The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook

Content Warning: This section of the guide discusses colonial violence and imperialist attitudes. In addition, the source text uses racist language to refer to Indigenous people, which is replicated in direct quotes only.

In January 1778, fishermen on the Hawaiian island of Kaua’i spotted two enormous ships approaching by torchlight. Bewildered and frightened, they described the vessels as leviathans with holes and a long spear at the front. The next morning, the villagers, including the high chief Kaeo, gathered to witness these mysterious apparitions, speculating whether they were floating temples or trees moving on the sea. The villagers’ fear and awe grew as they watched humanlike creatures on the ships, mistaking their appearance and clothing for deformities.

In 1776, James Cook had risen to prominence as a celebrated navigator and post-captain. He was highly regarded by scientists and society, even posing for renowned portrait painters and receiving honors like the Copley Medal. Cook’s recent return from his second circumnavigation of the globe solidified his status. During this voyage, he extensively explored the southern oceans in search of the hypothetical continent, Terra Australis Incognita. Despite thorough and perilous searches, he concluded that the continent did not exist, contributing to the idea of “negative discovery.