Madness, Betrayal and the Lash

In this compelling biography, historian Stephen Bown explores the life of Captain George Vancouver, who undertook a groundbreaking maritime expedition from 1792 to 1795 to map the Pacific coast and Hawaii under the banner of British imperial ambition. Despite his extraordinary contributions to exploration and diplomacy, Vancouver faced harsh criticism and public humiliation upon his return to Britain, leading to a tragic decline in his fortunes. Bown sheds light on the events that tarnished Vancouver's legacy and seeks to reestablish him as a preeminent figure of the Age of Discovery.