EXPLORERS, GEOGRAPHERS& ANCIENT CARTOGRAPHY. CAPTAIN JAMES COOK

1755

1755

In 1755, the Kingdom of Great Britain was rearming for what would be the beginning of the Seven Years' War. Cook thought his career could advance more quickly under military service. However, this required starting at the bottom of the naval hierarchy, and in June of that year he began as an able seaman aboard HMS Eagle under the command of Captain Hugh Palliser.

During the Seven Years' War, Cook participated in the Siege of Quebec, prior to the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, in 1759.

There he demonstrated his skill at surveying and mapping, and was responsible for mapping much of the entrance to the St. Lawrence River during the siege, allowing General Wolfe to launch his surprise attack on the Plains of Abraham.

1762-1767

1762-1767

Terranova

Jame's

wife

In 1762 Cook married Elizabeth Batts, the daughter of one of his mentors. They had six children: James, Nathaniel, Elizabeth, Joseph, George, and Hugh. When Cook was not sailing, he resided in the East End of London

Between 1763 and 1767, Cook charted Terranova's jagged coastline; between 1763 and 1764, through the northwest strait; between 1765 and 1766, the southern coast between the Burin Peninsula and Cape Ray; and, finally, the West Coast during the year 1767. Cook's five seasons resulted in the first large-scale, highly accurate map of the site. They also gave Cook a great command of surveying practice, carried out under adverse conditions, which brought him to the attention of the Royal Navy and the Royal Society, at a crucial moment, both in Cook's personal career and in Britain's stance towards to overseas discoveries

FIRST TRIP I

In 1766, the Royal Society hired him to travel to the Pacific Ocean, with the aim of observing and

document the transit of Venus over the Sun.

In 1768 Cook sailed in command of the HMB Endeavor from England, sailed the South Atlantic,

rounded Cape Horn and continued west across the Pacific, reaching Tahiti on April 13

of 1769, where the observations were to be carried out.

The transit of Venus was

forecast for June 3 of that year, so until then he was in charge of the

construction of a small fort and observatory.

FIST TRIP II

Once the observations were complete, Cook departed for the second purpose of

his journey: searching the South Pacific for signs of the southernmost continent: Terra Australis, which is already

discovered a century and a half earlier by the Dutchman Willem Janszoon and the Spanish Luis Váez de

Torres, both in the year 1606

Cook came to

New Zealand, being the second European to arrive there. Abel Tasman, in 1642, had been the

First. Cook made a map of the entire coast of New Zealand, making some mistakes

minors.

HMB Endeavor continued heading north, skirting the coast, keeping land in sight.

Cook mapped and baptized various places with different names. After a week,

They passed through a large shallow cove. At this place, called Kurnell, Cook and his

crew had the first contact with the mainland.

FIRST TRIP III

On this trip, Cook had contact with indigenous people of the place, who were of a peaceful nature.

Cook continued north, skirting the coast and plotting

maps of it. There was a mishap when the HMB

Endeavor passed the Great Barrier Reef on June 11,

1770. The ship was seriously damaged and the voyage was delayed almost

seven weeks, while repairs were being made on the beach

Once the repairs were made, the journey continued, passing through the highest point

Cape York Peninsula, and then sailed through the Torres Strait, between

Australia and Papua New Guinea, which had been sailed by Luis Váez de Torres in 1604.

Cook's diaries were published on his return, making him something of a hero.

among the scientific community.

SECOND TRIP II

SECOND TRIP II

On this trip Cook commanded the ship HMS Resolution. The expedition circumnavigated the globe at a very high southern latitude, becoming one of the first to cross the circle Antarctic pole.

Cook almost discovered the real continent of Antarctica, but he turned north, in the direction of Tahiti to resupply the ship. He then resumed his southerly course on a second attempt.

unsuccessful in finding the mainland. On this leg of the journey he took with him a young Tahitian named Omai.

Another achievement of the second voyage was the successful use of the K1 chronometer, which made it easy to measure the length

more precisely.

Upon his return, Cook was promoted in the naval hierarchy to sea captain and given a retirement. Royal Navy honorary officer (as an officer at Greenwich Hospital), but Cook could not beaway from the sea.

THIRD TRIP II

THIRD TRIP II

When the explorers reached Kealakekua Bay on January 17, 10,000 Hawaiians

They came out to meet them. The islanders were celebrating the Makahiki festival in honor of Lono, the god of his land. Apparently, they believed that Cook was said god, so both he and his men they were once again the object of extraordinary kindness and hospitality. Three weeks later, on the 4 February, they weighed anchor and set sail. But on the fourth day a great hurricane came upon them, which shattered one of the Resolution's masts and forced Cook to return to Hawaii.

He traveled east to explore the west coast of North America. explored and mapped the

coast from California to the Bering Strait.

The Bering Strait could not be crossed by Cook, although he made several attempts. cook had

started to have some stomach disorder for some time, and this is taken as

explanation for his irrational behavior towards the crew during the trip.