In the 1700s, the voyages of British Captain James Cook shed light on what life was really like in the uncharted Pacific. Hired to seek an undiscovered continent known by astronomers and geographers as Terra Australis Incognita, or unknown southern land, Cook proved that it didn't exist, dramatically changing Europeans' understanding of their world. Young readers will also be fascinated by Cook's encounters of the cultures of the native peoples of Tahiti and Hawaii. A recipe from the period is also included.