Sea Horses (before title)

This engraving after a drawing by John Webber comes from the official account of Cook's third voyage, 'A voyage to the Pacific Ocean', published by Scatcherd and Whitaker in 1784.

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.

John Webber was the artist on Cook’s third voyage from 1776-1780.

The Resolution and the Discovery were in the Arctic Sea between Aug 11- September 3 1778.

In this engraving, a party of men from the ships are firing at walrus. The first shooting of walrus occurred on 19 August, a second and third on 27 and 28 August 1778. ‘On the ice lay a prodigious number of Sea horses and as we were in want of fresh provisions the boats from each ship were sent to get some… They lay in herds of many hundred upon the ice, huddling one over the other like swine, and roar or bray very loud, so that in the night or foggy weather they gave us notice of the ice long before we could see it. We never found the Whole herd a sleep, some were always upon the watch, these, on the approach of the boat, would wake those next to them and these the others, so that the whole herd would be awake presently. But they were seldom in a hurry to get away till after they had been fire[d] at, then they would tumble one over the other into the sea in the utmost confusion, and if we did not at the first discharge kill those we fired at out right we generally lost them tho’ mortally wounded. They did not appear to us to be that dangerous animal some Authors described, not even when attacked, they are rather more so to appearance than reality.’

Walrus were again shot during the ships’ second stay in the ice, on 11 July 1779.

Mounted in album with PAI4078-PAI4176, PAI4178-PAI4214.; Page 221.

