David,,Andrew (ed).
The Charts & Coastal Views of Captain Cook's Voyages. Volume Three: the Voyage of the Resolution and Discovery, 1776-1780
Hakluyt Society.
1997.
ISBN 0904180557.

Andrew David must be thanked and congratulated for completing the arduous task of bringing together the contents of this book, as well as its companion volumes for the other two voyages. As with the previous volumes it is a magnificent work and well worth the wait for its arrival.

Anyone wishing to assemble material in order to study James Cook would need as the cornerstones of their collections the works of Beaglehole, especially his "Journals" and "Life", and the "Art of the Voyages" compiled by Joppien and Smith. To these works can now be added David's "Charts & Coastal views"

The production is up to the high standard of the earlier volumes. The charts and views are displayed to their best advantage while aspects of the voyage such as the scientific results, the surveyors aboard and knowledge of Russian charts are detailed in supporting articles.

There only remains now Cook's charts from his days in Canada to be published (other than in a limited edition) so let us hope someone can find the time and resources to attempt that task.

(Has anyone noticed that on Roberts' chart of the Southern Cooks (3.42 on page 61) the island of Takutea is incorrectly called Mangea?)

John Robson

Originally published in Cook's Log, page 1572, volume 22, number 1 (1999).