Instructions from the Admiralty

Before sailing from England, Cook had been handed a series of secret instructions by the Admiralty. After each mission was complete, he was to open the next envelope. Their scientific research done, Cook and his crew left Tahiti. On leaving Tahiti, Cook opened the next set of instructions. They read:

there is reason to imagine that a Continent or Land of great extent, may be found to the Southward of the Tract lately made by Captn Wallis in His Majesty’s Ship the Dolphin … so soon as the Observation of the Transit of the Planet Venus shall be finished and observe the following Instructions. You are to proceed to the Southward in order to make discovery of the Continent abovementioned until you arrive in the Latitude of 40°, unless you sooner fall in with it. But not having discover’d it or any Evident sign of it in that Run you are to proceed in search of it to the Westward between the Latitude beforementioned and the Latitude of 35° until you discover it, or fall in with the Eastern side of the Land discover’d by Tasman and now called New Zeland.

Cook’s new instructions were to sail south from Tahiti in search of a new continent. Australia was sometimes referred to as Terra Australis Incognita, meaning Unknown Southern Land. However, Cook and his contemporaries were already aware of Australia’s existence. Europeans knew the location of New Holland (as Australia was then known) at this time, although only the western coast had been mapped. The existence of New Zealand was also known to explorers and navigators. Nevertheless, Europeans were still searching for another, larger Terra Australis Incognita.

 In his diary entry for 31 March 1770 Cook wrote that:

To return by the way of Cape Horn was what I most wish’d because by this rout we should have been able to prove the existence or non existence of a Southern Continent which yet remains doubtfull … but the condition of the ship in every respect was not thought sufficient for such an undertaking.

Instead, he decided to:

Return by way of the East Indies by the following rout—upon leaving this coast to steer to the westward untill we fall in with the East Coast of New Holland and than to follow the deriction of that Coast to the northward or what other direction it might take untill we arrive at its northern extremity and if this should be found impractical than to endeavour to fall in with the lands or Islands discover’d by Quiros [i.e. Papua New Guinea]. 

Journal Entries

Activities

1. During the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, European nations were competing with each other to extend the reach of their dominions. Raw materials and valuables like gems, gold and silver were highly sought after. Many nations also wanted to extend the reach of their religious ideologies.
   
   1. How would spreading religious philosophy to new areas help to achieve a country’s goal of imperial expansion?
       
2. Many Europeans felt it was their mission to bring ‘civilisation’ to people in the lands they explored.
   
   1. How do we define civilisation?
   2. What justification might the people of Europe have used to legitimise their claims?
       
3. Reading Cook’s journal gives us an insight into his thoughts as he sailed up the coast.
   
   1. Use the transcript of Cook’s journal  to explore more of his writing.
   2. Find entries in which Cook shares his thoughts about the people they encountered.