Skip to main content
Advanced Search
The Reception of Captain Cook, in Hapaee
Plates to South Sea Voyages, Views in the South Seas. Plates to Cook's Third Voyage, volume two
The Reception of Captain Cook, in Hapaee

Plates to South Sea Voyages, Views in the South Seas. Plates to Cook's Third Voyage, volume two

Artist (1751-1793)
Subject or historical figure (English, 1728 - 1779)
Date1788
Object number00000432
NameBook
MediumInk on paper
DimensionsOverall: 40 x 560 x 412 mm, 4.6 kg
Display Dimensions: 563 x 30 x 415 mm
ClassificationsBooks and journals
Credit LineANMM Collection
Collections
DescriptionA volume of engravings based on the original works by John Webber who was the artist on board Captain James Cook's third and final voyage. This volume, marked on spine 'Plates to South Sea Voyages, Volume Two', is a pictorial record of the third voyage and presented in the chronological order of places visited during the expedition. The plates begin with a view of Christmas Harbour, in Kerguelen's Land and end with an image titled 'The Inside of a Winter Habitation, in Kamtschatka'. History"Mr Webber was pitched upon, and engaged to embark with me, for the express purpose of supplying the unavoidable imperfections of written accounts, by enabling us to preserve, and to bring home, such drawings of the most memorable scenes of our transactions, as could be expected by a professed and skilled artist". (James Cook 1776). In July 1776 Cook sailed from England in command of the RESOLUTION on his third and final expedition to the Pacific. His second-in-command was Charles Clerke aboard the DISCOVERY. The purpose of the expedition was to search for the North-West passage thought to have an outlet somewhere on the west coast of North America. The expedition was also tasked with returning the Polynesian Omai to Huahine after his two year sojourn in England. After leaving the Cape of Good Hope, the two expedition ships sailed to Tahiti via Tasmania (anchoring in Adventure Bay), New Zealand, the Cook Islands and Tonga. Omai was landed at Huahine in late 1777 and Cook then sailed into the north Pacific for the first time, visiting the Hawaiian Islands in the process. During the summer of 1778, the expedition explored and mapped the Pacific coast of North America between Oregon and Alaska and passed through the Bering Strait before turned back by impenetrable ice flows. The RESOLUTION and DISCOVERY then sailed back to Hawaii to avoid the winter and it was there that Cook was killed on 14 February 1779 at Kealakekua Bay. Charles Clerke then took command of the expedition, but died of tuberculosis in August of the same year. He was buried in the cemetery at Petropavlovsk. As a result John Gore took command and the expedition returned to England in 1780. Included amongst the expedition personnel was the accomplished artist John Webber, and as a result, the expedition produced a rich pictorial record. The views are: 1. A View of Christmas Harbour, in Kerguelen's Land 2. A Man of Van Diemen's Land 3. A Woman of van Diemen's Land 4. An Opossum of Van Diemen's Land 5. The Inside of a Hippah, in New Zealand 6. A Man of Mangea 7. A View of Anamooka 8. The Reception of Captain Cook, in Hapaee 9. A Boxing Match, in Hapaee 10. A Night Dance by Men, in Hapaee 11. A Night Dance by Women, in Hapaee 12. Poulaho, King of the Friendly Islands 13. Poulaho, King of the Friendly Islands, drinking Kava 14. A Fiatooka, or Morai, in Tongataboo 15. The Natche, a Ceremony in Honour of the King's Son, in Tongataboo 16. A Woman of Eaoo 17. A Human Sacrifice in a Morai, in Otaheite 18. The Body of Tee, a Chief, as preserved after Death, in Otaheite 19. A Young Woman of Otaheite, bringing a present 20. A Dance in Otaheite 21. A Young Woman of Otaheite, Dancing 22. A View of Huaheine 23. A Morai, in Atooi 24. The Inside of the House, in Morai, in Atooi 25. An Inland View , in Atooi 26. A Man of Nootka Sound 27. A Woman of Nootka Sound 28. Various Articles, at Nootka Sound 29. A View of the Habitations in Nootka Sound 30. The Inside of a House in Nootka Sound 31. A Sea Otter 32. A View of Snug Corner Cove, in Prince William's Sound 33. A Man of Prince William's Sound 34. A Woman of Prince William's Sound 35. A Man of Oonalashka 36. A Woman of Oonalashka 37. Canoes of Oonalashka 38. The Tschuktschi, and their Habitations 39. Sea Horses 40. Inhabitants of Norton Sound, and their Habitations 41. Caps of Natives of Oonalashka 42. Natives of Oonalashka, and their Habitations 43. The Inside of a House, in Oonalashka 44. An Offering before Capt. Cook, in the Sandwich Islands 45. Tereoboo, King of Owyhee, bringing Presents to Capt. Cook 46. A Man of the Sandwich Islands, Dancing 47. A Young Woman of the Sandwich Islands 48. A Man of the Sandwich Islands with his Helmet 49. A Canoe of the Sandwich Islands, the Rowers Masked 50. A Man of the Sandwich Islands, in a Mask 51. Various Articles, at the Sandwich Islands 52. A View of Karakakooa, in Owyhee 53. A Man of Kamtschatka, Travelling in Winter 54. A View of Bolcheretzkoi, in Kamtschatka 55. A White Bear 56. A View of the Town and Harbour of St Peter and St Paul, in Kamtschatka 57. A Man of Kamtschatka 58. A Woman of Kamtschatka 59. Summer and Winter Habitations, in Kamtschatka 60. The Inside of a Winter Habitation, in Kamtschatka SignificanceBased on the excellent work of voyage artist John Webber, these views are a significant addition to the written account of Cook's third and final voyage.