The ship was used by the explorer to “discover” Australia in the 18th century. But it became a prisoner ship and was eventually destroyed by the British. Now maritime archaeologists believe they have found it in Newport Harbour, in Rhode Island.
But experts still need to identify the ship, which could take months or even years.
Kathy Abbass, of the Rhode Island Marine Archaeology Project, told Live Science: “We do not think we are going to find something that says ‘Captain Cook slept here’ — that is not likely.
“But if we find some of the smaller stuff that is consistent with how we know she was used — as a transport and as a prison ship in Newport, then we know we have got her.
“Everything we see this year is consistent with it being the Endeavour, and we have seen nothing that says it can’t be.”
James Cook used the Endeavour ship to sail around the world between 1768 and 1771.
The ship started as a coal carrier vessel.
But some of its voyages included its first scientific mission to Tahiti.
The crew of the ship then went to the South Pacific.
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It was then used during the American War of Independence to take British troops across the Atlantic to fight.
The British also used it as a prison ship during the war.
But it was then intentionally sunk in 1778, along with 12 other vessels, to stop a French invasion.
The Endeavour is now believed to be located near the La Liberté, which is another sunken ship found in Newport Harbor.
James Cook was born in the Marton area of Middlesbrough in 1728.
He joined the Merchant Navy at the age of 18 and worked his way up through the ranks.
This meant he could travel to places in the world that many westerners had never been before.
He is most known for having the first recorded European contact with the eastern coastline of Australia and Hawaii.
He was also the first to sail all the way around New Ze
Captain Cook was killed by Hawaiians during his third and final expedition.
A fight started between the sailors and the natives after they stole one of his smaller boats.
But he tried to kidnap and ransom their king so they stabbed him to death.