Ben Wilson

explore it and chart it out and find the harbors. They make contact with the locals. To them, the most unique, interesting thing is in both Tahiti and New Zealand, when locals saw their ship, they were very curious about it. You know, some of them were scared, some were aggressive, but all of them had a reaction. In Australia, the natives just ignore it.

explore it and chart it out and find the harbors. They make contact with the locals. To them, the most unique, interesting thing is in both Tahiti and New Zealand, when locals saw their ship, they were very curious about it. You know, some of them were scared, some were aggressive, but all of them had a reaction. In Australia, the natives just ignore it.

Like they can see these people not very far away on the shore and they're hunting and they're doing various things and they just take no notice. They don't care about the ship. When they do actually land, the people are extremely frightened. They think that they are dead ancestors.

Like they can see these people not very far away on the shore and they're hunting and they're doing various things and they just take no notice. They don't care about the ship. When they do actually land, the people are extremely frightened. They think that they are dead ancestors.

They've never seen people with skin this white or dressed in the way they are with with the technology and tools they have. They just find them very odd and strange, and yeah, they assume that they are dead ancestors. They're ghosts. And so they threaten them with spears and flee inland whenever the crew of the Endeavor approach them. They go so far as to abandon villages.

They've never seen people with skin this white or dressed in the way they are with with the technology and tools they have. They just find them very odd and strange, and yeah, they assume that they are dead ancestors. They're ghosts. And so they threaten them with spears and flee inland whenever the crew of the Endeavor approach them. They go so far as to abandon villages.

This is how badly they don't want to encounter these ghosts. But they observe. They stay just on the edge observing these Europeans, kind of looking from the bushes with their spears. They don't engage them. They don't attack them. Anytime the Europeans come close to them, they retreat. They run away. So the Endeavor lands at what is now called Botany Bay for a week.

This is how badly they don't want to encounter these ghosts. But they observe. They stay just on the edge observing these Europeans, kind of looking from the bushes with their spears. They don't engage them. They don't attack them. Anytime the Europeans come close to them, they retreat. They run away. So the Endeavor lands at what is now called Botany Bay for a week.

And in this entire time, they're never able to establish steady contact with the Aboriginals. They maybe exchange a few words, talk to a couple of kids, but they can't get regular contact like they do in Polynesia. But they do explore the area. They take some local samples of plants and animals. They make observations. They collect water, wood, and other supplies.

And in this entire time, they're never able to establish steady contact with the Aboriginals. They maybe exchange a few words, talk to a couple of kids, but they can't get regular contact like they do in Polynesia. But they do explore the area. They take some local samples of plants and animals. They make observations. They collect water, wood, and other supplies.

And this is in the area, Botany Bay, where they are, is in Sydney, Australia now. So one of the richest, most fertile, most ideal places in Australia. So they stay there for a week and then they continue on. They continue exploring the Australian coast. And then eventually they are sailing in what they think is deep water when they encounter every sailor's worst nightmare.

And this is in the area, Botany Bay, where they are, is in Sydney, Australia now. So one of the richest, most fertile, most ideal places in Australia. So they stay there for a week and then they continue on. They continue exploring the Australian coast. And then eventually they are sailing in what they think is deep water when they encounter every sailor's worst nightmare.

Okay, reading now from the Nicholas Thomas biography.

Okay, reading now from the Nicholas Thomas biography.

cook did not know it but he was well inside the great barrier reef in effect in a potentially fatal maze as it approached 11 pm on the evening of monday june 11th the ship was moving slowly through water that seemed to be nearly two fathoms deep and the man responsible for sounding was about to cast his lead in line again when the endeavor struck and stuck fast the

cook did not know it but he was well inside the great barrier reef in effect in a potentially fatal maze as it approached 11 pm on the evening of monday june 11th the ship was moving slowly through water that seemed to be nearly two fathoms deep and the man responsible for sounding was about to cast his lead in line again when the endeavor struck and stuck fast the

Banks was just getting warm in his bed when he heard the news, implying that he had not felt it, that the initial impact cannot have been palpable, though moments later he was convinced, he says, by the ship beating very violently against the rocks.

Banks was just getting warm in his bed when he heard the news, implying that he had not felt it, that the initial impact cannot have been palpable, though moments later he was convinced, he says, by the ship beating very violently against the rocks.

The situation was terrifying because, as Banks correctly presumed, we were upon sunken coral rocks, the most dreadful of all others on account of their sharp points and grinding quality, which cut through a ship's bottom almost immediately." What made matters worse was they had been sailing away from the shore for some hours.

The situation was terrifying because, as Banks correctly presumed, we were upon sunken coral rocks, the most dreadful of all others on account of their sharp points and grinding quality, which cut through a ship's bottom almost immediately." What made matters worse was they had been sailing away from the shore for some hours.