BC Cook
DEPENDING on your point of view, Captain James Cook of England (1728-1779) was either the best or the worst person that ever visited the Pacific Ocean. How can such a bold statement be made? Over the course of three voyages of exploration he discovered more islands, made contact with more distinct cultures and ethnicities, answered more scientific questions, and mapped a larger portion of the earth’s surface than any other explorer. He connected the two halves of human civilization, east and west, in a more direct way than even Marco Polo. He brought the Pacific world into contact with the great population centers of Europe and Asia in a full and meaningful way that could not be undone. So, depending on how you see it, that was either the best or the worst thing that ever happened to the islands and islanders. Let’s take a look at the first of Cook’s three voyages.
On the first voyage, 1768-1771, he sailed around the world, which was still a major accomplishment in those days. He visited Tahiti to carry out a scientific study of a solar eclipse of Venus. This greatly enhanced our understanding of the solar system, determined the distance from the Earth to the Sun, and enabled us to design more precise instruments such as clocks.
He visited other islands in Polynesia, discovered and charted New Zealand, located and sailed through Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, charted the east coast of Australia, and proved that New Guinea is a separate island. When Cook put in at the port of Batavia in Indonesia, the ship needed major repairs. Among other problems, they found a huge hole in the bottom of the ship where it grounded on the Barrier Reef. The ship would have foundered if not for a giant piece of coral that wedged into the opening. Repairs were made at Batavia and Cook nursed the ship back to England. The voyage was a great success and Cook was hailed as a hero.
Funny, isn’t it? How history would have changed if not for a piece of coral. If it had not miraculously plugged the hole the voyage would not have been completed and the next two would never have happened. We never would have heard of Captain Cook, and the exploration of the Pacific would have been very different. Without a strong British presence to slow them down, the Russians and Japanese would have been much more assertive in staking claims. Canada could have become a Russian territory and Alaska would have stayed one. It is likely the Spanish-American War would not have spilled into the Pacific so America would not have occupied the Philippines. Hawaii could easily have become a Japanese possession instead of American one. How that would have changed the history of the Second World War. No Pearl Harbor and maybe no war in the Pacific at all, so no Banzai Cliff or tanks along Beach Road. All because of a piece of coral stuck in the hull of Cook’s ship.
He wasn’t finished. In fact, this was just a warm-up. While the first voyage opened the door to the Pacific and its people, the next two kicked it open wide and forever changed the lives of the islanders, for better and for worse.
Dr. BC Cook taught history for thirty years and is a director and Pacific historian at Sealark Exploration (sealarkexploration.org). He currently lives in Hawaii.
