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Maritime Topics On Stamps :
Cook's First Pacific Voyage!
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A huge amount of stamps, covers and cancellations exist about the famous Captain James Cook. A
philatelist can build an extensive topic collection dealing exclusively with Cook and his three
discovery voyages to the Pacific Ocean. This page could provide some inspiration and information
to do so.
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James Cook was born on October 27th, 1728 in the village of Marton in Yorkshire. He was 18
when he enlisted and continued to work for ten years in the coal trade at the east coast of England.
In 1755 Cook joined the Royal Navy and within two years he passed his master exam to
qualify for the navigation and handling of a royal ship.
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It took a while until he received his first ship, the 'Pembroke', but was immediately ordered to
chart the waters of the St. Lawrence River in Canada. Between 1763 and 1767 Cook charted the
fog-shrouded coast of Newfoundland. He received practical training in mathematics and astronomy,
but was also able to improve the less tangible qualities of leadership, determination and
ambition as well. Cook was a highly trained navigator, cartographer, discoverer, explorer and
seaman!
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Cook's first voyage to the Pacific lasted three years from 1768 to 1771. The original
intention was to organise a scientific voyage to observe the transit of the planet Venus
between the earth and the sun from Tahiti. This was supplemented by orders to search for the
mysterious great southern continent, 'Terra Australis Incognita'.
Cook's ship, the 'Endeavour', was a three mast bark, a former coal carrier (collier), 368 tons,
length: 105 ft, beam: 29 ft, draught: 14 ft. Although a very slow ship, she was chosen for her
strength, shallow draught and storage capacity. The 'Endeavour' carried 9 scientist and their
assistants in addition to the 85 crew members. Among them the botanists Banks and the Swedish
Solander, the astronomer Green and the painter Parkinson.
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After passing stormy Cape Horn, Cook sailed straight to Tahiti and conducted the astronomical
venus observation as planned.
The British Samuel Willis had discovered Tahiti in 1767 (see stamp to the left). To the right
there is a native priest during Cook's arrival in 1769.
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All around the world many scientist observed and recorded the time of the Venus transit from
different locations. Combining all records the astronomers were able to calculate the distance
between the earth and the sun. When Cook and his astronomer conducted their measurement, the sight
was misty and the result not exact. Neverthelesse the evaluations and calculations from the data
collected around the world resulted in a distance of 153 million kilometers.
This was a great success, as the exact value according to modern methods is around 150 million
kilometers.
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Cook stayed for three months at Tahiti. He conducted several survey trips to the neighbouring
islands and christened them Society Islands. His botanists collected plants and animals and
studied the live of the natives. On the stamp to the right the swedish botanist Solander is
depicted.
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Cook gave orders to treat the natives with respect. For the crew Tahiti was like paradise. The
friendly natives were helpful to collect water and provisions and the girls were willing to
make love. Nevertheless they liked to steal. At one time for instance Cook had to confiscate
all outrigger canoes to get his stolen quadrant back. Later on he took a chief as hostage to
get information about the whereabouts of deserted sailors.
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Then Cook continued southbound to search for the unknown continent. After reaching 40 degrees
southern latitude without sight of any land, he sailed westward to New Zealand. There Cook
charted all coasts in six months to prove that they were not part of the southern continent.
To the left you can see the courses around New Zealand.
Contact to the natives, the Maori, was extremely difficult as they were martial and some tribes
still practised cannibalism. The painter Parkinson drew the tattooed Maori (stamp to the right).
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Here are two old stamps about disembarking at New Zealand, issued in 1906.
To the left landfall at Poverty Bay, named after the poor results when collecting water and
supplies. To the right landfall at Mercury Bay.
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From there on Cook pointed the 'Endeavour' to the unexplored eastern parts of New Holland
(The Dutch name for Australia in those days). Cook sailed north along the shores of present
New South Wales and Queensland, charting all the way as he went by. First landfall was
at Botany Bay, so named by Cook as the botanist found a host more unknown plants and animals
then ever before.
This souvenir sheet shows Cook and his ship to the left, next to him the quadrant as a symbol
for charting the coasts, then landfall and meeting the natives, the Aboriginals.
They discovered strange new animals like the kangaroo and many unknown plants.
To the right you can see Cook claiming the whole coast of eastern New Holland for the
British Crown.
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When a ship sails over the oceans for three years, she is in need for repairs. To the left you
can see the 'Endeavour' ashore at New Zealand.
At the Great Barrier Reef the 'Endeavour' ran aground. Unloading unimportant cargo and waiting
for the flood had no success. Then the desperate crew fastened an anchor to another reef and
with the capstan (spill) they pulled the ship from the reef. Afterwards they docked the ship
ashore for repairs (stamp right).
Weeks later on they ran into trouble again at the Barrier Reef. In a calm the tide current pressed
the ship towards the reef, which was covered by white foam. As the water was too deep to cast
anchor, they lowered the boats and tried to drag the 'Endeavour' away from the reef, but the drift
was too high. In the last minute a gentle breeze filled the sails and saved ship and crew.
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Cook reached the northern tip of Australia and sailed through the Torres Strait, thus
finishing the dispute as to whether New Holland and New Guinea were joined. Then he sailed
to Batavia to collect food and water. Aboard Cook's ship the dreaded scurvy never happened, as
he always kept supplies of fruit and water. But here they were caught by malaria and dysentery.
A total of 30 crew members died at Batavia and later on at sea, among them the painter Parkinson.
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Passing the Indian Ocean and rounding the Cape of Good Hope they safely returned to England. On
this, his first voyage Cook had charted more than 5000 miles of previously unknown coastline.
The boxes of the botanists were filled with unknown plants and animals, the painters returned
with many pictures about the natives and their countries.
On the stamp to the left you can see a reconstruction of the 'Endeavour', built from 1990 to
1995 in Australia. She sails under the command of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.
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