A View of Karakakooa in Owyhee [Early surfing in Hawaii]

[London]: [Alex. Hogg at the Kings Arms No 16 Paternoster Row], 1785. Good. Engraving titled "A View of Karakakooa, in Owyhee." Paper size is 27.4 x 38.5 cm. Inside black border dimensions (the main image without title) are 22 x 33.9 cm. The top edge has been remargined with sympathetic laid paper where the imprint was trimmed away. "Taylor sculp." engraved lower right. Now laid down archivally on a light tissue to preserve it and ensure that previous edge tears and fraying didn't cause further deteriorate. Lightly hand colored. A penciled note on the rear reads "opposite p. 577, Cooks' Voyages, 1785 edition" "Drawn by John Webber, the artist on Cook's (truncated) third voyage, this view depicts the bay where Cook's expedition spent a total of four weeks in January and February 1779. Published as an illustration in the official narrative of Cook's third voyage, this view complements the detailed plan of the bay that appeared as an inset on the published map of the island. The bay gained notoriety as the scene of Cook's death, but it remained an important anchorage for European vessels until the 1820s. The village on the right corresponds to 'Kakooa' in the inset on the Roberts chart ...It was the scene of many of the transactions between the Hawaiians and Cook's expedition. In the far background near the point of land appearing just aft of the two ships, lies the village named 'Kowrowa'' on Roberts' chart, where the famous confrontation occurred on February 14, 1779, in which Cook was killed." (Fitzpatrick, "The Early Mapping of HAWAI'I", Honolulu:Editions Limited,1986, p. 20)

This example lacks the publisher's imprint information just above the top black border. It would have read "London Published by Alex. Hogg at the Kings Arms No 16 Paternoster Row." This example was engraved by Taylor and is of the period. Reviewing a 1784 digitized copy of the Cook narrative (titled: "A new, authentic, and complete collection of voyages round the world, undertaken and performed by royal authority. Containing an authentic, entertaining, full, and complete history of Captain Cook's first, second, third, and last voyages, undertaken by order of His present Majesty, for making discoveries in geography, navigation, astronomy, &c. in the southern and northern hemispheres ...." and published by Hogg with the imprint as above) confirms the plate was inserted opposite page 577. It was likely the same in the 1785 edition of the following year.

The image is often cited as the first example of a surfing image (see surfer on board lower left) and it is quite notable for that fact. While missing the publisher imprint it is still a fine example for framing and display. (Inventory #: 26771)