The first French edition of James Cook's fundamental map of the Hawaii, the first map of the islands.

Cook arrived in Hawaii, which he named The Sandwich Islands after the Earl of Sandwich, on his third voyage (1776-80).

The dotted route on the map tracks the outward journey of the Expedition, consisting of H.M.S. Resolution and Discovery, the latter commanded by Captain Charles Clerke. The outward route encountered parts of the coast of modern Kuai and Puuwai before continuing north towards the Behring Strait.

The return route, marked on the map as a continuous line, provided a far more detailed survey of sections of the coasts of all the islands, particularly of the island of Hawaii itself.

The large inset on the lower left focuses on Kealakekua Bay, where a tragic misunderstanding between the Europeans and the native population resulted in the death of Cook.

Clerke took command of the Expedition as it returned to the Behring Straits looking for the Northwest Passage before his death of disease.

As per protocol, the First Lieutenant of the Resolution, John Gore, took command of the rest of the Expedition, guiding it back to London in 1780.

Something of an unsung hero, Gore was promoted to post captain as a reward for his achievement and died in 1790, having circumnavigated the world no less than four times during his career.

A fundamental map both for the study of the cartography of the Pacific as well as the Hawaiian Archipelago.
[USA9577]