Introduction

Hello, my name is David Grann and I am the author of The Wager: The True Story of a British Explorer’s Quest for a Legendary City. I am a journalist and a writer who specializes in historical narratives and biographies. I have always been fascinated by stories of exploration, adventure, and mystery, especially those that involve hidden treasures and lost civilizations.

In this article, I will share with you the remarkable story of James Cook, a British naval officer who led an expedition to find the mythical city of El Dorado, a gold-rich civilization that was said to exist in South America. I will tell you how I came across this story, how I conducted my research, and what I learned from this project. I will also show you some of the amazing places, people, and events that Cook encountered during his quest, as well as the challenges, conflicts, and controversies that he faced along the way.

I hope you will enjoy reading this article as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you are interested in reading the full book, you can find it on Amazon or other online platforms. You can also watch this video where I talk about my research process and what I learned from this project. If you want to learn more about James Cook and his voyages, you can check out these websites that provide more information and resources on this topic.

Who was James Cook and why did he search for El Dorado?

James Cook was born in 1728 in Yorkshire, England. He grew up in a poor farming family and had little formal education. He joined the Royal Navy at the age of 18 and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a master of navigation, cartography, and astronomy. He also developed a reputation for being a skilled, courageous, and ambitious leader.

Cook was fascinated by the unknown and the unexplored. He wanted to discover new lands, peoples, and cultures, and to expand the boundaries of knowledge and understanding of the world. He also wanted to achieve fame and fortune for himself and his country, which was engaged in a global competition with other European powers for colonies, trade, and resources.

One of the most elusive and enticing prizes that Cook sought was El Dorado, the legendary city of gold that was rumored to exist somewhere in South America. The legend of El Dorado originated from ancient Spanish accounts of a gold-rich land that they encountered during their conquest of the continent. Over time, the legend evolved and took different forms, such as a mythical city-state ruled by a golden king or a vast network of underground tunnels filled with gold. The legend captivated the imagination of many explorers, who tried to locate and claim El Dorado for themselves.

Cook was one of those explorers. He believed that El Dorado was real and that he could find it. He based his belief on various sources of evidence, such as maps, reports, testimonies, and artifacts that he collected or encountered during his travels. He also had a personal motive for finding El Dorado: he had made a wager with a friend, John Montagu, the Earl of Sandwich, who was also the First Lord of the Admiralty and Cook’s patron. The wager was that Cook would find El Dorado within ten years or forfeit his fortune and his reputation.

How did Cook prepare and execute his expedition to find El Dorado?

Cook began his preparations for his expedition to find El Dorado in 1768, after he returned from his first voyage around the world, which had taken him to the Pacific Ocean, where he had observed the transit of Venus, charted the coasts of New Zealand and Australia, and explored several islands, such as Tahiti, Hawaii, and Easter Island.

Cook decided to use his second voyage as a cover for his secret mission to find El Dorado. He convinced the Admiralty to send him on another voyage to the Pacific, ostensibly to search for a hypothetical southern continent called Terra Australis, which was believed to balance the northern hemisphere. Cook planned to use this voyage as an opportunity to explore the eastern coast of South America, where he hoped to find clues or signs of El Dorado.

Picture by: https://secrethouston.com/

Cook set sail from England in 1772, with two ships, the Resolution and the Adventure, and a crew of 118 men. He was accompanied by several scientists, artists, and naturalists, who were tasked with observing and recording the natural phenomena, flora, and fauna that they encountered. Cook also brought with him several gifts and trade items, such as beads, mirrors, knives, and cloth, which he intended to use to establish friendly relations with the native peoples that he met.

Cook’s second voyage lasted for four years, from 1772 to 1776. During this time, he circumnavigated the globe twice, crossing the Antarctic Circle three times, and disproving the existence of Terra Australis. He also visited several places in South America, such as Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Ecuador, where he searched for evidence of El Dorado. He followed various leads, such as ancient ruins, mysterious inscriptions, gold ornaments, and oral traditions, that pointed to the possible location and nature of El Dorado. He also interacted with various indigenous groups, such as the Tupi, the Mapuche, the Inca, and the Quechua, who had different views and stories about El Dorado.

What did Cook discover and what happened to him and his expedition?

Cook’s expedition to find El Dorado was ultimately unsuccessful. He did not find the mythical city of gold, nor did he find any conclusive proof that it existed. He realized that El Dorado was more of a legend than a reality, and that it had been influenced by various factors, such as cultural differences, historical events, political agendas, and wishful thinking. He also realized that he had underestimated the complexity and diversity of South America, and that he had overestimated his own abilities and resources.

Cook’s expedition was also fraught with difficulties and dangers. He faced many challenges, such as harsh weather, rough terrain, hostile natives, diseases, mutinies, and rivalries. He also faced many conflicts, such as disputes with his crew, his colleagues, his superiors, and his competitors. He also faced many controversies, such as accusations of cruelty, arrogance, imperialism, and espionage. He also faced many consequences, such as losses, injuries, deaths, and failures.

Cook’s expedition ended tragically in 1776, when he was killed in Hawaii by a group of natives who had become angry and violent after a series of misunderstandings and provocations. Cook’s death shocked and saddened the world, and marked the end of his quest for El Dorado. His body was partially recovered and buried at sea, while his belongings and journals were returned to England. His legacy was mixed and debated, as he was praised and criticized for his achievements and shortcomings.

What did I learn from writing this book and what can you learn from reading it?

Writing this book was a rewarding and enlightening experience for me. I learned a lot about James Cook and his expedition to find El Dorado, as well as about the history, culture, and geography of South America. I also learned a lot about the process and the challenges of writing a historical narrative and a biography, as well as about the sources and the methods of conducting research and verifying facts.

Reading this book can also be a rewarding and enlightening experience for you. You can learn a lot about James Cook and his expedition to find El Dorado, as well as about the history, culture, and geography of South America. You can also learn a lot about the themes and the lessons that this story offers, such as the nature and the value of exploration, the power and the limits of knowledge, the role and the impact of curiosity, ambition, and passion, and the importance and the difficulty of understanding and respecting different perspectives and realities.

I hope you will find this book interesting, informative, and inspiring. I hope you will appreciate the story of James Cook and his quest for El Dorado, and that you will reflect on your own quests and wagers in life.