‘Oceanic Negroes’: British anthropology of Papuans, 1820–1869

Abstract

Captain James Cook (1728-1779) failed to see much of New Guinea or its inhabitants the Papuans.By late 1770, when the battered Endeavour reached the southern shores of New Guinea, Cook and his crew were on their way home and little disposed to attempt contact with the island's reportedly hostile people.But on Monday, 3 September, Cook (1955:408), 'having a mind to land once in this Country before we quit it altogether', went ashore in the pinnace in a party of twelve, accompanied by the naturalists Joseph Banks (1743-1820) and Daniel Solander (1733-1782).The first moment of encounter was pure Defoe: 'we had no sooner landed than we saw the print of Mens feet fresh upon the Sand'.Just two hundred yards further along the beach, the ship's party was attacked by three or four men throwing 'darts' and lime powder.After firing a volley, they retired, followed 'by 60 or as some thought about 100 of the natives'.From the safety of the pinnace, the Europeans:

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