The Life of Captain James Cook

by John C. Beaglehole

Captain Cook is the greatest explorer-seaman of all time, yet the world has had to wait almost two centuries for the first full-scale biography to do justice to the man and his achievements. Professor J.C. Beaglehole, the leading authority on Pacific exploration, devoted himself for many years to the editing of Cook's copious Journals, a monument of scholarship in four massive volumes, and the Journal of Josepph Banks who accompanied Cook in the Endeavor . The Journals completed, Beaglehole turn to writing as the crown of his life's work this biography of Cook, which was completed but for a final checking when he died. This is not merely a chronological account of events in Cook's life but a deeply revealing study of the growth of a complex character, stubborn and passionate yet patient and judicious, seen in his actions as an unrivalled navigator and explorer and as a commander of men. Those who influenced Cook from childhood up, and those who sailed with him on his voyages, are as clearly and surely drawn as the man himself. The author's first-hand knowledge of the Pacific Islands and the coasts of New Zealand and Australia give a warmth and actuality to the narrative, while his impeccable scholarship and skill in handling the mass of documentary material, his wit, and his elegant literary style, confirm the expectration that this is one of the great historical biographies.

Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction, Adventure

772 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

John Cawte Beaglehole OM CMG, was a New Zealand historian whose greatest scholastic achievement was the editing of James Cook's three journals of exploration, together with the writing of an acclaimed biography of Cook, published posthumously. He had a lifelong association with Victoria University College, which became Victoria University of Wellington, and after his death it named the archival collections after him.

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

The definitive biography of Captain Cook, written by the man who first spent 20 years editing Cook's journals. Cook himself redacted his journals actively, so it was no small task for the New Zealand professor. Indeed Beaglehole died during the final edit of the book and his son, T.H. Beaglehole saw to finishing publication over two years later.

It goes without saying that the biography is detailed (and illustrations are good) but even a reader familiar with geography needs much more than an excellent atlas, in part because place-names are often different. Recommended as a companion guide: "Captain Cook's World: Maps of the Life and Voyages of James Cook R.N." by John Robson. The book would also be greatly aided by a cut-away drawing of Cook's ships of exploration to explain how spaces were organized (and re-organized during open-ocean sailing). Beaglehole refers to stowage as if the modern reader understands where the pre-baked bread was stored (and how it was preserved on long voyages), as well as where all of the cattle carried would live.

Next, you need to brush up on your language. First the nautical language, so that you know what a "fish" is in nautical structure; a "snow" as a ship-type; a stream anchor; pawls; pease and "portable soup".

You'll also need a lesson in the Queen's English for antipodean words that Beaglehole employs, such as poetariste, cockling sea; heiva; desiderate; duff; gantlope; backstaff, thrum; and supererogation.

But it is an excellent book, full of details and judgments on decisions made by Cook and his men. Occasionally you get a humorous note or footnote, such as the one on p. 101, where Beaglehole decides that the quoting the astronomer Edmund Halley is not enough, so the footnote provides the same quotation in the "original more resounding Latin".

Of course the biography relates Cook's killing near Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. And lets us know too, that one of the great mysteries of that voyage was the disappearance of the last 30 days of Cook's meticulous daily journals.

[Amit Fudim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just so hard & confusing to read. Be sure to be very qualified on the naval front re understanding maps & what not

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very thorough and detailed biography of Captain James Cook (1728 – 1779), British Royal Navy Captain who vastly increased the knowledge of the South Pacific. I very much enjoyed reading this book, and enjoyed the wealth of detail.

