• Title : View of Oonalashka and the Inhabitants
• Size: 14in x 9in (355mm x 230mm)
• Ref #:  40213
• Date : 1787
• Condition: (A) Very Good Condition

Description:
This fine original cooper-plate engraved antique print a view of English or Nanwalek Bay, Alaska visited by Captain James Cook in June/July 1778, during his third voyage of discovery - after John Webber - was published in Thomas Bankes 1787 edition of A New, Royal and Authentic System of Universal Geography, Antient and Modern..... printed by Charles Cook, London.

Cooks Third Voyage (1776-1779)
In the course of his first two voyages, Cook circumnavigated the globe twice, sailed extensively into the Antarctic, and charted coastlines from Newfoundland to New Zealand. Following these achievements, Cook\'s third voyage was organized to seek an efficient route from England to southern and eastern Asia that would not entail rounding the Cape of Good Hope. The search for such a Northwest (or Northeast) Passage had been on the agenda of northern European mariners and merchants since the beginning of European expansion in the late fifteenth century. England\'s growing economic and colonial interests in India in the later eighteenth century provided the stimulus for the latest exploration for this route.
Cook, again in command of the Resolution, was to approach the Northwest Passage from the Pacific accompanied by a second ship, the Discovery, captained by Charles Clerke. The ships left England separately, regrouped at Cape Town, and continued on to Tasmania, New Zealand, and Tahiti. The expedition then sailed north and made landfall at Christmas Island and the Hawaiian Islands. Cook continued northward and charted the west coast of North America from Northern California as far as the Bering Strait. He returned to Hawaii for the winter and was killed in a skirmish with natives on February 14, 1779. Upon Cook\'s death, Clerke took command of the expedition but died six months later. The ships returned to England in 1780 under John Gore, who had commanded the Discovery after Cook\'s death. From start to finish, the voyage had lasted more than four years. (Ref Tooley; M&B; Clancy)

General Definitions:
Paper thickness and quality: - Heavy and stable
Paper color : - off white
Age of map color: -
Colors used: -
General color appearance: -
Paper size: - 14in x 9in (355mm x 230mm)
Plate size: - 12in x 7 1/2in (305mm x 190mm)
Margins: - Min 1/2in (12mm)

Imperfections:
Margins: - None
Plate area: - None
Verso: - None

Background: 
Nanwalek, formerly Alexandrovsk and English Bay, Alaska is census-designated place (CDP) in the Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska, United States that contains a traditional Alutiiq village.

Cooks Diary.......English Bay, Unalaska......the next day, the 27th, wrote Cook the fog partly despersed. At 7 AM wieghed and steered to the North… the wind faild and obliged us to Anchor. They sailed on and anchored in a bay for a few days on 28th. According to Samwell the next day We hoisted out our launch sent her ashore to fill the empty Water Casks both Ships completed their water. On 30th Many Canoes trading about the Ship… We find many Notes written in the Russian Language among these People dated in the Year 1776. The weather was, wrote Samwell moderate & hazy