Pacific

A Voyage towards the South Pole and Round the World by James Cook.

On Captain James Cook's final voyage to the South Seas on January 15, 1779 Cook's ships, the Resolution and the Discovery approached the west coast of the island of Hawaii. They were greeted by thousands of Hawaiians bearing food and gifts in their canoes. News of the strangers' ships and movements had been circulating among the inhabitants of the island for a few weeks. The bay Cook chose to dock in, Kealakekua Bay, then known as Karakakooa Bay, had a special significance to the Hawaiians. The name of the bay meant, 'pathway to the gods'. What happened next has been in debate ever since. One theory is that the Hawaiians thought Cook was a diety, Lono, who had left from that bay promising to return someday. Another complication was that Cook arrrived at the time of their annual festivities for Lono. Cook and his men were given a warm welcome and for two weeks enjoyed the Hawaiians' food and hospitality.

Cook left the bay on Februay 4 but the weather deteriorated and one of the ships became damaged. Cook decided it would be safer to return to Kealakekua Bay to do the needed repairs. When he returned he got a decidedly less warm welcome than the first time. Part of this might have been he had already been there for two weeks. Tensions mounted as the men repaired their ship. Some things were stolen from the ship and there were scuffles in the effort to retrieve them. Cook eventually tried to get King Terreeoboo to come aboard the Resolution. Why he was trying to do this has also been the subject of much debate. Was it a harmless gesture, or was he trying to take him hostage in order to retrieve the stolen goods? The King went willingly but as they were about to leave, his mother and one of his wives asked him not to go on board. There was much confusion and at this time the King wouldn't come aboard voluntarily. The situation might have resolved itself peacefully but men aboard the Resolution fired a canon killing another chief. This reinforced the Hawaiians' suspicions about the now unwelcome visitors and Cook was killed in the resulting fight.

The narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym by Edgar Allan Poe.

Poe's novel was written early in his career after being advised that his short stories would not make a profit in the publishing climate of that time. He took the suggestion and produced a narrative in a genre that was very popular, the discovery or travel narrative. Poe included many elements of the genre: the story is told in first person as though based on a journal, the plot takes a traveler into unknown territory, and troubles and sufferings encountered en route are related. Even with these stylistic similarities Poe made the story distinctly his own. The emptiness and isolation of the Arctic landscape fit well with his affinity for horror.