A Journal of Captain Cook's Last Voyage to the Pacific Ocean, and in quest of a North-West Passage, between Asia and America; performed in the years 1776, 1777, 1778, and 1779. Faithfully narrated from the original Ms. of Mr. John Ledyard

[COOK: THIRD VOYAGE] LEDYARD, John

Edité par Nathaniel Patten, Hartford, Connecticut, 1783

A propos de cet article

Small octavo, lacking the map (as do virtually all known copies), top four lines of title-page in well prepared facsimile; as always a little browned throughout but generally in rather better condition than most copies; in the original dark calf binding. Highly important personal account of Cook's third voyage: the first American account of Cook's third voyage and thus the very earliest American account of the discovery of the Hawaiian Islands, later to become the fiftieth state of America. This rare and significant book is notoriously hard to find in good shape. Ledyard, one of several Americans on the voyage and the only one to publish an account of the expedition, sailed as a corporal of marines. It is now generally acknowledged that he got hold of a copy of Rickman's narrative which he used to help him compile this account after his return to America. He himself describes the sealing of all diaries, drawings, memorandums, and charts of all officers and crew aboard ship at Canton. However, the narrative contains considerable information not available elsewhere, including the first published description of the Russian presence on Unalaska, the first permanent Russian settlement in northwest America (only Ledyard, Samwell, and Edgar visited the settlement). The chart supposed to have been issued with the book, which seems to have been an almost direct copy of the Rickman map, is missing in almost every copy known, and in view of the erratic nature of American eighteenth-century publishing it is nowadays accepted that it was not generally issued. Ledyard's description of his stay at Hawaii, his expedition inland and the death of Cook occupies sixty-four pages of the text. The account of New Zealand and Australia is short but includes his observation that 'the island of New-Holland (for its boundaries are now ascertained) is by much the largest known, and most eligably [sic] situated on the map of nature. even the Empress of Russia might be gratified with such a portion'. .

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Détails bibliographiques

• Titre: A Journal of Captain Cook's Last Voyage to the Pacific Ocean, and in quest of a North-West Passage, between Asia and America; performed in the years 1776, 1777, 1778, and 1779. Faithfully narrated from the original Ms. of Mr. John Ledyard
• Éditeur: Nathaniel Patten, Hartford, Connecticut
• Date de parution: 1783
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