Hunt for the Southern Continent by James Cook

Hunt for the Southern Continent (Penguin Great Journeys)

I found these extracts from Cook's journals rather dry and to be honest dull.

While I was able to put the  perfunctory notes on the weather and sea conditions into a maritime context they gave little sense of adventure and the the descriptions of the islands and islanders also lack the depth to really engage you.

What you did get was Cook's sesne of self-assured superiority over the native populations but without a feeling for the rounded character of Cook which might, on balance, redeemed him from attitudes we no longer have sympathy with.