Sea of Dangers: Captain Cook and His Rivals in the South Pacific - Hardcover

Blainey, Geoffrey

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1566638259 ISBN 13: 9781566638258

Publisher: Ivan R. Dee, 2009

Synopsis

In 1769 two ships set out independently in search of a missing continent: a French merchant ship, the St. Jean-Baptiste, commanded by Jean de Surville, and a small British naval vessel, the Endeavour, commanded by Captain James Cook. That Christmas, in New Zealand waters, the two captains were almost within sight of each other, though neither knew of the other's existence. This is the stirring tale of these rival ships and the men who sailed in them. Cook's first long voyage was one of the most remarkable in recorded history. He not only sailed around the world, following the most difficult route any navigator had ever attempted; he also changed the maps of the world. In heavy seas he made a more thorough search for the missing continent-believed to lie somewhere between New Zealand and South America-than had ever been made. He was the first to explore most of the New Zealand coast and a vast stretch of the east coast of Australia, and the first to explore the longest reef in the world, the Great Barrier Reef. In Jakarta and Cape Town, and in the seas between them, Cook lost a third of his crew to tropical illnesses, after earlier saving them from scurvy. The ship in which he circled the world was not much larger in area than a tennis court. Along with the de Surville vessel, the sea was an arena of international rivalry, for during his voyage Cook encountered Dutch, Spanish, French, and Portuguese competitors and suspicions. Geoffrey Blainey brings his marvelous storytelling powers to bear on this fascinating and important adventure, drawing us brilliantly into the lives of the major figures.

About this title

About the Author

Geoffrey Blainey, one of Australia's most important historians, has also written A Short History of the World, A Short History of the 20th Century, and Black Kettle and Full Moon. He holds Australia's highest honor, Companion in the Order of Australia. He lives in Melbourne.

Reviews

Renowned Australian historian Blainey (A Short History of the World) homes in on a detailed account of the 1768–1771 exploratory voyage of English navigator Capt. James Cook and the contemporaneous voyage of the rival French captain Jean de Surville through the same previously uncharted waters. Each hoped to find David Land, a continent thought to lie in waters between New Zealand and South America rumored to have a Jewish colony and be rich in gold and natural resources. Blainey, a good storyteller, focuses primarily on Cook, recreating a compelling, sometimes minute-to-minute account of the historic voyage. The recounting of the near loss of the aptly named Endeavour on Australia's Great Barrier Reef is gripping. His descriptions of the conditions the sailors faced (tropical diseases and scurvy take a tremendous toll) are harrowing in their exactitude—and his accounts of how Cook and de Surville viewed the native populations they met presage how fatally dangerous Europeans were to be to indigenous peoples. Blainey's knowledge of his material and his respect for the skills of Cook and de Surville make this an attractive tale for history enthusiasts. Illus., maps. (May 1)
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Captain James Cook has long been enshrined in the pantheon of British naval heroes. Cook had been a highly successful sailor during the French and Indian War, but his fame rests primarily upon his epic explorations across the South Pacific. In 1769 Cook and his crew left England on his initial voyage in the small ship, Endeavour. The ostensible purpose was to observe the transit of Venus. There were also military implications, as traditional rival France was also active in the South Pacific. At the same time, a French ship captained by Jean de Surville left India to explore the same area. While the two expeditions never met, they inadvertently shadowed each other. Blainey, an Australian historian, masterfully recounts these twin voyages in an absorbing, exciting saga. His narrative has a curious duality, as the vast expanse of the Pacific is contrasted with the cramped conditions aboard ships. An excellent work of popular history that recounts the exploits of men who dramatically expanded our knowledge of the globe. --Jay Freeman

Edition details

• Publisher: Ivan R. Dee
• Publication date: 2009
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1566638259
• ISBN 13: 9781566638258
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 336