A war canoe of New Zealand with a view of Gable End Foreland

Rare c.18th engraving from the official British Admiralty sanctioned edition of the accounts of Cook’s first voyage.

Parkinson’s famous image of an ornately carved Maori war canoe with high stern on the right, eight occupants standing and about twenty eight seated. All figures wear feathers in their hair and six are cloaked.

‘The ingenuity of these people appears in nothing more than than in their canoes: they are long and narrow, and in shape much resemble a New England whale boat: the larger sort seem to be built chiefly for war, and will carry from forty to eighty, or an hundred armed men. We measured one which lay at Tolaga: she was sixty-eight feet and an half long, five feet broad, and three half feet deep; the bottom was sharp, with strait sides like a wedge, and consisted of three lengths, hollowed out about two inches, or an inch and half thick, and well fastened together with strong plaiting: each side consisted of one entire plank, sixty-three feet long, ten or twelve inches broad, and about an inch and quarter thick and these were fitted and lashed to the bottom part with great dexterity and strength.’ Hawkesworth I, p.462-464, March 1770.

‘During this time they brandish their spears, hack the air with their patoos and shake their darts as if they meant every moment to begin the attack, singing all the time in a wild but not disagreeable manner and ending every strain with a loud and deep fetchd sigh in which they all join in concert. The whole is accompanied by strokes struck against the sides of the Boats & with their feet, Paddles and arms, the whole in such excellent time that tho the crews of several Canoes join in concert you rarely or never hear a single stroke wrongly placd. (Banks Journal II, 29, March 1770.)

Reference, Beddie 932-16, Joppien, 1.142B ill.p.201

From Hawkesworth, An Account of the Voyages Undertaken by the Order of His Present Majesty for Making Discoveries in the Southern Hemisphere,..