November 07

Born in Marton, Yorkshire, Cook joined the Royal Navy in 1755 and served during the Seven Years’ War. In 1768, he commanded HMS Endeavour on a scientific expedition to observe the Transit of Venus and to search for Terra Australis. Cook charted the entire eastern coastline of Australia, claiming it for Britain, and mapped New Zealand with unprecedented accuracy. He named many Pacific islands and established the first European contact with several island communities. On his second voyage, he crossed the Antarctic Circle and disproved the existence of a southern continent. His third voyage sought the Northwest Passage but ended tragically in Hawaii in 1779, where he was killed in a conflict with islanders. Cook’s precise journals and charts revolutionized European knowledge of the Pacific and influenced future exploration.

Born in Malta, Debono moved to Khartoum in the 1840s and built a successful ivory trading business. Between 1853 and 1858, he led multiple expeditions up the White Nile, reaching areas around Gondokoro. His detailed maps and observations offered European geographers valuable insights into Nile tributaries and local cultures. Debono’s travel accounts were published in Italian and English, broadening knowledge of African geography. His exploratory achievements earned recognition from the Royal Geographical Society. Despite challenges in the region, he persisted in mapping uncharted territories and documenting ethnographic details. Debono died in Cairo in 1871, leaving a legacy that combined commerce and discovery.