Maps

Raper's maps are student examples of nautical charts he produced whilst on board HMS Sirius. All naval officers, particularly those sailing into uncharted waters, were required to draw these maps. All officers, including midshipmen, were required to undertake studies in navigation, astronomy and drafting to enable them to prepare charts of oceans, new coastlines and harbours (with soundings) for future reference. While most of Raper's maps are copies of others produced by officers on board, two, notably of Careening Cove and Norfolk Island, show an attention to detail in the interpretation of coastlines that demonstrate his skill as a draftsman.

Plan of Port Praya

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Plan of Port Praya ...
coloured ms. map; 17.1 x 11.3 cm
Map Collection RM 3455


This is a map of Port Praia which is located on Santiago, one of the Cape Verde Islands which lie off the west coast of North Africa. It is neither signed nor dated and at its foot are the words Observations in the Sirius. It is possible that Raper included this note because when the First Fleet passed the Cape Verde Islands between 18 and 20 June 1787 it was prevented by the wind from landing at Port Praia and Raper did not pass near the islands on his journey back to England.



North & South Chart North & South Chart

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A North & South Chart from the Lands End to the Equator
coloured ms. map originally drawn across two leaves, now on two sheets; each 23.2 x 20.3 cm
Map Collection RM 3452/1 RM 3452/2


The Sirius left England on 16 May and reached the Equator on 15 July 1787 and these two maps, now separated but originally drawn across two leaves, were probably compiled during the voyage or shortly after arrival at Port Jackson. Alternate broken and unbroken lines show the distance travelled each day, arrows indicate the direction of the wind, and the date when the Tropic of Cancer was crossed is given.

The maps are unsigned and undated. Though Raper probably began to draw from the time the Fleet left England in May 1787, he did not begin to sign and date his finished work until 1789—perhaps signalling an initial lack of confidence in his ability.




Chart of the South Atlantic

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[Chart of the South Atlantic with the Track of the Sirius ]
coloured ms. map; 20.2 x 16.7 cm
Map Collection RM 3453


The presumption is that this unsigned and undated map is a continuation of A North and South Chart from the Land's End to the Equator but the eastern half of this sheet is missing. This is the one on which the signature and date would most likely have been recorded, in the lower right hand corner.

This western half of the sheet shows the route of the Sirius from the Equator south across the Atlantic Ocean to Rio de Janeiro and east towards the Cape of Good Hope.

The recorded dates for this part of the voyage show Sirius crossing the Equator on 14 July 1787, arriving in Rio de Janeiro on 6 August 1787, and leaving there almost a month later, on 4 September, headed for Cape Town.




Plan of Rio de Janeiro

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Plan of Rio de Janeiro, Coast of Brasil
coloured ms. map; 20.8 x 15.9 cm
Map Collection RM 3454


This is a map of Guanabara Bay which the First Fleet entered on 7 August 1787 anchoring about 1 1/2 miles off the city. Raper, however, has signed and dated this map 1791. It is on record that from 13 March 1790 to February 1791 Raper was on Norfolk Island, that from February to 27 March 1791 he was at Port Jackson and that from 27 March 1791 to the end of 1791 he was on board the Waaksamheyd. The difference between the date of the visit and the date on the map is explained by the fact that when Raper used a date to record an event, he incorporated it into the title. When he recorded the date he completed a drawing, he added it after his signature.

Both Philip Gidley King and John Hunter recorded descriptions of Rio de Janeiro in the journals they kept of the First Fleet's voyage.

The harbour is spacious and safe and ye largest I ever saw except Trincomalay. It is very well defended yet I think ten sail of the line and 5000 troops would give a good account of the Gold crosses with which their churches are well furnished in a short time, if well conducted ...
—Philip Gidley King

The harbour of Rio de Janeiro may be known when you are off it, by a remarkable hill at its entrance, called Pao d'Asucar, from its resemblance to a loaf of sugar; but there is a hill to the south-east of the harbour, which is called by some the False Sugar-Loaf; but which, as you view it from the eastward, I think has more the appearance of a church with a short spire steeple; this hill points out the harbour to ships at a distance, much better than Pao d'Asucar ...
—John Hunter




Plan of Table Bay

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Plan of Table Bay, Cape of Good Hope
coloured ms. map; 19.8 x 16.8 cm
Map Collection RM 3457


This unsigned and undated map of the harbour at Table Bay, South Africa, shows the settlement at Cape Town where the First Fleet, with Raper on board the Sirius, anchored from 14 October to 13 November 1787 while taking on board supplies for the journey across the Southern Ocean. Raper made a subsequent visit to Table Bay where he was in port from 22 November 1791 to 18 January 1792, this time on board the Waaksamheyd.

