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I share Lisa's opinion of James Cook. She has provided an interesting and
relevant quotation. Does she have a copy of the Beaglehole "Journals", I
wonder?

But, expert as he was on so many matters, I doubt if his knowledge of
electricity compares with that of today's Nav-l listmembers.

Presumably, to do its job, the chain would have had to come all the way
down from the masthead, because the masts were wooden, and so VERY
vulnerable to lightning (as the Dutchman's experience showed) and the
rigging was hemp.

Cook's account implies that only one of his masts was protected by the
chain, presumably the tallest (the mainmast). But I would guess that it's
possible (though less likely) for another mast to be struck instead, so to
be surer, he would really need three such chains (perhaps four, one at the
jib-boom).

George.

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