into conflict with the savages under any circumstances, but, on the contrary, to try to build peaceful relations. This went against the usual practice of the colonialists, when the local population was massacred or enslaved. Traveler James Cook opposed this. The captain's brief biography does not contain evidence that he ever initiated a conflict with the natives.
New Zealand and Australia
After Tahiti came New Zealand, which was carefully explored by James Cook. The short biography of the navigator in each textbook includes a detailed description of his activities as a cartographer. He described in detail each coastline he passed by. His maps were used for another hundred years. On the Endeavor he discovered a bay, which he named Queen Charlotte Bay. The captain's name was given to the strait separating the two islands of New Zealand.
The east coast of Australia greeted the team with unprecedented plant species. Because of this, the bay in this region received the name Botanical. Europeans were amazed by the local fauna, including wild kangaroos. On June 11, 1770, the ship suffered a serious hole on the reef, which greatly slowed down the expedition.
Once the leak was repaired, Endeavor set sail for Indonesia. There, the sailors became infected with malaria. The sanitary conditions of the voyages of that time were conducive to the spread of epidemics. However, Cook, thanks to hygiene rules and a change in diet, managed to overcome scurvy - the scourge of many sailors. But there were no effective drugs against malaria and dysentery yet. Therefore, when the Endeavor finally arrived in Cape Town, only 12 people remained on board, including Cook.
The first expedition proved that New Zealand is two islands. The main target (the southern continent) was never discovered. The east coast of Australia was mapped in detail.
Second expedition
In 1772, a new expedition was launched, led by James Cook. A short biography for children contains many fascinating travel details that attract young readers. These are mainly descriptions of amazing plants and animals of tropical fauna.
Cook's first target was Bouvet Island, which had previously been spotted from afar by a Norwegian expedition. However, the desired piece of land was never found, after which the team went further south. In January 1773, Resolution and Adventure crossed the Antarctic Circle for the first time in the history of exploration. Due to severe weather conditions, the two ships even briefly lost sight of each other.
After a long voyage, the expedition headed to Tahiti and Huahine. There the British encountered aggressive behavior of the natives and even cannibalism. Subsequently, Cook headed due east, discovering New Caledonia and South Georgia. However, he never managed to reach the shores of Antarctica. This is where James Cook was heading. The biography, a brief summary of which captivates with vivid adventures, has become the subject of research by numerous historians.
The Last Expedition
In 1776, a new voyage began, led by James Cook. The biography, a summary of which is in all geography textbooks, includes such an interesting chapter. This time the captain received two ships - Resolution and Discovery.
On December 24, 1777, the expedition discovered the so-called in honor of the upcoming holiday. Here the sailors were able to see the solar eclipse with their own eyes. James Cook knew about its coming in advance, whose short biography included long days of studying astronomy.
Death
Already in January, Europeans saw the Hawaiian Islands for the first time. Here they rested, after which they went to the shores of Alaska and the Chukchi Sea. Along the way, the ships crossed Na Kuk and met with Russian explorers and industrialists.
From the polar seas the team returned to Hawaii. She was met by a crowd of about a thousand Aboriginal people. Conflicts constantly arose with the local residents, which is why they attacked the British. During one of the attacks on February 14, 1779, James Cook was killed. A very brief biography of this navigator should be known to any educated and erudite person. The captain became a national hero of Great Britain.
