Various articles belonging to South Pacific natives, including spears and bow and arrow

This engraving, after drawings by artist William Hodges, is in John Hawkesworth's account (1773) of the voyages of Captain James Cook, Joseph Banks and Captain John Byron.

Captain James Cook (1728-1779) made three separate voyages to the Pacific (with the ships Endeavour, Resolution, Adventure, and Discovery) and did more than any other voyager to explore the Pacific and Southern Ocean. Cook not only encountered Pacific cultures for the first time, but also assembled the first large-scale collections of Pacific objects to be brought back to Europe. He was killed in Hawaii in 1779.

These weapons likely come from the Isle of Amsterdam, which lies in the southern Indian Ocean. Cook landed on Amsterdam Island (also known as Tongatapu) on October, 4th 1773 and stayed until October 7th, 1773. On his second visit he stayed from June 26-29, 1774.

William Hodges (1744 - 1797) joined Cook's second expedition to the South Pacific as a draughtsman 1772-75 and was employed by the Admiralty in finishing his drawings.

Mounted in album with PAI2055-PAI2079, PAI2081-PAI2127.

Object Details

ID: PAI2080
Type: Print
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Chapman, John; Record
Date made: 1777
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Sheet: 235 x 381 mm; page: 460 mm x 590 mm
Parts: Volume of Plates to Cook's Voyages. Voyage II (Album)
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