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When I saw it online, I thought that it looked interesting. Then I lost interest. I wanted to like this book. I thought that pirates and life aboard ships were interesting decades ago. If you do, maybe you could explain it to me. The few reviews were favorable. At least all that I could read for three days.
However the abbreviations and some of the words I just could not decipher. I really did. I have read period pieces before. I enjoy maritime tales, stories and life. This was a slow, monotonous account. If you want to attempt to figure out this book, I wish you luck. :)
I wish I had read the reviews before paying for this. The key word for this edition is ABRIDGED. According to the editor Philip Edward's introduction, only about a third of Cook's/Beaglehole's text is included.
But a genius. This is a spectacularly interesting journal. Cook was an odd sort, that's for sure. I'd certainly say so after reading his often-daily account of his activities. Really neat book.
The book includes maps of Cook's routes on his voyages. Natives would attempt to steal items, if they could, leading to numerous confrontations including one in which a boat crew of the Adventure (the consort ship of the second voyage) were killed and eaten by the Maori natives of New Zealand.Cook's journal ended several weeks before his death.
Other people might find sections of it dry reading. The book is recommended for oceanography students as the 17th century voyages of exploration formed the basis for later oceanographic cruises.Cook's voyages carried scientific personnel of that time period, many of whom died from the harsh conditions along with members of the crews.
This well prepared abridged edition of Captain James Cook's journals is a specialized book of interest to people studying the exploration of the Pacific and/or the British Navy of that time period. Observations were made of prevailing winds, currents, temperature, and other things of scientific interest.Natives throughout the Pacific would go to great lengths to obtain iron, expecially axes, even prostituting their wives and daughters (willing or not).
In addition to bad weather, there were diseases and hostile natives (including cannibals). Extensive charting was carried out and, on the second voyage, the Board of Longitude supplied Cook with Larcum Kendall's copy of John Harrison's H4 watch for determining longitude.
The editor fills in details from journals of other people who were on the voyage, and speculates on the reason he was killed by the natives in Hawaii. It also has an index listing the names of the various individuals mentioned, with an indication of their positions on the voyages or their other positions if they were not active participants.
This re-issue of the Beaglehole edition of the Cook journals attests to the enduring importance of Cook as the exemplar navigator and Beaglehole as his nautical Boswell.The writing is elegant and subtle and the fascination of the recital enduring.Best there is no other.
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