A Draught Plan and Section of the Britannia Otaheite War Canoe...

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.

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.

Otaheite (Tahiti) was originally named Port Royal Harbour in King George the Third's Island by Captain Samuel Wallis (1728-1795).

An Otaheite War Canoe would usually contain about sixteen paddlers, warriors in ceremonial dress on the fighting stage, and a man with a 'wand' directing the paddlers.

Mounted in album with PAI3938-PAI4063, PAI4065-PAI4076.; Page 112.; Plate No. XV.

Object Details

ID: PAI4064
Type: Print
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Cadell, Thomas; Palmer, William I. Strahan, William
Date made: 1 Feb 1777
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Sheet: 266 x 477 mm
Parts: Atlas to Cook's Voyages Vol I 1773-1777. (Illustrations are from Hawkesworth's 'Voyages to the Southern Hemisphere', all volumes, and Cook [ed. Douglas] 'A Voyage towards the South Pole... ' [1773-75], page 70 onwards) (Album)
Close

Your Request

If an item is shown as “offsite”, please allow eight days for your order to be processed. For further information, please contact Archive staff:

Email:
Tel: (during Library opening hours)

Click “Continue” below to continue processing your order with the Library team.

Continue