This beautifully illustrated book gives a vivid account of life on board the Endeavour and its epic journey into the unknown between 1768 and 1771. Captain James Cook's voyage resulted in the mapping of New Zealand and the east coast of Australia. According to the British government -- who wished to deceive the world about its true purpose -- it was merely a scientific expedition to observe the transit of the planet Venus across the Sun, a measurement that could help establish the scale of the universe itself. The real purpose was to find Terra Australis. Peter Aughton's narrative brings to life the main characters. The reader feels as if he is with Cook, Joseph Banks and his sailors as their ship encounters storm, tempest and the delights of the South Sea Islands.