Page 67 - All About History - Issue 29-15

Heroes & Villains
CAPTAIN JAMES COOK

Cook and four other sailors were
killed by the natives after a dispute Allies

Captain Charles
Clerke
Cook’s trusted deputy, Clerke
accompanied him on his
three historic voyages. Upon
Cook’s death in Hawaii, Clerke
took charge of Discovery
and Resolution but died of
consumption before the ships
made it back to Britain.
Cook’s crew
Scurvy was a constant
danger on long journeys at
sea until Cook came along.
He took the health of his
crew very seriously and his
insistence on cleanliness
on board the ship and the
eating of fresh vegetables
savedmanyofhiscrewfrom
the fatal illness.
John Harrison
The clock maker thought he
had solved the problem of
measuring longitude at sea,
but his invention needed
to be tested. Cook was the
man for the job and did
so, proving that Harrison’s
invention worked, aiding
generations of sailors in
navigating the world.

Despite his biggest claim to fame Although conditions on board Cook’s quick progression through the ranks of the Navy
being his discovery of many of ships were clearly better than most showed him to be a masterful sailor and the fact
the islands in the South Pacific, and he gained a reputation as that he spent ten years at sea exploring previously
Cook also made a much more a responsible and caring ship uncharted waters is a testament to that skill. He
important contribution to Despite never commander, he was prone to can certainly be accused of a lack of cultural
naval history. One of the holding the rank of violent outbursts of temper. sensitivity toward the natives of the lands he
biggest killers on long His men suffered increasingly visited, but that doesn’t seem to be far removed
voyages was scurvy, a captain, he was charge at the hands of these ferocious from the general attitudes of the day.
deficiency of vitamin C. ofashipsomaybe episodes and many believe During his 11 years as the driving force of British
Symptoms included fatigue, that it was one such bout of naval missions abroad, Captain James Cook blazed
swollen and painful gums, describedassuch fury that led to his eventual a trail across the oceans. He left in his wake
jaundice, and eventual death. stabbing and death. discoveries of new lands, vast improvements in the
Little was known about how Cook’s other major mark health of sailors and the implementation of new
to prevent this disease, but Cook on naval history is in the field of navigation technology. As well as being a pioneer
took on advice from physicians and navigation. John Harrison, an English in his field, he was brave, intelligent and always
insisted that the ship was kept as clean as clock maker, had designed a device for measuring willing to seek out new adventures, traits that have
possible and the men ate as many fresh fruits and a ship’s longitude while at sea, something that well and truly secured his place in the pantheon of
vegetables as they could. These rules resulted in had previously been nigh-on impossible. Cook the world’s greatest explorers.
his initial journey becoming the first long voyage tested it out on the Endeavour and confirmed that
to report no deaths from the disease. It is often said Harrison’s machine worked. This was a historic
that Cook’s progression through the naval ranks landmark in navigating the oceans and assisted
made him much more sympathetic to the needs Cook and future sailors greatly as they explored
and feelings of his crew, so this may be part of the further afield.
reason he took such a strong stance on creating Cook is certainly a British and naval hero,
the best possible conditions for his sailors. While combining technical excellence with a thirst
Cook cannot be credited with the discovery of the for knowledge and discovery. His long sorties
prevention, he can certainly be commended for abroad never failed to return some new kind of Cook was a pioneer of the sailing world, claiming lands for
ruthlessly enforcing it and saving untold numbers information, whether the discovery of new lands Britain and helping eradicate scurvy from his ships, although
his treatment of the Hawaiians eventually led to his death © Alamy
of lives at sea. or the confirmation that none such existed. His
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