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A set of scarce first editions of the writings of the celebrated British navigator and buccaneer, William Dampier. It is very difficult to find sets of Dampier in first editions, the first volume in particular being quite elusive. The first editions vary in content from the more commonly encountered 1729 edition, to which the publisher, Knapton, appended writings by some of Dampier's shipmates in the last volume (every one of which Dampier denounced and had disapproved). Henry Stevens notes (as quoted in Sabin): "It is better to have Dampier undefiled, and the best editions of Dampier are his volumes as originally published." Dampier's first voyage to the Pacific was in 1680, raiding on the Spanish coast of South America, then crossing the Pacific to the East Indies. During the next two decades he travelled extensively through the Pacific, at various times visiting Terra del Fuego, the west coasts of South and Central America, Guam, the Philippines, the East Indies, China, the Campeche coast, Southeast Asia, and the Caribbean. In 1688, Dampier touched on New Holland, or Australia, for the first time, making a survey of the coast near King Sound. In 1698, after the first volume of his voyages had been published and received great acclaim, the Admiralty gave him a commission as a captain in the Royal Navy and command of the Roebuck. With it, he undertook another expedition to Australia, the second British expedition to go there and the first to have that destination as its objective. He explored the south coast of New Guinea, discovered New Britain and Dampier Strait, and explored along the western coast of Australia. Although hampered by illness among his crew, he ultimately completed the circumnavigation in 1701. "Dampier was the best known of the famous group of English buccaneers that tormented the Spanish in the South Sea from 1680 to 1720. Through his writings, Dampier made known the profitable possibilities of the Pacific" - Hill. His books were great successes and were frequently reprinted, as well as emulated by some of his less literate companions, often to his disgust. See the DNB for a detailed sketch of this remarkable man. DNB V, pp.452-57. HILL 417 (ref), 419, 420, 421. BORBA DE MORAES, pp.242-43. EUROPEAN AMERICANA 697/49, 699/58, 703/40, 709/43. SABIN 18374-377. WING D161, D165. Uniform 20th-century marbled boards backed in calf, spines gilt with raised bands, morocco labels. Small marginal repairs to first few leaves of first volume, second volume titlepage remargined at gutter with repaired tears, upper corner of first leaf repaired without loss, occasional small repaired marginal tears throughout second and third volumes. Folding maps uncommonly clean, the maps and some plates in second and third volumes likely supplied. Fourth volume with inkstamp of the Canterbury public library to folding maps and upper corner of the occasional leaf, else light tanning and soiling to each volume. A very good set. In a custom morocco-backed clamshell, spine gilt with raised bands.
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