Born in Yorkshire, Cook was first apprenticed as a shop boy to a grocer; that not working out, he served a three-year apprenticeship in the Merchant Navy, working on colliers along the English coast. In 1755, at the age of twenty-seven, he entered the Royal Navy, and passed his master’s examination in 1757. During the Seven Years' War, Cook served in North America as master aboard the fourth-rate Navy vessel HMS Pembroke. With others in Pembroke's crew, he took part in the major amphibious assault that captured the Fortress of Louisbourg from the French in 1758, and in the siege of Quebec City in 1759. Throughout his service he demonstrated a talent for surveying and cartography and was responsible for mapping much of the entrance to the Saint Lawrence River during the siege, thus allowing General Wolfe to make his famous stealth attack during the 1759 Battle of the Plains of Abraham. He then spent five seasons mapping the coast of Newfoundland. He married in 1762; he had six children, but only three lived to adulthood, and those three died without issue. In 1768 he made the first of his three voyages to the South Pacific; in HMS Endeavor he mapped the entire coast of New Zealand, and mapped the eastern coast of Australia. He returned to England in 1771, and was something of a celebrity. Cook was promoted to Commander, and in 1772 took HMS Resolution, along with another ship (HMS Adventure) to search for the rumored Terra Australis continent. He did not find it, but circumnavigated the globe at a very high southern latitude, and very nearly sighted Antarctica. Cook's second voyage marked a successful employment of Larcum Kendall's K1 copy of John Harrison's H4 marine chronometer, which enabled Cook to calculate his longitudinal position with much greater accuracy. After more navigating and surveying, he returned to England in 1775 (HMS Adventure had gotten separated from HMS Resolution, and returned to England in 1774). Upon his return, Cook was promoted to the rank of post-captain and given an honorary retirement from the Royal Navy, with a posting as an officer of the Greenwich Hospital. He reluctantly accepted, insisting that he be allowed to quit the post if an opportunity for active duty should arise. His third voyage, again in HMS Resolution (with HMS Discovery as consort) had as its main goal the discovery of the Northwest Passage from the western end. Leaving in 1776, between Tahiti and Alaska he discovered the Hawaiian Islands. In a single visit, Cook charted the majority of the North American northwest coastline on world maps for the first time, determined the extent of Alaska, and closed the gaps in Russian (from the west) and Spanish (from the south) exploratory probes of the northern limits of the Pacific. He went through the Bering Strait, but was turned back by ice. He returned to Hawaii, and on the big island was treated as a deity. Upon leaving, he had to return in a week to repair a mast; in an attempt to hold one the major chiefs hostage for the return of a ship’s boat that had been stolen, he was killed in the surf (along with four Naval Marines). His bones were returned to the ship after the rest of him had been eaten ceremonially, and the two ships eventually returned to England in 1780.

Cook was a very good navigator and surveyor, with a talent for discovery; he also managed to keep his ships’ crews healthy by stocking up on fresh food and greens at every opportunity. Cook's twelve years sailing around the Pacific Ocean contributed much to Europeans' knowledge of the area. Several islands, such as the Hawaiian group, were encountered for the first time by Europeans, and his more accurate navigational charting of large areas of the Pacific was a major achievement.

I very much enjoyed reading this book, although it took me a long time (714 pages), and I recommend it to anyone interested in South Pacific Exploration or Captain Cook.

[Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captain Cook is the greatest explorer-seaman of all time, yet the world has had to wait almost two centuries for the first full-scale biography to do justice to the man and his achievements. Professor J.C. Beaglehole, the leading authority on Pacific exploration, devoted himself for many years to the editing of Cook's copious Journals, a monument of scholarship in four massive volumes, and the Journal of Josepph Banks who accompanied Cook in the Endeavor. The Journals completed, Beaglehole turn to writing as the crown of his life's work this biography of Cook, which was completed but for a final checking when he died. This is not merely a chronological account of events in Cook's life but a deeply revealing study of the growth of a complex character, stubborn and passionate yet patient and judicious, seen in his actions as an unrivalled navigator and explorer and as a commander of men. Those who influenced Cook from childhood up, and those who sailed with him on his voyages, are as clearly and surely drawn as the man himself. The author's first-hand knowledge of the Pacific Islands and the coasts of New Zealand and Australia give a warmth and actuality to the narrative, while his impeccable scholarship and skill in handling the mass of documentary material, his wit, and his elegant literary style, confirm the expectration that this is one of the great historical biographies.

[Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweeping, solid, highly detailed, very close to primary materials. Selection of quotations from Cook's and others' journals is well done and good length; it is not just in its existence but in its contents that it feels that the accumulated knowledge of a lifetime went into this biography.

I wish Beaglehole had been less fond of long paragraphs.

[Caleb Meyers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent biography. 4.25 or 4.5 stars. He gives great insights on native cultures, and is a very interesting writer. He also sights many sources, including Cook's own journals and the log for his ship.

[Blair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of detail. Almost rope by rope. Remember liking it.