South Pacific Gallery

1775 Captain James Cook explorer

James Cook, Captain of HMS Barc Endeavour (b. 7th November 1728 - d. 14th February 1779). Steel engraving by E. Scriven 1833 with later hand colouring, after the painting by N. Dance 1775/6 in the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich. Dance's painting was considered "an excellent likeness" at the time. Explorer, navigator and cartographer, Cook's voyages to the South Seas were the foremost scientific explorations of the 18th century. He was accompanied on his first voyage by botanist (and later President of the Royal Society) Joseph Banks who commissioned the painting upon which this engraving is based. His crew became the first Europeans to see Australia's eastern shore. During later voyages he looked for the Antarctic continent and searched for the northwest passage, charting and discovering islands as he went. He was killed while ashore in Hawaii during a dispute with its inhabitants

© This image is Paul D. Stewart 2009. Do not reproduce without permission of the photographer at Stewartpauld@aol.com

view of a Samoan Pe'a tattoo, 19th Century (photo)

1079611 view of a Samoan Pe'a tattoo, 19th Century (photo); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Pe'a is the popular name of the traditional male tattoo of Samoa, which was originally called the malofie;
The pe'a covers the body from waist to the rectum and then to knees. The word tattoo in the English language is believed to have originated from the Polynesian word tatau;); Prismatic Pictures ; out of copyright

© Prismatic Pictures / Bridgeman Images

Aerial view of Bora Bora island and blue lagoon

Aerial view of Bora Bora island with Mt Otemanu and blue lagoon. Bora Bora, Society Islands, French Polynesia, Pacific Islands

© 2015 Matteo Colombo

575352303, French Polynesia, Image, Leeward Islands, Pacific Islands, Photography, Photos, Polynesia, Polynesian, Poster, Society Islands, South Pacific, Stock, Travel