In May 1768, the Admiralty commissioned the 39-year old Cook to command a scientific voyage to the Pacific Ocean to observe and record the 1769 transit of Venus across the Sun. The expedition sailed aboard HMS Endeavour in August 1768, rounded Cape Horn and continued to Tahiti, where the observations of the transit were made. Cook then opened sealed orders for the second part of his voyage: to search the south Pacific for signs of the postulated rich southern continent of Terra Australis. Cook proceeded to circumnavigate New Zealand's two main islands, which is where this volume ends. - Summary by David Cole
Chapters
1 Introduction, and Bk. I Ch. I, The Passage from Plymouth to Madeira, with some Account of that Island 31 min 2 Bk. I Ch. 2 Pt. 1 The Passage from Madeira to Rio de Janeiro . . 30 min 3 Bk. I Ch. 2 Pt. 2 32 min 4 Bk. I Ch. 3 The Passage from Rio de Janeiro to the Entrance of the Strait of Le Maire, with a Description of some of the Inhabitants of Terra del Fuego 14 min 5 Bk. I Ch. 4 An Account of what happened in ascending a Mountain to search for Plants 18 min 6 Bk. I Ch. 5 The Passage through the Strait of Le Maire, and a further Description of the Inhabitants of Terra del Fuego, and its Productions 19 min 7 Bk. I Ch. 6 A general Description of the south-east Part of Terra del Fuego, and the Strait of Le Maire . . 17 min 8 Bk. I Ch. 7 The Sequel of the Passage from Cape Horn to the newly discovered Islands in the South Seas . . 24 min 9 Bk. I Ch. 8 The Arrival of the Endeavour at Otaheite . . 22 min 10 Bk. I Ch. 9 A Place fixed upon for an Observatory and Fort . . 22 min 11 Bk. I Ch. 10 An Excursion to the eastward, an Account of several Incidents that happened both on Board and on Shore, and of the first Interview with Oberea . . 28 min 12 Bk. I Ch. 11 The Observatory set up . . 32 min 13 Bk. I Ch. 12 Some Ladies visit the Fort with very uncommon Ceremonies . . 18 min 14 Bk. I Ch. 13 Another Visit to Tootahah, with various Adventures . . 24 min 15 Bk. I Ch. 14 The Ceremonies of an Indian Funeral particularly described . . 31 min 16 Bk. I Ch. 15 An Account of the Circumnavigation of the Island . . 40 min 17 Bk. I Ch. 16 An Expedition of Mr. Banks to trace the River . . 27 min 18 Bk. I Ch. 17 Pt. 1 A particular Description of the Island; its Produce and Inhabitants . . 32 min 19 Bk. I Ch. 17 Pt. 2 32 min 20 Bk. I Ch. 18 Of the Manufactures, Boats, and Navigation of Otaheite 40 min 21 Bk. I Ch. 19 Pt. 1 Of the Division of Time in Otaheite; Numeration, Computation of Distance . . 26 min 22 Bk. I Ch. 19 Pt. 2 26 min 23 Bk. I Ch. 20 Pt. 1 A Description of several other Islands in the Neighbourhood of Otaheite . . 38 min 24 Bk. I Ch. 20 Pt. 2 35 min 25 Bk. II Ch. 1 The Passage from Oteroah to New Zealand . . 36 min 26 Bk. II Ch. 2 Pt. 1 A Description of Poverty Bay, and the Face of the adjacent Country . . 33 min 27 Bk. II Ch. 2 Pt. 2 32 min 28 Bk. II Ch. 3 Pt. 1 The Range from Tolaga to Mercury Bay . . 33 min 29 Bk. II Ch. 3 Pt. 2 32 min 30 Bk. II Ch. 4 Pt. 1 The Range from Mercury Bay to the Bay of Islands . . 29 min 31 Bk. II Ch. 4 Pt. 2 25 min 32 Bk. II Ch. 5 Range from the Bay of Islands round North Cape to Queen Charlotte's Sound . . 38 min 33 Bk. II Ch. 6 Pt. 1 Transactions in Queen Charlotte's Sound . . 34 min 34 Bk. II Ch. 6 Pt. 2 31 min
