By John Gustafson
ESPN The Magazine

Friday, September 29, 2000

This article appeared in the September 18 issue of ESPN The Magazine. They were, for such a long time, alone. There were attempts by the Portuguese and dalliances with the Dutch. And several near misses. History gives credit to Captain James Cook, a Brit, for the first extended contact. Sent south in 1768 to observe a most rare celestial event, the transit of Venus across the sun, Cook was en route to Indonesia when he stumbled upon this great unknown land of the south: Terra Australis Incognit ...

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