Captain James Cook 1. "I had ambitions not only to go farther than any man had been before; but as far as it was possible for man to go", wrote James Cook, the explorer, who added Australia and New Zealand to the British Empire. 2. James Cook, the father of Antarctic exploration, was born in Marton village, Cleveland, on October 28, 1728. From his boyhood, he was interested in seafaring. One day the lad made up his mind; he, too, was going to sea in order to visit glamorous lands. At the age of twenty-seven, Cook had risen to the proud position of first mate. The first service Cook saw was... Show more

Captain James Cook

1. "I had ambitions not only to go farther than any man had been before; but as far as it was possible for man to go", wrote James Cook, the explorer, who added Australia and New Zealand to the British Empire.
2. James Cook, the father of Antarctic exploration, was born in Marton village, Cleveland, on October 28, 1728. From his boyhood, he was interested in seafaring. One day the lad made up his mind; he, too, was going to sea in order to visit glamorous lands. At the age of twenty-seven, Cook had risen to the proud position of first mate. The first service Cook saw was in Canada, where he was employed in the dangerous task of surveying the St. Lawrence.
3. When Cook, on August 25, 1768, with a company of eighty-three men (including a party of scientists, among whom was the great Sir Joseph Banks) set sail in the Endeavour, they had before them the possibility of filling in a substantial area of the globe’s surface. They reached Tahiti in the spring of 1769. Cook sailed south on his quest for the unknown continent, and skirting the Society Islands, at length reached New Zealand. The tattooed natives met them. Cook greeted these Maori warriors with friendly signs and eventually prevailed on them to lay down their spears in sign of truce. After circumnavigating the North and South Islands, Cook surveyed the coastline and landed at Queen Charlotte’s Sound. He then hoisted the Union Jack and informed his company that he had taken possession of the islands on behalf of His Majesty George the Third. (267 words)

Word-Notes: Farther-ahead, आगे Explorer-one who explores, खोजी. Exploration search, खोज Seafaring-voyage, समुद्री-यात्रा Glamorous-fascinating, आकर्षक Mate—a junior officer in navy, जहाज को छोटा अफसर। Task-work, कार्य। Surveying-inspecting, निरीक्षण। Set sail-started the voyage, यात्रा प्रारंभ की at Endeavour—(here) name of a ship, एक जल पोतका नाम Substantial-massive, विशाल Quest–a search made to find something, किसी चीज़ की खोज Skirting-going around the edge, पास से गुजर जाना| At length-after covering a lot of distance, काफी आगे चलकर। Tattooed-pictures on the body, शरीर पर चित्र वाले। Warriors-soldiers, सैनिक। Eventually—ultimately, अंततः Prevailed on-persuaded, राजी कर लिया| Lay down-surrender, अर्पित करना Truce-cease-fire, शांति की संधि, युद्ध – विराम Hoisted-unfurled, raised to a higher position, फहराया (ध्वज)|

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