Captain James Cook (1728-1779) is best known for his three voyages to the Pacific (1768-71; 1772-75; and 1776-79). His discoveries radically changed the western understanding of the world in the late 18th century. He was the first to circumnavigate and chart New Zealand and provided the earliest European accounts of exploration along the eastern coast of Australia and the Hawaiian Islands. On February 14th, 1779, he was killed on Hawaii after attempting to kidnap the chief of the island.

Many contemporary accounts of Cook’s voyages, including charts and engravings, appeared in the late 18th century. The first official account of Cook’s first voyage was published in 1773 by John Hawkesworth in Volumes II and III of An Account of the Voyages Undertaken by the Order of His Present Majesty for Making Discoveries in the Southern Hemisphere... William Strahan and Thomas Cadell published the first official accounts of the second and third voyages in 1777 and 1784. Accounts of his exploration were subsequently translated into French, German, and Dutch.

A great copper engraved view with the robed king and his party on a large craft rowed by twenty men. Escorted by two smaller craft, each rowed by 18 men. The gifts are clearly visible and look like two or three large statutes of a man and woman. Published by Alex. Hogg and engraved by Royce.

References:

Condition: B

Excellent impression on thick paper with good margins. A couple small spots in sky, and chip out of left corner, well away from image, but just touching plate mark.