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Rare second edition of this anonymous account of the Dolphin's voyage to the South Seas, written by "a Midshipman on Board the said Ship," generally assumed to be Charles Clerke, who later sailed with Cook on all three voyages, serving as commander of the third voyage for the last six months. "Early in 1764 the Hon. John Byron ('Foul-Weather Jack' [and grandfather of Lord Byron]) was appointed in command of the Dolphin Frigate, the first English vessel to be sheathed with copper, and ordered to proceed to the East Indies, with secret instructions.to sail to the Pacific Ocean on an exploring expedition. The vessel sailed westward across the Pacific from the Straits of Magellan and managed, almost miraculously, to avoid discovering any islands except in the northern part of the Low Archipelago.He completed the circumnavigation of the globe in twenty-two months, an easy record up to that time, but a record which should not have been made on a voyage intended for discovery" - Cox. The voyage did make it to the Falklands (and Britain's first claim to them), seven of the Tuamotu Islands, Tinian, and one of the Marianas. "Although the voyage was not noted for its discoveries, it stirred the Admiralty to fresh investigation of the South Seas. This narrative was published six years before Hawkesworth's official account, and became famous because of its description of the Patagonian giants, still something of a mystery" - Hill. Clerke also published on the supposed giants of Patagonia in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society (1768; vol. LVII, pt.1, pp.75-9). OCLC and ESTC list a total of nine copies, at the University of Minnesota, University of Hawaii, Lilly Library at Indiana, John Carter Brown Library, the National Library of New Zealand, National Library of Australia, State Library of New South Wales, the British Library, and the University of Queensland. ESTC N29109. OCLC 16342337, 220668543, 319057398, 222122200. HILL 311 (ref). COX I, pp.53-54 (ref). 12mo. Contemporary sheep, rebacked in matching modern calf, black morocco label stamped in gilt. Some wear and scuffing to boards, corners worn. Occasional spots of light soiling, slight tanning. Contemporary ownership inscription on front fly leaf. Very good.
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