A VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN, FOR MAKING DISCOVERIES IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE. PERFORMED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF CAPTAINS COOK, CLERKE, AND GORE, IN HIS MAJESTY'S SHIPS THE RESOLUTION AND DISCOVERY; IN THE YEARS 1776, 1777, 1778, 1779, AND 1780

Cook, James, and James King: [Douglas, John, editor]

Verlag: Printed by W. and A. Strahan for G. Nichol and T. Cadell, London, 1784

Three quarto text volumes plus large folio atlas. Text: Twenty-four engraved maps, coastal profiles, and charts (thirteen folding); folding letterpress table. Atlas: Sixty-three engraved plates, charts, and maps (including one folding map and one double- page map). Text: Contemporary speckled calf, gilt ruled, expertly rebacked in matching gilt calf with gilt leather labels, all edges painted red. 20th-century bookplates on front pastedowns. Light offsetting from plates, light tanning and scattered faint foxing. Atlas: Expertly bound to style in half calf and marbled boards, spines gilt, black morocco label. Contemporary ink inscription on verso of final plate. Marginal light foxing and dust soiling. A very good set. A lovely set of the first edition of Cook's Third Voyage, with a note of presentation in the atlas volume by Captain James King: "Thomas Venables The gift of Captain King." King was the author of the third text volume in the set and the preparer of Cook's journals that comprise the first two text volumes. Venables was probably a member of an ancient Cheshire landowning family, later involved in early Australian settlement. King began Cook's final expedition as the expedition's astronomer and as a lieutenant on the Resolution, but by the end of the expedition had been promoted to command of the Discovery and second-in-command. "At the time of Cook's death at Hawaii (14 February 1779) King was on shore in charge of the observatory. He had with him only a few men, but was reinforced by some of a boat's crew who had been rowing off the mouth of the bay before the disturbance with the Hawaiians began. This brought the number of the party up to twenty-four, and fortifying themselves in a neighbouring heiau, or open-air temple, they succeeded in repelling the attack of the Hawaiians until they were relieved, two hours later, by the ships' boats" - DNB. "Cook's third voyage was organized to seek the Northwest Passage and to return [the islander] Omai to Tahiti. Officers of the crew included William Bligh, James Burney, James Colnett, and George Vancouver. John Webber was appointed artist to the expedition. After calling at Kerguelen Island, Tasmania, New Zealand, and the Cook, Tonga, and Society Islands, the expedition sailed north and discovered Christmas Island and the Hawaiian Islands, which Cook named the Sandwich Islands. Cook charted the American west coast from Northern California through the Bering Strait as far north as latitude 70 degrees 44 minutes before he was stopped by pack ice. He returned to Hawaii for the winter and was killed in an unhappy skirmish with the natives. Charles Clarke took command and after he died six months later, the ships returned to England under John Gore. Despite hostilities with the United States and France, the scientific nature of this expedition caused the various governments to exempt these vessels from capture. The voyage resulted in what Cook judged his most valuable discovery - the Hawaiian Islands" - Hill. An excellent set of one the great Pacific voyages, inscribed by one of its ultimate commanders and the partial author of the present published account, Capt. James King. BEDDIE 1543. FORBES 62. HILL 361. HOWES C729a, "aa." LADA-MOCARSKI 37 (later issue). PRINTING AND THE MIND OF MAN 223. SABIN 16250. STREETER SALE 3478. REESE, BEST OF THE WEST 14. DNB (online). Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers WRCAM54194

Bibliografische Details

Titel: A VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN, FOR MAKING ...
Verlag: Printed by W. and A. Strahan for G. Nichol and T. Cadell, London
Erscheinungsdatum: 1784