I'm John Batchel with Hampton Sides. His wondrous new book, I recommend to everyone who's restless

250 years ago, this is the time to read the book. As 250 years ago, traveling the world was

extremely perilous. In this instance, however, Cook is bearing for Tahiti, a well-known place

called Aphrodite's Island. This is now August of 1777. They've been at sea for more than a year.

They called the island they land on King George the Third Island. What are they expecting? Why are they

excited, Hampton?

Everybody by this point had heard about how lovely Tahiti is, beautiful landscape,

beautiful weather, beautiful seas, beautiful women who are quite willing and a great place to get some R&R.

And, you know, I would say a lot of the young man on this voyage had signed on to it expressly for that purpose, to get to Tahiti and see if the stories are true.

They get to Tahiti and, yes, the stories prove to be very much true. And they are, you know, unbelievably well received and they eat like kings

and the women are beautiful and there's a lot of carrying on, on the ship, on the shore,

but in the jungles. And it's a wonderful experience for the young man.

Now, but Captain Cook is there for a very different reason, and that is to deposit this

young man, Mai, the Polynesian, in his home islands, and to find a home for him with all

of his belongings that he's accumulated in england all sorts of

things muskets and you know a wept a sword a full suit of armor um all these gifts from king

george uh so captain that's why captain cook is there is to find a home for my a detail about

finding a home from my.

My is not royalty.

He is a commoner, and he was dishinged because of war between his island and another

island.

He has revenge in mind.

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