For what country did James Cook sail or search?

Answer 1

James Cook was on a secret mission to find the Great Southern Land which was believed to exist south of the equator. Australia was already known, but it was believed that another great land must exist in the Southern Hemisphere. As it was, Cook only clarified the position and size of Australia. He did not discover Australia - that had already been discovered by the Portuguese and Dutch sailors - but he did chart Australia's eastern coast.