This is CBSI on the world. I'm John Batchel. Hampton Sides is here. His new book is the

wide, wide sea, imperial ambition, first contact and the fateful final voyage of Captain James

Cook. We're now at sea heading south to the Cape of Good Hope. James Cook is in a hurry the whole time.

Waste not a moment.

Why?

He wants to find the Northwest Passage.

He wants the reward.

He wants to cap an already unbelievable amount of achievement.

In the whole world, everybody knows James Cook.

He's a household name.

He wants to cap it by finding the shortest route between Europe and the wonders of Asia.

He wants to be the discovery himself.

And he wants to get there quickly.

He's headed to the Cape of Good Hope.

However, there is very nearly the end of the voyage as they avoid an

underwater obstacle just barely. And Hampton, you observe at this point that the crew that

had been with James Cook before, either on the first and second or one of the two voyages,

note that he's changed. His personality is different. How so?

Yeah. People are starting to notice that Captain Cook is erratic. He's mercurial. He's got a horrible

temper that comes out more and more often, very different from the first two voyages. He's starting to

use the lash more frequently with his own men.

He's moody.

...