Changes

On his second voyage of discovery, (1772-5) Cook, promoted to commander, and with two vessels – his own ''Resolution'' and the ''Adventure'' under [[Tobias Furneaux]] – became possibly the first European to cross the [[Antarctic Circle]] when he circumnavigated [[Antarctica]] at high latitudes confirming that no “Great South Land” jutted up into any of the temperate oceans. The voyage is more important for what it didn’t discover than finding anything new. New lands were found near the tip of South America, some sub-Antarctic islands were discovered and the ''Adventure'', separated by fog and gales in the Southern Ocean, visited New Zealand, then poked around the southeast of Tasmania before exploring the east coast and discovering Flinders Is. at the western entrance to  Bass Strait. (Tasmania, though, was still assumed to be connected to the Australian mainland.)

On his second voyage of discovery, (1772-5) Cook, promoted to commander, and with two vessels – his own ''Resolution'' and the ''Adventure'' under [[Tobias Furneaux]] – became possibly the first European to cross the [[Antarctic Circle]] when he circumnavigated [[Antarctica]] at high latitudes confirming that no “Great South Land” jutted up into any of the temperate oceans. The voyage is more important for what it didn’t discover than finding anything new. New lands were found near the tip of South America, some sub-Antarctic islands were discovered and the ''Adventure'', separated by fog and gales in the Southern Ocean, visited New Zealand, then poked around the southeast of Tasmania before exploring the east coast and discovering Flinders Is. at the western entrance to  Bass Strait. (Tasmania, though, was still assumed to be connected to the Australian mainland.)

Cook’s third voyage (1776-80)(now as a post-captain and member of the Royal Society) was part of a new effort to find the [[Northwest Passage]]; a navigable route between the [[Atlantic]] and [[Pacific]] oceans across the top of [[Canada]]. Whilst others tackled it from the east, Cook, again in the ''Resolution'' accompanied by HMS ''Discovery'' under Captain Charles Clerke, sailed via [[Cape of Good Hope]], Tasmania and Tahiti for the north Pacific, becoming the [[European]] discoverer of [[Hawaii]]. He explored and charted the north Pacific coasts of North America and [[Siberia]], attempting to push up into the Bering Sea, but failing because of ice. He returned to Hawaii for rest and repairs but got into a fight with the local Hawaiians, and at Kealakekua Bay on 14th February 1779 was killed by them.  

Cook’s third voyage (1776-80)(now as a post-captain and member of the Royal Society) was part of a new effort to find the [[Northwest Passage]]; a navigable route between the [[Atlantic]] and [[Pacific]] oceans across the top of [[Canada]]. Whilst others tackled it from the east, Cook, again in the ''Resolution'' accompanied by HMS ''Discovery'' under Captain Charles Clerke, sailed via [[Cape of Good Hope]], Tasmania and Tahiti for the north Pacific, becoming the [[European]] discoverer of [[Hawaii]]. He explored and charted the north Pacific coasts of North America and [[Siberia]], attempting to push up into the [[Bering Sea]], but failing because of ice. He returned to Hawaii for rest and repairs but got into a fight with the local Hawaiians, and at Kealakekua Bay on 14th February 1779 was killed by them.  

Cook was the consummate “discoverer” in that he was an explorer, navigator, surveyor, cartographer, scientist and leader of men. He was the first to realise the importance of hygiene and diet on board, and whilst his men would grumble at this, it kept them alive on the tiny vessels they were on for months. ("Endeavour" was less than half again as long as Columbus’ "Santa Maria"). His three great voyages to the [[South Seas]] were predominately for scientific reasons and the pursuit of knowledge and his discoveries were shared with the world; even if they enabled Britain to replace the loss of one empire with another.

Cook was the consummate “discoverer” in that he was an explorer, navigator, surveyor, cartographer, scientist and leader of men. He was the first to realise the importance of hygiene and diet on board, and whilst his men would grumble at this, it kept them alive on the tiny vessels they were on for months. ("Endeavour" was less than half again as long as Columbus’ "Santa Maria"). His three great voyages to the [[South Seas]] were predominately for scientific reasons and the pursuit of knowledge and his discoveries were shared with the world; even if they enabled Britain to replace the loss of one empire with another.