The voyages of James Cook

"Oh, young James Cook was a sailor bold and he sailed the whole world over". .....such were the words to a song l learnt as a young school child in New Zealand - along with a myriad of other information about the man.

Today l went to the British Library to see an exhibition about Mr Cook and his 3 voyages of discovery and possession. How times have changed and whilst it is acknowledged that he was a skilled navigator and cartographer questions are raised about claiming one land for another and treatment of the conquered people. It is good that we now question these matters although we must also view these in the context of the times.

Some wonderful artifacts in the exhibition, log books, original maps and drawings of Banks and others, also personal diaries all in neat, black handwriting.

On another matter completely, we all went running and grumbling for our jerseys and fleeces this morning as it started to rain and the temperature dropped to 20.