Title: Reception of Capt Cook at Hapaee
Description: Reception of Captain Cook at Hapaee, one of the islands of the Ha’apai group of Tonga. Captain Cook seated with the chiefs, watching two pairs of combatants; one pair boxing, the other pair fighting with clubs, within a large circle of spectators. Some men of Cook's company are on the left on the fringe of the crowd. Cook wrote: “Presently after a number of men entered the Circle or Area before us, armed with Clubs….and began to engage and continued till one or the other gave out or their weapons were broke….there were Wristling and Boxing matches; the first were performed in the same m(an)ner as at Otahiete, and the second very little different from the method practiced in England.” (Journals, III, i, 107)
Pen, wash and water-colour
Date: 17-29 May 1777
Author:J. Webber
Dimensions: 448 x 636
Collection: British Library
Reference no: Add.Ms 15513 f.8
Record no.: 11163 tif