The Imperial Eagle, like the King George, Queen Charlotte, and Prince of Wales, was sent out to the North West Coast to engage in the fur trade. However, unlike these other ships which had bona fide credentials, the Imperial Eagle was trying through chicanery to avoid paying the almost ruinous fees of the British East India Company. The British East India Company had a monopoly on trade for British owned vessels in the Far East and far Pacific. To avoid these fees, the owners of the Imperial Eagle put their ship under the flag of the Prusso/ Austrian flag.
The Imperial Eagle sailed for the far Pacific in November of 1786. She was under the command of Captain Charles Barclay who had brought along his new bride, Francis Barclay. The Imperial Eagle reached the island of Hawaii in mid May of 1787 and followed the Kona Coast northward at an easy pace allowing canoes to come off and trade at will. Trade was so brisk that she was able to satisfy her needs and Barclay then set a course for Oahu. Easterly winds prevented the Imperial Eagle from approaching Waikiki and she was forced away to the west side of the island. The Imperial Eagle was the first ship to sail up the western shore of Oahu, and from Barclay’s description, it is not hard to match the land features. Close to Ka'ena Point the Imperial Eagle hove to so as to allow a few canoes to come alongside to trade. Francis Barclay was so impressed with one of the Hawaiian women, named Winee, who came aboard to trade that she invited Winee to join her on the voyage as a companion/servant. Winee became the first Hawaiian to see the outside world and after a visit to the North West Coast would travel on to China.
The painting shows the Imperial Eagle as she gets under way once more off Ka'ena Point and departs for the North West.

Image Size: 16 " X 22" ; unf...$1000.00