The Inside of the House, in the Morai, in Atooi

This engraving after a drawing by John Webber comes from the official account of Cook's third voyage, 'A voyage to the Pacific Ocean', published by Scatcherd and Whitaker in 1784.

Captain James Cook (1728-1779) made three separate voyages to the Pacific (with the ships Endeavour, Resolution, Adventure, and Discovery) and did more than any other voyager to explore the Pacific and Southern Ocean. Cook not only encountered Pacific cultures for the first time, but also assembled the first large-scale collections of Pacific objects to be brought back to Europe. He was killed in Hawaii in 1779.

John Webber was the artist on Cook’s third voyage from 1776-1780.

Cook's first visit to Kauai (Atooi) was from January 19-23 1778.

A morai was a burial place.

Both 'A Morai at Atooi' and 'An Inside of a House showing their Idols' were engraved for the official account, so they are stressing the importance of places of cult and worship as a major research interest of the voyage.

Mounted in album with PAI4078-PAI4158, PAI4160-PAI4214.; Page 203.; Plate No. 34.

Object Details

ID: PAI4159
Type: Print
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Scott, Edmund; Webber, John
Date made: 1778
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Sheet: 400 x 570 mm; Plate: 213 x 280 mm
Parts: Atlas to Cook's Voyages Vol II 1777-1784. (Illustrations are from 'A Voyage towards the South Pole...1773-75' and 'A Voyage to the Northern Hemisphere... 1776-1780') (Album)