It is certainly a view the young James Cook would have recognised while he lived with his family at Aireyholme Farm.
Cook of course would go on to achieve fame with his navigational exploits in the Pacific, beginning with his trip to Tahiti to observe of the Transit of Venus.
He left England aboard the HMS Endeavour, on 26 August 1768.
On this day that year, 13 December, he had left Rio de Janeiro and was sailing south along the Atlantic seaboard of South America heading to Cape Horn1‘Cook’s Journal by James Cook’. 2022. Gutenberg.net.au <https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks/e00043.html#ch1:~:text=Tuesday%2C%2013th.%20First%20part%20Gentle%20breezes%20and%20Clear%2C%20remainder%20a%20Steady%20Gale.%20The> [accessed 13 December 2022]:
Tuesday, 13th. First part Gentle breezes and Clear, remainder a Steady Gale. The weather a little hazey. Variation 8 degrees 23 minutes East. Wind North-East and North-North-East; course South 19 degrees 40 minutes West; distance 113 miles; latitude 28 degrees 0 minutes South, longitude 42 degrees 6 minutes West.
Same day, a year later, 1769, observations duly completed, Cook was carrying out his secret instructions to search for the supposed ‘Terra Australis‘. The Endeavour was sailing along the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand<2‘Cook’s Journal by James Cook’. 2022. Gutenberg.net.au https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks/e00043.html#:~:text=Wednesday%2C%2013th.%20Fore%20part%20of%20P.M.%2C%20Moderate%20breezes%20at%20North%20by%20West%20and%20fair> [accessed 13 December 2022]:
Wednesday, 13th. Fore part of P.M., Moderate breezes at North by West and fair weather; stood in shore until 5 O’Clock, at which time we tack’d and stood to the North-East being 2 Leagues to the Northward of Mount Camel and 1 1/2 Mile from shore, and this situation had 22 fathoms water. At 10 it began to blow and rain, which brought us under double Reeft Top sails; at 12 Tack’d and Stood to the Westward until 7 A.M. when we Tack’d and stood again to North-East, being at this time about a Mile to windward of the place where we tack’d last night. Soon after we Tack’d it came on to blow very hard at North-North-West with heavy squalls attended with rain, this brought us under our Courses and Split the Main Top sail in such a manner that it was necessary to unbend it and bring another to the Yard. At 10 it fell more moderate and we set the Top sails double reef’d. At Noon had strong Gales and hazey weather, Tack’d and stood to the Westward. No land in sight for the first time since we have been upon the Coast.
The following year, 1770, approaching its third Christmas away, the ship was moored at Batavia — the capital of the Dutch East Indies — modern-day Jakarta3‘Cook’s Journal by James Cook’. 2022. Gutenberg.net.au <https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks/e00043.html#ch1:~:text=Tuesday%2C%2011th%2C%20Wednesday%2C%2012th%2C%20Thursday%2C%2013th%2C%20Friday%2C%2014th.%20For%20the%20most%20part%20of> [accessed 13 December 2022]:
Tuesday, 11th, Wednesday, 12th, Thursday, 13th, Friday, 14th. For the most part of these days fair weather. Employ’d taking on board Provisions and Water; this last is put on board at 5 shillings a Leager or 150 Gallons.
Later the following year, July 1771, the ship arrived back in England4‘Cook’s Journal by James Cook’. 2022. Gutenberg.net.au <https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks/e00043.html#:~:text=Saturday%2C%2013th.%20At%203%20o%27clock%20in%20the%20P.M.%20anchor%27d%20in%20the%20Downs%2C%20and%20soon%20after%20I> [accessed 13 December 2022]:
Saturday, 13th. [July 1771] At 3 o’clock in the P.M. anchor’d in the Downs, and soon after I landed in order to repair to London.
Cook and his crew had been at sea for almost three years.
- 1‘Cook’s Journal by James Cook’. 2022. Gutenberg.net.au <https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks/e00043.html#ch1:~:text=Tuesday%2C%2013th.%20First%20part%20Gentle%20breezes%20and%20Clear%2C%20remainder%20a%20Steady%20Gale.%20The> [accessed 13 December 2022]
- 2‘Cook’s Journal by James Cook’. 2022. Gutenberg.net.au https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks/e00043.html#:~:text=Wednesday%2C%2013th.%20Fore%20part%20of%20P.M.%2C%20Moderate%20breezes%20at%20North%20by%20West%20and%20fair
- 3‘Cook’s Journal by James Cook’. 2022. Gutenberg.net.au <https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks/e00043.html#ch1:~:text=Tuesday%2C%2011th%2C%20Wednesday%2C%2012th%2C%20Thursday%2C%2013th%2C%20Friday%2C%2014th.%20For%20the%20most%20part%20of> [accessed 13 December 2022]
- 4‘Cook’s Journal by James Cook’. 2022. Gutenberg.net.au <https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks/e00043.html#:~:text=Saturday%2C%2013th.%20At%203%20o%27clock%20in%20the%20P.M.%20anchor%27d%20in%20the%20Downs%2C%20and%20soon%20after%20I> [accessed 13 December 2022]
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