The Cape Town is situated on an amphitheatre at the head of Table Bay, the Table Hill, Devils Hill, Sugar Loaf and Lyons Rump form the Amphitheatre which has a most picturesque appearance. The streets are wide and drawn at right angle and canals running thro them.
—Phillip Gidley King




Plan of Botany Bay

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Plan of Botany Bay New South Wales
coloured ms. map; 20.1 x 15.8 cm
Map Collection RM 3456


The Sirius with Raper on board arrived in Botany Bay on 20 January 1788. During August and September of the following year a map of it was compiled by Captain John Hunter and it was this map which Raper used as a basis for his copy. He has signed and dated it 1791. It records bathymetric soundings and the location of some landmarks such as Cape Banks and Point Solander.

William Bradley also made a copy of Hunter's map. Bradley's undated map has a scale-bar and soundings up the creeks from the Bay, together with an indication of the soil conditions in the surrounding land areas.

Two interesting features of this map are the scroll cartouche in which Raper has written the title of this work and the decorative flourish he has given to the scale-bar.

... at 10 o'clock the Governor, Lieut Governor & Capt Hunter went over to the south side of ye bay a little within Point Sutherland, & I was ordered with Lieut Dawes of the marines, to explore all ye South side of ye bay, & trace the two inlets on the South side as high as possible.
—Phillip Gidley King




Plan of Port Jackson

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Plan of Port Jackson, Coast of New South Wales
coloured ms. map; 25.6 x 15.9 cm
Map Collection RM 3458


Raper has signed and dated this map 1791. Instead of a scroll cartouche the title appears to have been carved into a rocky sandstone headland—a confirmation perhaps that he now had sufficient confidence in his mapping skills to add decorative touches when he was drawing plans for his own, and not for official, use.

As noted in the title of this work it was based on a survey carried out by John Hunter in 1788 immediately after the arrival of the First Fleet.

... 8th [Feb] Capt Hunter finished the survey. He says it contains a Number of very good Coves fit for any Vessel to Anchor in with the greatest safety indeed he says it is the finest harbour in the known world the Cove in which we are is called Sydney Cove none of the rest is yet name, the Chart of the Harbour is kept very secret for fear it may get into some persons hands who might have it Publish'd in England before the Chart that is going to the Admiralty.
—Newton Fowell




Carreening Cove

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Carreening Cove
coloured ms. map; 20.3 x 14.4 cm
Map Collection RM 3459


This signed and dated map of Carreening Cove (now known as Mosman Bay) shows the wharf where the Sirius was unloaded and repaired. It also indicates where fresh water supplies are located, relief features are shown pictorially and it records bathymetric soundings in regular east-west lines. The latter suggests Raper's map was a training exercise in surveying.

The Sirius arrived in Careening Cove on 19 June 1789 for repairs to her lower decks and hull and transferred to Sydney Cove in early November once they were completed.

The Sirius had, in the gale of wind which she met with off Tasman's head, sustained much more damage and was upon inspection, found to have been weakened much more than was at first conjectured. A convenient retired cove on the north shore being fixed on for the purpose of a careening cove, she dropped down and took possession of it toward the latter end of the month.
—David Collins

This is another of Raper's maps where he has placed the title in a scroll cartouche. The fact that the foot of the scroll is curled up and hides the longitudinal measurement suggests he may have been unsure of its accuracy.




Norfolk Island

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Norfolk Island
coloured ms. map; 15.8 x 9.8 cm
Map Collection RM 3460


The Sirius with Raper on board arrived at Norfolk Island on 13 March 1790. After disembarking the convicts at Cascade Bay, the Sirius was forced by wind changes to move to Sydney Bay to complete the unloading of stores. The blue and yellow flag indicating it was safe to land was flying but a sudden and unanticipated shift in wind and tide resulted in the ship running aground and being wrecked on a reef—the incident recorded by Raper in his The Melancholy Loss of H.M.S. Sirius off Norfolk Island March 19th 1790

This unsigned and undated map has two views of Norfolk Island on the one sheet. That on the left hand side is an enlarged view of the land between Point Ross and Ball Bay and shows the route of the Sirius from Sydney Cove to Norfolk Island via Phillip Island and Nepean Island while that on the right features Norfolk Island. Relief is shown pictorially and bathymetric soundings are recorded.

Raper remained on Norfolk Island until 12 February 1791 when he and the rest of the Sirius' crew left on the Supply to return to Sydney.

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