Captain Cook's Final Voyage: The Untold Story from the Journals of James Burney and Henry Roberts - Softcover

James K. Barnett (editor)|Richard Neville (foreword By)|Glyn Williams (introduction By)

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0874223571 ISBN 13: 9780874223576

Publisher: WSU Press, 2018

Synopsis

Maritime historian and researcher James K. Barnett transcribed two extraordinary, little-known journals from Captain James Cook's third exploratory voyage. They offer remarkable eyewitness accounts at the time of initial European contact, the first reasonably accurate maps of North America's west coast, the earliest comprehensive report from the Bering Sea ice pack, and the dramatic story of Cook's death at Kealakekua Bay. Astonishing for accounts of landings along Hawai'i, Vancouver Island, and Alaska, both chronicles languished in Australian archives for over a century. Barnett adds context and commentary to complete the story.

Commissioned by the British Admiralty, Cook set sail in July 1776 to confirm the outline of North America's Pacific coastline and search for the elusive Northwest Passage. The expedition's sailing ships, the Resolution and the Discovery, traveled to the South Seas, then chanced upon the Hawaiian Islands before reaching the Oregon coastline and the Arctic. Cook chose to winter in the Hawaiian archipelago, where he died in a skirmish. His crews made a second attempt to find the coveted route, then returned to England after more than four years at sea.

James Burney was first lieutenant on the Discovery. Active in shore parties and chart preparation, he saw Cook's death from the ship's deck. One of the few accounts from the consort vessel, his writing provides new details and important, thoughtful impressions of North and South Pacific people and places. Working under the notorious William Bligh, Henry Roberts was Master's Mate on the Resolution, performing essential hydrographic and cartographic tasks. He was a few feet away when Cook was killed. His well-illustrated logbook includes coordinates, tables of routes, and records of weather at sea, but also lively accounts of shore excursions. Illustrations include maps and drawings, as well as images by the expedition's official artist, John Webber.

About this title

About the Author

James K. Burnett is an Alaskan attorney who has written, co-edited, or contributed to multiple books and anthologies on Captain James Cook, Captain George Vancouver, and the history of Alaska. He served as president of the Cook Inlet Historical Society in Anchorage from 1998 to 2015, and found the journals and images while researching in Sydney nearly ten years ago.

From the Back Cover

Celebrated mariner Captain James Cook set sail in July 1776 to confirm the outline of North America's Pacific coastline and to search for the elusive Northwest Passage. These extraordinary journals--discovered languishing in Australian archives--offer remarkable eyewitness accounts from that demanding voyage. Written by two young officers and particularly noteworthy for descriptions of landings along Hawai'i, Vancouver Island, and Alaska, they describe initial European contact and Cook's dramatic death at Kealakekua Bay. Their pages also include the first reasonably accurate maps of North America's west coast and the earliest comprehensive report from the Bering Sea ice pack.

First lieutenant James Burney, writing one of the few chronicles from the consort vessel "Discovery," provides new details and important, thoughtful impressions of North and South Pacific people and places. Working under the notorious William Bligh, Henry Roberts was Master's Mate on the "Resolution," performing essential hydrographic and cartographic tasks. He was only a few feet away when Cook perished. His logbook includes coordinates, tables of routes, and records of weather at sea, as well as lively depictions of shore excursions.

This lavishly illustrated volume integrates the officers' maps and drawings with images by official expedition artist John Webber, all held by the State Library of New South Wales. Maritime historian and researcher James K. Barnett adds context and commentary to complete the story.

James K. Barnett is an Alaskan attorney who has written, co-edited, or contributed to multiple books and anthologies on Captain James Cook, Captain George Vancouver, and the history of Alaska. He served as president of the Cook Inlet Historical Society in Anchorage from 1998 to 2015, and found these long forgotten journals and images while researching in Sydney nearly ten years ago.

"Interesting from beginning to end]]the geographic orientation toward North America is, in itself, a r

From the Inside Flap

Celebrated mariner Captain James Cook set sail in July 1776 to confirm the outline of North America s Pacific coastline and to search for the elusive Northwest Passage. These extraordinary journals--discovered languishing in Australian archives--offer remarkable eyewitness accounts from that demanding voyage. Written by two young officers and particularly noteworthy for descriptions of landings along Hawai'i, Vancouver Island, and Alaska, they describe initial European contact and Cook s dramatic death at Kealakekua Bay. Their pages also include the first reasonably accurate maps of North America s west coast and the earliest comprehensive report from the Bering Sea ice pack.

First lieutenant James Burney, writing one of the few chronicles from the consort vessel Discovery, provides new details and important, thoughtful impressions of North and South Pacific people and places. Working under the notorious William Bligh, Henry Roberts was Master's Mate on the Resolution, performing essential hydrographic and cartographic tasks. He was only a few feet away when Cook perished. His logbook includes coordinates, tables of routes, and records of weather at sea, as well as lively depictions of shore excursions.

This lavishly illustrated volume integrates the officers maps and drawings with images by official expedition artist John Webber, all held by the State Library of New South Wales. Maritime historian and researcher James K. Barnett adds context and commentary to complete the story.

James K. Barnett is an Alaskan attorney who has written, co-edited, or contributed to multiple books and anthologies on Captain James Cook, Captain George Vancouver, and the history of Alaska. He served as president of the Cook Inlet Historical Society in Anchorage from 1998 to 2015, and found these long forgotten journals and images while researching in Sydney nearly ten years ago.

Interesting from beginning to end the geographic orientation toward North America is, in itself, a rarity within the larger literature of Cook. --David Nicandri, former Washington State History Society director; author, River of Promise; and co-editor, Arctic Ambitions: Captain Cook and the Northwest Passage

An important contribution to the Cook literature. --Steve Haycox, Distinguished Emeritus Professor, University of Alaska Anchorage

Edition details

• Publisher: WSU Press
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0874223571
• ISBN 13: 9780874223576
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 342