Back to Search Results

ID:	PAI4177
Type:	Print
Display location:	Not on display
Creator:	Webber, John
Date made:	Aug 1778
Credit:	National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements:	Sheet: 400 x 570 mm; Plate: 272 x 410 mm
Parts:	Atlas to Cook's Voyages Vol II 1777-1784. (Illustrations are from 'A Voyage towards the South Pole...1773-75' and 'A Voyage to the Northern Hemisphere... 1776-1780') (Album) 'A View in the Island of Rotterdam' [in fact Amsterdam/ Tongatapu] (Print) (PAI4078) 'A View in the Island of Rotterdam' [in fact Amsterdam/ Tongatapu] (Print) (PAI4079) 'Boats of the Friendly Isles' (Print) (PAI4080) 'Boats of the Friendly Isles' (Print) (PAI4081) 'The Landing at Mallicolo, one of the New Hebrides' [Malekula, Vanuatu] (Print) (PAI4082) 'The Landing at Mallicolo, one of the New Hebrides' [Malekula, Vanuatu] (Print) (PAI4083) 'Man of the Island of Mallicolo' (Print) (PAI4084) 'Man of the Island of Mallicolo' (Print) (PAI4085) The Landing at Erramanga one of the New Hebrides (Print) (PAI4086) The Landing at Erramanga one of the New Hebrides (Print) (PAI4087) The Landing at Tanna one of the New Hebrides (Print) (PAI4088) The Landing at Tanna one of the New Hebrides (Print) (PAI4089) View in the Island of Tanna (Print) (PAI4090) View in the Island of Tanna (Print) (PAI4091) Man of the Island of Tanna (Print) (PAI4092) Man of the Island of Tanna (Print) (PAI4093) Woman of the Island of Tanna (with a child) (Print) (PAI4094) Woman of the Island of Tanna (with a child) (Print) (PAI4095) View in the Island of New Caledonia (Print) (PAI4096) View in the Island of New Caledonia (Print) (PAI4097) Man of New Caledonia (Print) (PAI4098) Man of New Caledonia (Print) (PAI4099) Woman of New Caledonia (Print) (PAI4100) Woman of New Caledonia (Print) (PAI4101) Various native articles, including a hat? and weapons or tools (Print) (PAI4102) View in the Island of Pines (Print) (PAI4103) View in the Island of Pines (Print) (PAI4104) Man of New Zealand (Print) (PAI4105) Man of New Zealand (Print) (PAI4106) Woman of New Zealand (Print) (PAI4107) Woman of New Zealand (Print) (PAI4108) Man in Christmas Sound, Tierra del Fuego (Print) (PAI4109) Man in Christmas Sound, Tierra del Fuego (Print) (PAI4110) Christmas Sound, Tierra del Fuego (Print) (PAI4111) Christmas Sound, Tierra del Fuego (Print) (PAI4112) Possession Bay in the Island of South Georgia (without title) (Print) (PAI4113) Possession Bay in the Island of South Georgia (Print) (PAI4114) Possession Bay in the Island of South Georgia (Print) (PAI4115) Port Sandwich in Mallicolo; Harbour of Balade in New Caledonia; Port Resolution in the Isle of Tanna (Print) (PAI4116) Harvey's Isle; Palmerston Isle; Turtle Isle; Savage Isle (Print) (PAI4117) Chart of Discoveries made in the South Pacific Ocean in His Majesty's Ship Resolution Under the Command of Captain Cook, 1774 (Print) (PAI4118) Norfolk Isle (Print) (PAI4119) Christmas Sound on the S W Coast of Terra del Fuego (Print) (PAI4120) A Chart of the Southern Extremity of America 1775 (Print) (PAI4121) Chart of the Discoveries made in the South Atlantic Ocean, in His Majesty's Ship Resolution, under the Command of Captain Cook, in Jany 1775 (Print) (PAI4122) A Chart of the Southern Hemisphere, according to the latest Discoveries with the Tracks of the Resolution, Captn Cook and the Adventure, Captn Furneaux, from 1772 to 1775 (Print) (PAI4123) A View of Christmas Harbour, in Kerguelen's Land (Print) (PAI4124) A Man of Van Dieman's Land (Print) (PAI4125) A Woman of Van Dieman's Land (with a child) (Print) (PAI4126) A Woman of Van Dieman's Land (with a child) (before title) (Print) (PAI4127) An opossum of Van Dieman's Land (Print) (PAI4128) An Opossum of Van Dieman's Land (without title) (Print) (PAI4129) The Inside of a Hippah, in New Zeeland (Print) (PAI4130) Inside of a Hippah, in New Zealand (title in pencil) (Print) (PAI4131) A Man of Mangea (Print) (PAI4132) A View at Anamooka (Print) (PAI4133) The Reception of Captain Cook, in Hapaee (Print) (PAI4134) The Reception of Captain Cook, in Hapaee (before title) (Print) (PAI4135) A Boxing Match, in Hapaee (Print) (PAI4136) A Night Dance by Men, in Hapaee (Print) (PAI4137) A Night Dance by Men, in Hapaee (before title) (Print) (PAI4138) A Night Dance by Women, in Hapaee (before title) (Print) (PAI4139) A Night Dance by Women, in Hapaee (before title) (Print) (PAI4140) Poulaho, King of the Friendly Islands (Print) (PAI4141) Poulaho, King of the Friendly Islands, drinking kava (Print) (PAI4142) A Fiatooka, or Morai, in Tongataboo (Print) (PAI4143) A Fiatooka, or Morai, in Tongataboo (before title) (Print) (PAI4144) The Natche, a ceremony in Honour of the King's Son, in Tongataboo (before title) (Print) (PAI4145) The Natche, a ceremony in Honour of the King's Son, in Tongataboo (before title) (Print) (PAI4146) The Natche, a ceremony in Honour of the King's Son, in Tongataboo (before title) (Print) (PAI4147) A Woman of Eaoo (Print) (PAI4148) A Human Sacrifice, in a Morai, in Otaheite (before title) (Print) (PAI4149) A Human Sacrifice, in a Morai, in Otaheite (Print) (PAI4150) The Body of Tee, a Chief, as preserved after Death, in Otaheite (Print) (PAI4151) A Young Woman of Otaheite, bringing a Present (Print) (PAI4152) A Dance in Otaheite (before title) (Print) (PAI4153) A Dance in Otaheite (Print) (PAI4154) A Young Woman of Otaheite, Dancing (Print) (PAI4155) A Young Woman of Otaheite, Dancing (Print) (PAI4156) A View of Huaheine (Print) (PAI4157) A Morai, in Atooi (Print) (PAI4158) The Inside of the House, in the Morai, in Atooi (Print) (PAI4159) An Inland View, in Atooi (Print) (PAI4160) An Man of Nootka Sound (Print) (PAI4161) An Woman of Nootka Sound (Print) (PAI4162) An Woman of Nootka Sound (Print) (PAI4163) Various Articles, at Nootka Sound (Print) (PAI4164) A View of the Habitations in Nootka Sound (Print) (PAI4165) The Inside of a House in Nootka Sound (Print) (PAI4166) A Sea Otter (Print) (PAI4167) A View of Snug Corner Cove, in Prince William's Sound (Print) (PAI4168) A View of Snug Corner Cove, in Prince William's Sound (before title) (Print) (PAI4169) A Man of Prince William's Sound (Print) (PAI4170) A Woman of Prince William's Sound (Print) (PAI4171) A Man of Oonalashka (Eskimo) (Print) (PAI4172) A Woman of Oonalashka (Eskimo) (Print) (PAI4173) Canoes of Oonalashka (in Alaska) (Print) (PAI4174) The Tschuktschi, and their Habitations (Print) (PAI4175) The Tschuktschi, and their Habitations (Print) (PAI4176) Sea Horses (before title) (Print) (PAI4177) Sea Horses (Print) (PAI4178) People of Norton Sound (title in pencil) (Print) (PAI4179) Inhabitants of Norton Sound, and their Habitations (Print) (PAI4180) Caps of the Natives of Oonalashka (Print) (PAI4181) Natives of Oonalashka, and their Habitations (Print) (PAI4182) The Inside of a House, in Oonalashka (Print) (PAI4183) An Offering before Capt Cook, in the Sandwich Islands (first state) (Print) (PAI4184) An Offering before Capt Cook, in the Sandwich Islands (before title) (Print) (PAI4185) An Offering before Capt Cook, in the Sandwich Islands (Print) (PAI4186) Owyhe (title in pencil) (Print) (PAI4187) Tereoboo, King of Owyhee, bringing Presents to Capt Cook (Print) (PAI4188) A Man of the Sandwich Islands, Dancing (Print) (PAI4189) A Young Woman of the Sandwich Islands (Print) (PAI4190) A Young Woman of the Sandwich Islands (before title) (Print) (PAI4191) A Man of the Sandwich Islands, with his Helmet (Print) (PAI4192) A Man of the Sandwich Islands, with his Helmet (before title) (Print) (PAI4193) A Canoe of the Sandwich Islands, the Rowers Masked (Print) (PAI4194) A Man of the Sandwich Islands, in a mask (Print) (PAI4195) Various Articles, at the Sandwich Islands (Print) (PAI4196) A View of Karakakooa, in Owyhee (Print) (PAI4197) A Man of Kamtschatka, travelling in Winter (first state) (Print) (PAI4198) A Man of Kamtschatka, travelling in Winter (before title) (Print) (PAI4199) A Man of Kamtschatka, travelling in Winter (Print) (PAI4200) A Sledge of Kamtschatka (Print) (PAI4201) A View at Bolcheretzkoi, in Kamschatka (Print) (PAI4202) A White Bear (Print) (PAI4203) A View of the Town and Harbour of St Peter and St Paul, in Kamtschatka (first state) (Print) (PAI4204) Town of St Peter and Paul, Kamtschatka (title in pencil) (Print) (PAI4205) A View of the Town and Harbour of St Peter and St Paul, in Kamtschatka (Print) (PAI4206) A Man of Kamtschatka (Print) (PAI4207) A Woman of Kamtschatka (Print) (PAI4208) Summer and Winter Habitations, in Kamtschatka (Print) (PAI4209) The Inside of a Winter Habitations, in Kamtschatka (Print) (PAI4210) Views of various kinds of mountainous coastlines (Print) (PAI4211) The Death of Cook (Print) (PAI4212) Chart of the N W Coast of America and N E Coast of Asia explored in the years 1778 & 1779 (Print) (PAI4213) A General Chart Exhibiting the Discoveries made by Captn James Cook in this and his two preceeding Voyages, with the Tracks of the Ships under his Command (Print) (PAI4214)

Sea Horses (before title)

Object Details