that’s a pretty extreme statement and includes some...

that’s a pretty extreme statement and includes some nonsequitors. Captain Cook was glorified by the English because he added to the colonial stock at a time when imperialism was regarded as essential. He was also a man of his time in some ways and not in others. However his crew fired on indigenous people when they landed near Cooktown.

in fact he had been instructed to be kind and thoughtful to the natives and also to get agreement from them before taking land. Clearly something went awry with the instructions

he may have kept terrific journals and encouraged learning and seems to have been not all bad but He also followed in others footsteps.

Had cook not made it someone else would have. Whether they’d have been more of less thoughtful is going to be a matter for debate but in general colonists didn’t behave too well to indigenous people anywhere. Most damage was probably done later though rather then by cook - he just opened the door and his brilliant mapping gave a bit of useful guidance to subsequent ventures.