Cook's+Mission

On 14 February 1779, some local people stole one of the ship's boats. Cook reacted by taking their chief hostage, which resulted in violence during which Cook was killed. This was a tragic end to the life of one of the world's greatest navigators and explorers. Although he made few original discoveries, Cook mapped vast areas of the globe, from the Arctic to the far south, he dispelled the myth of the great southern continent and he pioneered navigation and sailing techniques saving the lives of sailors through his understanding of conditions such as scurvy. || 1745: at the age of 17 cook takes an apprenticeship in merchant navy    755: Cook joined the British Royal Navy, aged 18 1756 - 1763: Cook served in the Seven Years' War with France during which time he mapped Quebec and the St Lawrence River in Canada 1763: Cook is assigned to map the Newfoundland coast by the Royal Navy 1768: Cook leads his first scientific expedition to the South Pacific on board HMB //Endeavour// October 1769: Cook arrives in New Zealand 29 April 1770: Cook and his crew set foot on Australia for the first time at Botany Bay July 1771: Cook returns to England July 1772: Cook embarks on his second expedition to search for the great southern continent aboard HMS //Resolution// March 1773: Cook arrives in New Zealand and begins mapping the South Pacific islands July 1775: Cook returns to England via the Antarctic Circle and Cape Horn 1776: Cook departs England on HMS //Discovery// to chart the Northwest Passage between the Atlantic and Pacific 14 February 1779: Cook is killed at Kealakekua Bay, Hawaiian Islands
 * [[image:COOKS.GIF width="166" height="221"]] || His mission is to find the rumored great southern continent (Australia) which it was hoped would provide greater trading power for Britain. Also on board was Joseph Banks, a leading scientist from the Royal Geographical Society and fellow botanist, Daniel Solander, from Sweden. Based on his observations, Banks became one of the leading advocates of colonizing Australia.