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.

His drawings were likely completed in the Society Islands during late August and mid-September 1773. It was in the Society Islands that the most cordial relations were established with local inhabitants, and it was here that Hodges was able to produce a fine series of portraits of Tahitians, several of whom were well-known personalities to members of Cook's company. This included O-Hedidee (also known as Oedidee), from Bora Bora and of about 17 or 18 years of age. He was taken on board the Resolution at Raiatea on 17 September 1773. He is described in Hawkesworth's account as 'a young man with curly hair and flattish nose, wearing a gown.'

Cook wrote: 'he may be of use to us if we should fall in with and touch at any isles in our rout to the west which was my only montive for taking him on board.' Cook, Journals II

O-Hedidee traveled with Cook from Raiatea to New Zealand, Easter Island, and Tahiti, returning to Raiatea on 4 June 1774, having been with the Resolution's company for seven months.

This is the first of two such engravings.
Mounted in album with PAI3938-PAI4068, PAI4070-PAI4076.; Page 117.