Ben Wilson

I wouldn't say that James Cook is sort of the, he didn't discover a cure for scurvy. In fact, he wasn't the one to come up with sauerkraut. He adopted this, I think, from German sailors, right? But what I would say is that he's a key early adopter and innovator in the space. Again, he is the first person to conduct a voyage this long and not have anyone die from scurvy.

I wouldn't say that James Cook is sort of the, he didn't discover a cure for scurvy. In fact, he wasn't the one to come up with sauerkraut. He adopted this, I think, from German sailors, right? But what I would say is that he's a key early adopter and innovator in the space. Again, he is the first person to conduct a voyage this long and not have anyone die from scurvy.

So he's got this amazing run without any scurvy deaths and with very few deaths kind of to other diseases as well because of the general cleanliness of the ship. But then they stop in the Dutch East Indies in the city that is now called Jakarta. And there they encounter European civilization for the first time in two years. It's very exciting.

So he's got this amazing run without any scurvy deaths and with very few deaths kind of to other diseases as well because of the general cleanliness of the ship. But then they stop in the Dutch East Indies in the city that is now called Jakarta. And there they encounter European civilization for the first time in two years. It's very exciting.

They're meeting all these Dutchmen and talking with them. The Dutch are very helpful and actually insist on doing the cleaning and repairs of the Endeavour themselves. But... The caveat is in this crowded urban city, in this tropical climate, the crew is absolutely decimated by disease, mostly malaria, a little bit of dysentery as well. And basically everyone catches something.

They're meeting all these Dutchmen and talking with them. The Dutch are very helpful and actually insist on doing the cleaning and repairs of the Endeavour themselves. But... The caveat is in this crowded urban city, in this tropical climate, the crew is absolutely decimated by disease, mostly malaria, a little bit of dysentery as well. And basically everyone catches something.

Tupea, that great Tahitian leader who was helping them translate, navigate, he dies, as do six others. And they lose more people to disease in this short stay there. They're only refitting, um, for a few weeks with the Dutch, but they lose more people to disease in those few weeks than they do on the whole rest of, of the voyage. So this is tragic.

Tupea, that great Tahitian leader who was helping them translate, navigate, he dies, as do six others. And they lose more people to disease in this short stay there. They're only refitting, um, for a few weeks with the Dutch, but they lose more people to disease in those few weeks than they do on the whole rest of, of the voyage. So this is tragic.

Um, they stay for a few weeks and, uh, they actually were supposed to stay longer, but captain cook is like, we gotta get outta here. We can't have more people catching malaria. So, uh, now they're in the known world. they just have to get home. No more navigating, no more charting. This is all known. People know Asia, right? And Africa.

Um, they stay for a few weeks and, uh, they actually were supposed to stay longer, but captain cook is like, we gotta get outta here. We can't have more people catching malaria. So, uh, now they're in the known world. they just have to get home. No more navigating, no more charting. This is all known. People know Asia, right? And Africa.

And so they sail straight for the Cape of Good Hope, southern tip of Africa, where they stop and resupply in Cape Town, and then briefly stop at St. Helena in the Mid-Atlantic before finally sailing home to England. So again, they left in August of 1768 and they return in July of 1771. So they've been gone for almost exactly three years.

And so they sail straight for the Cape of Good Hope, southern tip of Africa, where they stop and resupply in Cape Town, and then briefly stop at St. Helena in the Mid-Atlantic before finally sailing home to England. So again, they left in August of 1768 and they return in July of 1771. So they've been gone for almost exactly three years.

The journey had taken so long that the newspapers had all taken to reporting that the endeavor was lost at sea. Everyone thinks they're dead. So their return was a pleasant surprise and a very exciting one. Naturally, the tales told begin to grow in the telling. And look, even if you weren't trying to exaggerate, imagine telling people just the truth, right?

The journey had taken so long that the newspapers had all taken to reporting that the endeavor was lost at sea. Everyone thinks they're dead. So their return was a pleasant surprise and a very exciting one. Naturally, the tales told begin to grow in the telling. And look, even if you weren't trying to exaggerate, imagine telling people just the truth, right?

So for example, we didn't talk about this, but the Maori, they practice cannibalism, not as like a general dietary staple, but as a ceremony over defeated enemies. They ate their enemies. So, you know, imagine telling people about these people with face tattoos who eat their fallen enemies. Or imagine telling people about kangaroos, right? These giant animals that hop around on two feet.

So for example, we didn't talk about this, but the Maori, they practice cannibalism, not as like a general dietary staple, but as a ceremony over defeated enemies. They ate their enemies. So, you know, imagine telling people about these people with face tattoos who eat their fallen enemies. Or imagine telling people about kangaroos, right? These giant animals that hop around on two feet.

So even when not exaggerating, the tales are extravagant, but of course people do exaggerate what happened. And the tales of Tahiti and other Pacific islands take on this very idealized Arcadian tone and begin to be very romanticized. Rightly, I mean, again, I've been to Hawaii and even now, even now in the 21st century, you show up in Hawaii and

So even when not exaggerating, the tales are extravagant, but of course people do exaggerate what happened. And the tales of Tahiti and other Pacific islands take on this very idealized Arcadian tone and begin to be very romanticized. Rightly, I mean, again, I've been to Hawaii and even now, even now in the 21st century, you show up in Hawaii and

And within an hour, at first you're like, okay, what is this place? Oh, this is pretty cool. Then you feel the weather and you see how beautiful it is. Within an hour, there's a little voice in the back of your head that just says, you should never leave here. You should stay here forever.

And within an hour, at first you're like, okay, what is this place? Oh, this is pretty cool. Then you feel the weather and you see how beautiful it is. Within an hour, there's a little voice in the back of your head that just says, you should never leave here. You should stay here forever.