ENDEAVOUR’s boat signals a hazard
Artist
Ray Parkin
(1910 - 2005)
Date1971
Object number00046500
NameEngraving
MediumInk on paper
DimensionsOverall: 112 x 160 x 1 mm
Copyright© John Parkin
ClassificationsArt
Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Charlie and Rose Hamand
DescriptionHMB ENDEAVOUR became famous after it was commanded by Captain James Cook in the Pacific between 1768 and 1771. ENDEAVOUR landed at Botany Bay in 1770, later prompting the Admiralty to send the First Fleet there in 1788. This etching depicts the vessel as it sailed through the Great Barrier Reef off Northern Queensland in June 1770, the smaller boat goes ahead of the ENDEAVOUR to check the depth and alert the crew to any potential hazards.HistoryThe first voyage in which Cook commanded HM Bark ENDEAVOUR arrived in Tahiti to view the Transit of Venus. The Royal Society of London petitioned King George III for a ship to be sent to view the planet's transit across the sun, due to take place on 3 June 1769. Cook then sailed south, where in October 1769 he reached New Zealand, as 'discovered' by Abel Tasman in 1642. After mapping both the north and south islands, it was clear this was not the Great South Land and he started on the journey home. It was during this voyage that Cook first approached eastern Australia. An attempt to land on 28 April 1770 failed due to rough surf so Cook sailed ENDEAVOUR round to a calm bay which is now known as Botany Bay. Here on 29 April 1770, Cook and his crew first set foot on Australian soil. In accordance with the expedition's scientific purpose a number of samples of flora and fauna were collected, while drawings of the coast and specimens were produced.
Cook's voyage continued north along the coast, on the evening of 11 June 1770 the vessel struck a coral reef (the Great Barrier Reef) and narrowly avoided being wrecked. Due to king tides off the far east coastline, it took twenty-four hours to refloat the vessel and five days until the ENDEAVOUR was able to be reach land to undertake repairs. Captain Cook named the area where the crew spent over a month repairing the ship the Endeavour River.
Cook and his crew eventually returned home in July 1771 with many botanical specimens and reports of their encounters with the Indigenous peoples they met. This voyage up the east coast of Australia in 1770, ultimately led to European settlement in 1788.
Ray Parkin produced many detailed illustrations of the HMB ENDEAVOUR, charts of the coastline surveyed during the journey and plans of the ships layout along with maps and charts tracing Cooks voyages. These were included in his detailed historical account titled H.M. BARK ENDEAVOUR, first published in 1997 and awarded the Premier's Prize for Non-Fiction in 1999.
SignificanceThis etching is of interest for its detailed depiction of HMB ENDEAVOUR off the coast of Queensland in June of 1770. It demonstrates the work of Ray Parkin. His etchings of HMB ENDEAVOUR illustrate events that took place during the ships first momentous voyage.
