La Nuova Zelanda Trascorsa nel 1769, e 1770. Dal Cook Commandante Dell’ Endeavour Vascello di S.M. Brittannica.

First edition (1778) of this rare and important c.18th hand coloured engraved map of New Zealand by Antonio Zatta, based on the observations and charting carried out by James Cook on his first voyage of discovery on the Endeavour.  Shown are Cook’s tracks coloured in yellow as issued.

This is only one of a handful of c.18th charts to solely focus on New Zealand.

Zatta based the chart on the French edition of Cook’s first voyage published in Paris in 1774 as stated in the text at lower right; Carta ha relazione con la storia del viaggo del Capitano Cook stampata in Parigi l’anno 1774., (Translation; The map is related to the history of Captain Cook’s voyage printed in Paris in 1774).

Cook had been chosen to lead an expedition to the South Seas, ostensibly to observe the transit of Venus, but just prior to his departure he was given further secret instructions (dated 30 July 1768) which revealed the Admiralty’s true intent for the voyage. ‘You are to proceed to the Southward in order to make discovery of the Continent above mentioned until you arrive in the Latitude of 40°, unless you sooner fall in with it. But not having discover’d it or any Evident sign of it in that Run you are to proceed in search of it to the Westward between the Latitude before mentioned and the Latitude of 35° until’ you discover it, or fall in with the Eastern side of the Land discover’d by Tasman and now called New Zeland.’ Secret Instructions to Captain Cook, Page 1, 30th July, 1768.

Following those instructions, Cook sailed to the portion of the west coast of New Zealand that Abel Tasman had discovered in December 1742. In the following six months, between 3 October 1769 and 31 March 1770, he sailed over 2,400 miles, surveying the coast from on board the ship or else ashore.

‘The Chart which I have drawn will best point out the figure and extent of these Islands, the situation of the Bays and harbours they contain and the lesser Islands lay about them. And now I have mentioned the Chart I shall point out such places as are drawn with sufficient accuracy to be depended upon and such as are not, beginning at Cape Palliser and proceed round Aehei no mouwe [North Island] by the East Cape &ca. The Coast between these two Capes I believe to be laid down pretty accurate both in its figure and the Course and distance from point to point. The oppertunities I had and the methods I made use on to obtain these requesites were such as could hardly admit of an error; from the East Cape to Cape Maria Vandiemen altho it cannot be perfectly true yet it is without any very material error, some few places however must be expected and these are very doubtfull and are not only here but in every other part of the chart pointed out by a prick’d or broken line. …’ Cook, Journals I, 275-6

From: Zatta, A.  Atlante novissimo, illustrato ed accresciuto sulle osservazioni, e scoperte fatte dai piu celebri e piu recenti geografi. Venice 1784.