Bewohner von Nordwest – Amerika

Lithographs of a men from Alaska and Canada based on images made on Captain Cooks third and final voyage.

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A Man of Prince William’s Sound.

Having found Controller Bay, Alaska which he had given the name Comptrollers Bay, Prince William Sound, Cook proceeded north and anchored at Snug Corner Cove repairing a leak 16-17 May 1778.

‘a fine bay or rather harbour…a very snug place. The land near the shoar is low, part clear and part wooded; the clear ground was covered two or three feet thich with Snow, but very little lay in the woods. ….The Men had Mittins made of the skins of bear paws, and high crowned conical straw caps… But I saw not a woman with a head dress of any kind, they had all long black hair a part of which was tied up in a bunch over the forehead. The men had beards though not large… and the women in some measure endeavoured to imitate them by tattowing or staining the chin.’ Cook Journals III, 1, 346

Cook anchored in Resolution Cove (Bligh Island) and Hope Bay (Nootka Sound), carrying out much needed repairs to the ships and where Webber recorded the native peoples, habitations and scenery.

‘Their hair is black or dark brown, straight, strong and long, in general they wear it flowing, but some tie it up in a bunch on the crown and others twist it into large locks and add to it false hair, so that thier heads looks like a swab.’ 

‘Both sexes bore their ears, to which they hang various ornaments chiefly made of Copper…Besides these some have suspended to the ears long straps either of leather or plating that reach as low as the breast.. Both Men and Women paint their faces, their colours are black read and white…’ Cook, Journals III, i, 311-314.