A Draught Plan and Section of the Britannia Otehite War Canoe, Shewing the Plan. sic

Rare engraving of a Tahitian war canoe from the first English edition of Cook’s second voyage of exploration.

Cook visited Tahiti for the second time between 22 April to 14 May 1774.

‘I went with Otou to one of his large double canoes which was building and nearly ready to launch. She was by far the largest I had seen at any of the isles, he begged of me a grapling and grapling rope for her to which I aded an  English Jack and Pendant, the use of which he had been before fully instructed in. I desired that these two Joint Canoes, ie what is understood as a double canoe, might be called Britanne (Brit-tania) the name they had adopted for our Country, to which they readily consented and she was Christened accordingly.‘ (Cook Journal II 402, 14 May, 1774.)

From Cook’s, A Voyage Towards the South Pole, and Round the World, performed in His Majesty’s Ships the ‘Resolution’ and ‘Adventure’, In the Years 1772, 1773, 1774, and 1775.

References:
Beddie, M. Bibliography of Captain James Cook, RN,FRS, Circumnavigator. Sydney 1970: 1381-15, p.266
Hill, J. The Hill Collection of Pacific Voyages. San Diego 1974: 358.
Joppien, R. & Smith, B. The Art of Captain Cook’s Voyages; Vol. I, II & III. Melbourne 1985-1987: 2.116A, ill.p.216
Sabin, J. A Dictionary of Books Relating to America, from its Discovery to the Present Time. New York. (1936) 1967: 16245.

Collections:
National Library Australia: Bib ID 90039
State Library New South Wales: RECORD IDENTIFIER 74VvMokVOlGA / 74VvMoxg6JJX