The map of Tahiti from Cook’s First Voyage

A map of Tahiti, as surveyed by James Cook on his First Voyage. Cook's mission on his First Voyage to the South Seas was to take astronomers to Tahiti to observe the passage of Venus across the Sun in 1769, at the request of the Royal Society. In his three months stay on the island he sailed round the island in a small boat, a trip which resulted in this map. To the north can be seen 'Point Venus'. The map was engraved by J. Cheevers for John Hawkesworth's 'An account of the voyages undertaken by the order of His present Majesty for making discoveries in the Southern Hemisphere', a compilation of the accounts of explorers including Byron, Wallis and Carteret, as well the Official Account of Cook's voyage.