27 John Hawkesworth (1715–1773) – Map of the River Thames and Mercury Bay, New Zealand – Engraved Map by Robert Bénard (1778–1785)

This engraved map, titled Riviere Tamise et Baye Mercure à la Nle Zélande, depicts the River Thames and Mercury Bay on the eastern coast of New Zealand’s North Island, as charted during Captain James Cook’s first voyage. It was created after the death of John Hawkesworth, who had been commissioned by the British Admiralty to compile the official narrative of Cook's expedition. The map was published posthumously in the French edition of Relation des Voyages entrepris par ordre de Sa Majesté Britannique, a monumental account of Pacific exploration printed in Paris by Hôtel de Thou between 1778 and 1785. The map also includes inset charts of Baye des Isles (Bay of Islands) and Baye de Tolaga (Tolaga Bay), with rich navigational detail, including soundings, anchorages, and coastal contours. It was engraved by Robert Bénard, who produced the majority of plates for the French edition.