A world that isn’t coming back. At least not looking like this. Illustrations from “A voyage around the world: but more particularly to the north-west coast of America, performed in 1785, 1786, 1787 and 1788 with the ships “King George” and the “Queen Charlotte” which were captained by Captains Portlock and Dixon.

People of Sandwich Sound in their canoes. What is now known as Prince William Sound was first named “Sandwich Sound” by James Cook after his patron the Earl of Sandwich in 1778. It was later renamed for one of George III and Queen Charlotte’s sons. Bound facing page 68, 1778. British. Drawing drawn by John Webber (1752-1793). Archival ID#1409341 and PIC Volume 42 #NK7402. Digital collections of the National Library of Australia. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1409341
A marae in Tahiti (Sandwich Island). Tahiti having named “Sandwich island” by James Cook after his patron with the name changed to Tahiti after this was published. Bound facing page 128. 1777. British. Pencil and wash drawing drawn by John Webber (1752-1793). Archival ID#1411153. Digital collections of the National Library of Australia. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1411153
A view of Hippa Island, Queen Charlotte Isles. Off the coast of British Columbia, Canada. Bound at page 204. 1777. British. Watercolor. Archival ID#2933876. Digital collections of the National Library of Australia. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2933876
A view in the bay at Woahoo, Sandwich Islands. Plate facing page 55. Published on January 17, 1789. Archival ID#313403. Engraving.Inigo Barlow, printer. Archival ID#313403. Digital collections of the National Library of Australia. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/313403
A view of the volcano, Cook’s River, taken from the Coal Harbour. Now known as Port Graham which is on the Kenai Peninsula, in present-day Alaska. Plate facing page 62. British. Published on January 7, 1789. Engraving. Inigo Barlow, printer. Archival ID#1240353. Digital collections of the National Library of Australia. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1240353
A view of Mount Edgecomb taken from the ship at anchor in Norfolk Sound. Near the present day Sitka, Alaska. Plate facing page 192. Published on January 7, 1789. British. Engraving. Inigo Barlow, printer. Archival ID#2764054. Digital collections of the National Library of Australia. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2764054

An account of the fur-trading expedition fitted out by the King George’s Sound Company, with important results for the exploration and mapping of the American Northwest. These are the plates showing locations. There are also plates showing some of the individuals they encountered, tools and birds. The two ships were commanded by Dixon and the American-born Nathaniel Portlock, both veterans of James Cook’s last voyage. It includes accounts of the Hawaiian islands where they wintered in 1787-1788. The text was edited by Dixon from a series of letters by the Quaker, William Beresford.

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