Driven by ambition and greed; or in quest of prestige and glory; or searching for a unique brand of personal fulfilment; they made journeys never before achieved. Episode 8
The Story of Captain James Cook and his first great voyage of discovery to Australia in 1770 Written by HAMMOND INNES Introduced and narrated by David Attenborough from the Royal Geographical Society, London.
It was a newly commissioned Lieutenant Cook who set sail from Deptford in a converted coal carrier called Endeavour. His published orders were to get to the Pacific to make scientific observations for the Royal Society. But few knew he also carried sealed and secret orders from the British Admiralty. They urged him to search for a Southern Continent that was thought to exist and claim it for Britain at once. What he found was the East Coast of Australia where he promptly planted the British flag. But afterwards Endeavour ripped into the Great Barrier Reef and for 23 hours the course of history tilted in the balance as Cook / fought to save his ship, the lives of his crew and the news that Britain had a new colony.
Director JOHN IRVIN
Producer MICHAEL LATHAM
(Repeated: Thursday, 8.10 pm)
Book (same title), f6.00 from booksellers