Ben Wilson

But before moving on from Tahiti, they do take a little more time to really chart it out, sail around the island and carefully map the islands and their coasts and all of that, which is what Cook does, right? He's a real pro at that. And then they also do a little bit more anthropology of exploring Tahitian culture. They're able to participate in some ceremonies.

But before moving on from Tahiti, they do take a little more time to really chart it out, sail around the island and carefully map the islands and their coasts and all of that, which is what Cook does, right? He's a real pro at that. And then they also do a little bit more anthropology of exploring Tahitian culture. They're able to participate in some ceremonies.

For example, Joseph Banks participates in a funeral and he strips down to a loincloth Again, this is an English aristocrat and he's wearing nothing but a loincloth. He has his body covered in ashes and he walks with a mourning party. And the way they mourn is they follow this path and anyone they come upon, you know, they're mad, they're mourning.

For example, Joseph Banks participates in a funeral and he strips down to a loincloth Again, this is an English aristocrat and he's wearing nothing but a loincloth. He has his body covered in ashes and he walks with a mourning party. And the way they mourn is they follow this path and anyone they come upon, you know, they're mad, they're mourning.

They take clubs and sticks and they chase away anyone who they happen upon. And they're not like really hurting anyone, but they might whack you a couple of times, say, get away from this funeral. You know, I don't know.

They take clubs and sticks and they chase away anyone who they happen upon. And they're not like really hurting anyone, but they might whack you a couple of times, say, get away from this funeral. You know, I don't know.

But again, this is just this amazing scene to me of this this proper English gentleman, basically naked, painted in ash and and chasing native Polynesians around with this this funerary group like he's a member of the group. Like it's an amazing moment of cross-cultural understanding and And yeah, just like what a cool experience that he was able to have.

But again, this is just this amazing scene to me of this this proper English gentleman, basically naked, painted in ash and and chasing native Polynesians around with this this funerary group like he's a member of the group. Like it's an amazing moment of cross-cultural understanding and And yeah, just like what a cool experience that he was able to have.

I just, I would have loved to trade places with him and be experiencing this for the first time. You know, one of the other things that people comment on is, especially Cook and Banks, is the quality of Polynesian canoes. And they're called, we call them canoes, but that's maybe a little bit of a misnomer because for larger trading ships, Polynesia still had contact with other islands.

I just, I would have loved to trade places with him and be experiencing this for the first time. You know, one of the other things that people comment on is, especially Cook and Banks, is the quality of Polynesian canoes. And they're called, we call them canoes, but that's maybe a little bit of a misnomer because for larger trading ships, Polynesia still had contact with other islands.

And so these canoes are capable of going hundreds of miles from island to island, and they are quite technologically sophisticated. Yes, Polynesia was a Stone Age civilization, so no metal, no gunpowder, no mathematics, no written language. But at least in terms of navigation and in terms of boat construction, these are very well crafted.

And so these canoes are capable of going hundreds of miles from island to island, and they are quite technologically sophisticated. Yes, Polynesia was a Stone Age civilization, so no metal, no gunpowder, no mathematics, no written language. But at least in terms of navigation and in terms of boat construction, these are very well crafted.

And someone like Banks, someone like Cook is able to appreciate them as such. Okay, the last incident they have in Tahiti, and this is an important one, is they're getting ready to leave. They've made all their observations. They've made all their measurements. They're now ready to go. Let's go find Terra Australis. Let's leave Tahiti. Okay.

And someone like Banks, someone like Cook is able to appreciate them as such. Okay, the last incident they have in Tahiti, and this is an important one, is they're getting ready to leave. They've made all their observations. They've made all their measurements. They're now ready to go. Let's go find Terra Australis. Let's leave Tahiti. Okay.

Cook is going through the manifest and checking that everyone's on board and they realize that they are missing two sailors and the two sailors have deserted. They have taken Tahitian wives and they're like, have you seen Tahiti? We're not leaving Tahiti. We're staying. We've got our Tahitian wives. They're super hot. The climate is great. This place is beautiful. We're never leaving.

Cook is going through the manifest and checking that everyone's on board and they realize that they are missing two sailors and the two sailors have deserted. They have taken Tahitian wives and they're like, have you seen Tahiti? We're not leaving Tahiti. We're staying. We've got our Tahitian wives. They're super hot. The climate is great. This place is beautiful. We're never leaving.

And Cook needs the men both because he can't lose these to say like he needs his crew, but also I mean, these are not the only guys to realize that this is paradise. And so if these two sailors are able to leave and desert and stay here, then how many are going to desert at the next island, right? You can't set this precedent. And so Cook says, okay, we have to find a way to get these guys back.

And Cook needs the men both because he can't lose these to say like he needs his crew, but also I mean, these are not the only guys to realize that this is paradise. And so if these two sailors are able to leave and desert and stay here, then how many are going to desert at the next island, right? You can't set this precedent. And so Cook says, okay, we have to find a way to get these guys back.

This is disastrous if we let them stay. So here is the plan that Captain Cook arrives at. Maybe not the best plan, but well, okay. So they have a fort. They're not just all staying on the Endeavor. They had built this fort and they have not completely taken down the fort. They're getting ready to leave. They haven't left yet. And in this fort,

This is disastrous if we let them stay. So here is the plan that Captain Cook arrives at. Maybe not the best plan, but well, okay. So they have a fort. They're not just all staying on the Endeavor. They had built this fort and they have not completely taken down the fort. They're getting ready to leave. They haven't left yet. And in this fort,