Voyage

Relics of Cook’s Famous Voyage More Information Sought

Letter to the Editor I WAS interested in the article in the November PIM, which reported that a French planter in New Caledonia, in the Diahot Valley, while digging on the site of an old native dwelling, discovered one of the bronze medals which were carried by Captain James Cook for dis tribution among the natives on his Second Voyage of discovery. (Cook was in the Diahot district of New Caledonia in Sep tember, 1774.) It would be interesting to know just how many of these medals have come to light. About the time the PIM published an article, “Historic Medals,” by A. C. Rowland, in January, 1941, we found one of the medals on the Marae in the Valley of Faa-hara-to, on the north-east coast of Raiatea, (French Oceania).

Another medal, recorded in the PIM of June, 1941, was reported to have been found in Nootka Sound, British Columbia, by the captain of the yacht Lorna D.

So it would appear that these interesting relics of Captain Cook’s famous voyage of nearly 200 years ago have been found as far apart as the two ends and middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Is there any record of how many medals were struck for Captain Cook, prior to the sailing of his expedition in the ships Resolution and Adventure?

I am, etc.

Faa-Hara-To

Raiatea, 2S/1/51.

Editorial Note: We are sending this inquiry to the Royal Historical Society of Australia. It should be worth following up.