Document Analysis - Joseph Banks , Endeavour Journal
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Document analysis
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Joseph Banks, Endeavour Journal
The text at hand contains an extract of a journal written by Joseph Banks during the first voyage of Captain Cook to the south of the Pacific Ocean. This version of the journal had been edited “with the most scrupulous scholarship and copious notes by Dr J. C. Beaglehole of the Victoria University of Wellington.” J.C Beaglehole also edited Cook’s journals, which had been published in 1955.
Joseph Banks was born on 15 February 1743 in London. His function on board of HMS Endeavour was to “gather a wide range of information about plants, birds, and other animals, along with knowledge of the indigenous people.” The journal has been written during the three-year journey, from 25 August 1768-12 July 1771, of James Cook’s first voyage. The present document analysis deals with the journal entries from 1 February 1770 to 19 February 1770. During this writing HMS Endeavour sailed along the coastline of New Zealand under the command of James Cook whose mapping and discovery of New Zealand as being an island has been the major outcome of these days of the journey.
This journey followed close upon the visit of the expedition on Tahiti to observe the transit of Venus. On 8 June 1769 the transit of Venus was successfully observed from three different points. After fulfilling his mission on Tahiti Cook resumed his voyage to fulfil the task given to him secretly by the Royal Society. On 7 September 1769 the Endeavour reached New Zealand, which had never been visited by any European after Abel Janszoon Tasman had discovered it on 13 December 1642. Tasman’s stay at New Zealand was not successful in the means of its discovery. No trading had been done between the native Maori and Tasman’s crew. The first discovery by the Dutch businessmen Tasman was only the western coastline of New Zealand, which had been mapped afterwards.
Document analysis
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Joseph Banks, Endeavour Journal
The text at hand contains an extract of a journal written by Joseph Banks during the first voyage of Captain Cook to the south of the Pacific Ocean. This version of the journal had been edited “with the most scrupulous scholarship and copious notes by Dr J. C. Beaglehole of the Victoria University of Wellington.” J.C Beaglehole also edited Cook’s journals, which had been published in 1955.
Joseph Banks was born on 15 February 1743 in London. His function on board of HMS Endeavour was to “gather a wide range of information about plants, birds, and other animals, along with knowledge of the indigenous people.” The journal has been written during the three-year journey, from 25 August 1768-12 July 1771, of James Cook’s first voyage. The present document analysis deals with the journal entries from 1 February 1770 to 19 February 1770. During this writing HMS Endeavour sailed along the coastline of New Zealand under the command of James Cook whose mapping and discovery of New Zealand as being an island has been the major outcome of these days of the journey.
This journey followed close upon the visit of the expedition on Tahiti to observe the transit of Venus. On 8 June 1769 the transit of Venus was successfully observed from three different points. After fulfilling his mission on Tahiti Cook resumed his voyage to fulfil the task given to him secretly by the Royal Society. On 7 September 1769 the Endeavour reached New Zealand, which had never been visited by any European after Abel Janszoon Tasman had discovered it on 13 December 1642. Tasman’s stay at New Zealand was not successful in the means of its discovery. No trading had been done between the native Maori and Tasman’s crew. The first discovery by the Dutch businessmen Tasman was only the western coastline of New Zealand, which had been mapped afterwards.
References: Banks, Joseph. “The Endeavour Journal of Sir Joseph Banks.” 11 2005. http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks05/0501141h.html#feb1770 (accessed 08 16, 2012). Beaglehole, J. C. The Discovery of New Zealand. London: Oxford University Press, 1961. Cook, James. “Chart of New Zealand.” 1770. http://southseas.nla.gov.au/journals/maps/zoom_nz.html (accessed 08 17, 2012). O 'Brian, Patrick. Joseph Banks: a life. Great Britain: Robert Hartnoll Ltd, 1987. Seas, South. Map of Cook 's anchorage in Queen Charlotte Sound (15 January - 6 February 1770). 2004. http://southseas.nla.gov.au/journals/maps/31_queenchar.html (accessed 08 18, 2012). [ 2 ]. (O 'Brian 1987), 13 [ 3 ] [ 4 ]. (McDermott 1878) [ 5 ] [ 6 ]. (Seas 2004) [ 7 ] [ 8 ]. (Banks 2005), 1770 February 4 [ 9 ] [ 10 ]. (Banks 2005), 1770 Febrary 17 [ 11 ] [ 12 ]. (O 'Brian 1987), 69-71