Lot 354
Vancouver, Captain George
Auction: 13 January 2010 at 11:00 GMT
Description
A voyage of discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and round the world, in which the coast of north-west America has been carefully examined and accurately described. London: G.G. & J. Robinson, and J. Edwards, 1798. First edition, 4 volumes including atlas, 3 volumes, 4to, [viii], xxix, [vi], 432; [vi], 504; [viii], 606, [ii], text with 18 engraved plates; folio atlas [540 x 426mm.] with 16 engraved maps, charts and coastal profiles, folding maps and charts mounted on guards, half-title in volumes 1 & 3, text contemporary russia gilt, Northern Light Board gilt stamp to head of spines, spotting to, and offsetting from, plates in text volumes, spines worn, joints splitting, atlas contemporary half russia with marbled sides, Northern Light Board gilt stamp to upper cover, slight spotting of coastal profiles, minimal offsetting to a few folding charts, head and tail of spine worn
Footnote
Note: ''Vancouver, who had served on Captain Cook's second and third voyages, was made commander of a grand-scale expedition to reclaim Britain's rights, resulting from the Nootka Convention, at Nootka Sound, to examine thoroughly the coast south of 60° in order to find a possible passage to the Atlantic, and to learn what establishments had been founded by other powers. This voyage became one of the most important ever made in the interests of geographical knowledge. Vancouver sailed by way of the Cape of Good Hope to Australia, where he discovered King George's sound and Cape Hood, then to New Zealand, Hawaii, and the northwest coast of America. In three seasons' work Vancouver surveyed the coast of California, visited San Francisco and San Diego and other Spanish settlements in Alta California... investigated the Strait of Juan de Fuca, discovered the Strait of Georgia, circumnavigated Vancouver Island, and disproved the existence of any passage between the Pacific and Hudson Bay''
The Hill Collection of Pacific Voyages, pp.303-4. Sabin 98443;
Provenance: Chas. Ellis, 25 Soho Square, contemporary inscription on title-pages; Raymond Barker, armorial bookplates