The National Maritime Museum provides the context for this photograph:
This photograph was taken in front of the bows of Discovery on 25 July 1875. Note the sailor's hand holding the child's head still. Here the natives of Cape York communicated with Captain Stephenson through the interpreter Christien Petersen, and Hans. In his diary Lt. Parr described the clothes worn by the native women as consisting 'of sealskin jumper, trousers & long coloured boots [which] were embroidered with different colours… the boots being almost as long as our fishermen's and none of their garments overlap each other so that if it is blowing they must find it rather chilly'.
