The Trial of the Cannibal Dog: Captain Cook in the South Seas

by Anne Salmond

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In this rich and stylish description by New Zealand scholar Salmond, Cook's voyages take on a peculiar, dreamlike quality. Salmond's claim is that Cook was far more affected by his exposure to the Polynesian world than historians have thought. This book is fascinating as an incomparable travelogue filled with amazing stories - the sexual paradise of Tahiti, the 'discovery' of Hawaii, close relations with Maori, and Cook's tragic death on the beach in Hawaii. The 'trial' of the title followed show more a horrific incident in New Zealand's Queen Charlotte Sound when Maori killed and ate a boatload of Cook's men. Later, sailors caught a dog guzzling a pink remnant, put the dog on trial, then convicted, cooked and ate it. show less

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21st Century New Zealand Lit (1) 64ST 24.4.2020 (1) and the culture of the islands was also changed forever. Captain Cook (1) and the enduring impact of that collision. (1) Anne Salmond-a preeminent authority on the history of the south seas-reimagines two worlds that collided in the eighteenth century (1) came to experiment with Western customs and in some cases joined the voyagers on their expeditions. But familiarity quickly bred contempt. Shipboard discipline was threatened by these new relationships (1) CartLab (1) culminating in Cook's violent death on the shores of Hawaii. In this masterful account of Cook's voyages (1) Daniel Solander 1733-82 (1) exploration (19) exploration - nautical (1) Explorers-History (1) focusing on the encounters between the explorers and the island peoples they "discovered." While Cook and his men were initially confounded by the Polynesians (1) Gananath Obeyesekere 1930-2025 (1) Georg Forster FRS 1754-94 (1) initially determined to act as an enlightened leader (1) Jim Guthrie's dedication (1) Marshall Sahlins 1930-2021 (1) modern Exploration (1) New Zealand (15) New Zealand history (5) Pacific (10) Pacific C18th - British exploration (1) Polynesian History (2) SAL BI (1) saw his resolve falter during the third voyage. Amicable relations turned hostile (1) Terra australis [Great South Land] (1) they were also curious. Cook and his crew soon formed friendships-and often more intimate relationships-with the islanders. The islanders (1) This vivid book retells the story of Captain Cook's great voyages in the South Seas (1) who initially were not certain if the Englishmen were even human (1)

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Member Reviews

2 reviews
There are many books which follow the explorations of Capt. James Cook as he traversed the South Seas. This volume, however, looks at Cook's discoveries from an anthroplogical point of view, telling about his encounters with the indiginous people of Tahiti, New Zealand, Tonga, Hawaii and other locations. Meticulous research went into the writing of this book, and the author has spared no detail in telling this very fascinating history. She looks at the way Cook and his sailors interacted with the natives, how their cultures clashed, how they were harmonious. South Pacific languages, trading goods, religious worship, warfare, sexual practices, ceremony, dance, navagation, crime and murder - all these subjects and more are contained show more within the book's pages. A very readable, and very thorough, endeavor. show less
½

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Author Information

14+ Works 529 Members
Anne Salmond is a Distinguished Professor and Pro-Vice-Chancellor at the University of Auckland.

Awards and Honors

Common Knowledge

People/Characters
Captain James Cook, RN, FRS
Important places
Pacific Ocean; New Zealand

Classifications

Genres
History, Nonfiction, Travel, General Nonfiction, Biography & Memoir
DDC/MDS
910.92History & geographyGeography & travelmodified standard subdivisions of Geography and travelExplorers & TravelersGeographers, travellers, explorers regardless of country of origin
LCC
G420 .C68 .S25Geography, Anthropology and RecreationGeography (General)Special voyages and travels
BISAC

Statistics

Members
204
Popularity
159,677
Reviews
2
Rating
(3.83)
Languages
English
Media
Paper
ISBNs
4