A Young Woman of Otaheite, Bringing a Present.

Rare engraving from the official British Admiralty sanctioned edition of the accounts of Cook’s third and final voyage.

Cook arrived at Matavia Bay, Tahiti on 24th August and stayed until 30 September, 1777.

Cook recorded on 8 September 1777.

‘I….went with him [Otoo] to his Fathers where they were dressing two girls in a prodigious quantity of fine cloth [tapa] in a manner rather curious; the one end of each piece, of which there were a good many, was held up over the heads while the remainder was wraped round them under their armpits, then the upper ends were let fall and hung down in foulds to the ground over the other and looked some thing like a circular hooped petticoat. After ward round the out side of all, were wraped several pieces of different Coloured cloth, which considerably increased the Size so that the whole was not less than five or six yards in circuit and was as much as the poor girl could support. To each was hung two Taame’s, or breast plates by way of inriching the whole. Thus equipped they were conducted on board the Ship together with Several Hogs and a quantity of fruit as a present from Otoos Father to me. Either men or women dressed in this manner they call Atee….’ Cook Journals III, i, 207-8.

Beddie 1743-27, p.340, Joppien 3.104A, ill.p.361

From Cook & King, A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean Undertaken by the Command of His Majesty, for Making Discoveries in the Northern Hemisphere….