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. [A View of the New Discover'd Island of Ulietea, with Some of Its Inhabitants, a Double Canoe...], from Geschichte der See-Reisen und Entdeckungen im Sud-Meer..., by Captain James Cook, circa 1774, (18.1 x 7.8"). This copper engraving depicts a scene of life on Raiatea, the French Polynesian island visited by Cook on all three of his voyages. It shows the bustling activity of natives on the beach, a double canoe and other craft out on the water, and another double canoe sheltered on shore. The engraving was published in the German edition of John Hawkesworth's landmark An Account of the Voyages Undertaken by the Order of his Present Majesty for Making Discoveries in the Southern Hemisphere, and Successively Performed by Commodore Byron, Captain Wallis, Captain Carteret, and Captain Cook.. Engraved by Berger. Condition: A nice impression issued folding on a watermarked sheet with a few light spots, a minor stain that enters the image at bottom right, and a couple edge tears in the same corner that have been repaired on verso with archival materials. (B+)

B. Pirogues des Isles des Amis, by Cook/Benard, from Voyage dans l'Hemisphere Austral..., published 1778 (14.0 x 8.3"). This striking engraving shows various vessels Captain Cook encountered off the coast of Tonga. Cook named this group the Friendly Islands due to the generous reception he and his crew received on their journey. He also noted the speed of the natives' canoes, one of which appears on this sheet. Engraved by Benard. Condition: A dark impression issued folding with a couple of unobtrusive spots in the image, marginal foxing, and small remnants of hinge tape on verso. (A)

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See description above.