Captain Cook: His Life; Voyages; and Discoveries

by William Henry Giles Kingston

Among all those Englishmen who; from a humble origin; have risen to an honourable position; Captain James Cook is especially worthy of record. His parents were of the peasant class—his father having commenced life as a farm-labourer; and his mother being a cottager’s daughter. Probably; however; they were both superior to others of the same station; as the husband; in process of time; became farm-bailiff to his employer—a Mr Thomas Skottowe. This was about the year 1730; and the farm of which he had the management was called Airy-Holme; near Ayton; in Yorkshire. Not far from this place; at the village of Marton; near Stockton-upon-Tees; his son James was born; on October 27; 1728. James was one of nine children; all of whom he survived; with the exception of a sister who married a fisherman at Redcar.

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, Historical, Ebooks

236 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1871

About the author

Writer of tales for boys, William Henry Giles Kingston was born in London, but spent much of his youth in Oporto, where his father was a merchant.

His first book, The Circassian Chief, appeared in 1844. His first book for boys, Peter the Whaler, was published in 1851, and had such success that he retired from business and devoted himself entirely to the production of this kind of literature, in which his popularity was deservedly great; and during 30 years he wrote upwards of 130 tales.

Reviews

[Russell G Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

A leader of men, a smart and intelligent person, who valued me

men, teaches them, loved them as himself, and is killed by them even as the Lord Jesus Christ was killed by those he sought to bring to a knowledge of who he was.

[Mate Kel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would be a 5 star if the author wasn't so racist. I know it's a symptom of the times, but the interruptions he adds sometimes throughout the book just to say something racist about the natives is crazy.

[Tania Payton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. A distant relative of Captain Cook i wanted to know more about his life. This book certainly gave me that as well as insight into the pacific islands culture at the time that Cook was doing his voyagers.

I am from New Zealand, and I found his encounter with the Maori really interesting, not to mention the other island groups.

Kingston brings this all together at the end of the book by explaining how these islands changed through the immigration of missionaries to these islands.

[Tony Garay]

An interesting extract from the logs of Captain Cook himself describing life in the south pacific in the 18th century. Quite an extraordinary narrative of life, trade and discovery. His success at preventative measures in the prevention of scurvy. His ability to create long lasting respect from islanders,
kings and chiefs from Tahiti to Hawaii.
Very much taken from his own notes up until the day of his death in a bay south of Kona, Hawaii.

[John A Burton · Rating 3 out of 5]

A missionary view of Cook

An interesting perspective. The rate of killing of native people's by cooks expeditions is often ignored. And this account ius also critical of the fact that Cook and his crew didn't seem to be very religious

[Lorin Barber · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lousy re-telling of Cook's voyages but I was glad to get the info.

[Robert Jones]

Am now looking for a more modern interpretation of his discoveries as this book written hundreds of years ago.

[Steve Rush · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring, difficult to follow. Will find another book to learn about Whitby's finest son!