Panorama of Raiatea, Septr 1st 1849. Tahaa to the right [Society Islands]

Mounted in album with PAI4605-PAI4623, PAI4625-PAI4670.; No.19. No. 19 in Fanshawe's Pacific album, 1849-1852. A fold-out panoramic drawing on three joined sheets, the central one stuck down to the album page. Raiatea (properly Ra'iatea, and also called Ulieta/ Ulietea in the 18th century) is the second largest Society Island after Tahiti, French Polynesia. The chief modern town on Raiatea is Uturoa, which is the administrative centre for the Leeward Islands ( Iles Sous-le-vent) of the Society group: this is not visible in Fanshawe's drawing, being at the north end. The islands of Raiatea and Tahaa (far right, to the north) are both enclosed by the same coral reef, and may once have been a single island. Fanshawe's drawing is apparently taken from the south-eastern corner of Raiatea, the settlement possibly being Opoa. Fanshawe reached Raiatea on the evening of 30 August, met local missionaries and had an interview the next day with Tamatoa, the chief (brother of Queen Teri'i tari'a of Huahine). On the 2nd he went to Tahaa before sailing for Bora Bora. This is one of a group of eleven Fanshawe drawings of the Society Islands, PAI4616 - PAI427 made while he commanded the 'Daphne' in the Pacific: only this one shows Raiatea.
Edward Gennys Fanshawe

Original size: 227 mm x 325 mm