We are pleased to present three substantial articles in this issue of TI—which make contributions to the topics of cartography and climate in exploration history—that we are confident our readers will find engaging and informative. In order of appearance, we will give a brief preview of the articles.
We start off with Valerio Massimo Donati’s thought-provoking article, entitled “‘Weather, people, ship:’ The Environment’s Impact on Cook’s First Voyage into the Pacific.” By highlighting the environment’s impact on exploration—Cook’s voyage, specifically—the article makes a significant contribution to the scholarship. Indeed, Donati makes a convincing case that scholars of exploration need to pay more attention to the natural environment’s influence. Donati conceptualizes the natural environment—consisting of weather (storms, air currents, etc.), physical geography (coastlines, etc.), and natural resources (especially food and water)—broadly. Donati’s piece not only considers the environment’s impact on scientific aspects of Cook’s voyage, but also intercultural encounters, making the article of importance to scholars interested in both scientific and cultural aspects of exploration. These two topics are reflected in the article’s organization: the first half focuses on science and the second on culture. The first half’s organization—with segments on earth, air, and water—is effective, enabling Donati to analyze the ways distinct environmental factors impacted Cook’s scientific mission. The second half is also divided into three segments, each of which is on a region Cook explored: Tahiti, New Zealand, and New South Wales. Donati’s analysis, which shows the ways environmental factors generated intercultural tensions (especially food scarcity), is fascinating. In addition to a focus on natural environment throughout, another feature that holds the entire article together is the nuanced analysis, which shows the ways environmental factors interacted with other factors to shape Cook’s expedition.
We are pleased to publish an article by Gregory McIntosh, entitled “Revisiting the ‘Admiral’s Map:’ What Was It? And Who Was He?” a follow-up article to a piece McIntosh published in TI last year. In the 2022 article, McIntosh argued that the Caverio planisphere (1502) “was not a copy nor a derivative of the Cantino planisphere, as has sometimes been proposed;” rather, it “was more likely be a direct copy of the Padrão Real, the Portuguese Master Pattern Chart, kept in the Armazém da Guiné e Índias in Lisbon.”Footnote1 In this follow-up article, published in the present issue of TI, McIntosh gives his response to a question scholars have tried to answer since the nineteenth century: what was the map contemporaries referred to as the “Admiral’s map”? Challenging previous answers, McIntosh argues it was the Caverio planisphere. Readers will find his in-depth article engaging and informative. McIntosh starts with a detailed examination of earlier answers before putting for his own, and, with over 100 footnotes, discusses many important works of the period.
Finally, we are happy to present an engaging and thoroughly researched article by Richard Gross and Craig Howard, entitled “Why La Salle Hung French Fortunes on a Western Branch: The Maps of Franquelin and Coronelli.” Notwithstanding the fact that La Salle’s expeditions to the Mississippi have been examined by scholars, this article by Gross and Howard provides new insights. Indeed, their extensively researched article goes into great detail, providing new information, even for scholars who study La Salle’s expeditions. Most significantly, fully delivering on the suggestive subtitle, the article provides extensive analysis of the maps of both Franquelin and Coronelli, demonstrating their considerable impact on La Salle.
The creation of this issue of TI would not have been possible without support. Laurie Corbin translated abstracts into French and Luis Robles Macías translated them into Spanish. Editorial Assistant Scott Beamon provided editorial support. Assistant Book Review Editor Noah Baumgartner supported Book Review Editor David Buisseret, who has compiled a fine list of books that appear in the “Reviews” section. Associate Editor Gregory McIntosh provided editorial support. I give thanks to them for their generosity and contributions in the creation of this issue of TI. Before closing, I am pleased to introduce our readers to a new member of our editorial team: historian Lindsay Frederick Braun, who teaches at the University of Oregon, will serve as Associate Editor, serving alongside Gregory McIntosh. With his expertise in the exploration of Africa and his strong background in journal editing, he has a lot to offer and will surely enhance the journal. We are fortunate to have Lindsay on board; we welcome his to the editorial team.
Notes
1 Gregory C. McIntosh, “The Caverio Planisphere (c. 1506) Was Not Copied from the Cantino Planisphere (1502),” Terrae Incognitae 54, no. 2 (August 2022), p. 111.