ELLIS, William (1728-1779). An Authentic Narrative of a Voyage performed by Captain Cook and Captain Clerke, in His Majesty's Ships Resolution and Discovery, During the Years 1776, 1777, 1778, 1779, and 1780; in search of a North-West Passage Between the Continents of Asia and America . London: For G. Robinson, 1782.
ELLIS, William (1728-1779). An Authentic Narrative of a Voyage performed by Captain Cook and Captain Clerke, in His Majesty's Ships Resolution and Discovery, During the Years 1776, 1777, 1778, 1779, and 1780; in search of a North-West Passage Between the Continents of Asia and America . London: For G. Robinson, 1782. 2 volumes, 8 o (203 x 128 mm). 22 engraved plates, including folding chart. (Lacks half-titles, scattered pale foxing and offsetting, vol. 1 with some pale dampstaining in lower margins.) Contemporary sheep (rebacked). Provenance : Archie W. Shiels (bookplate); Herbert McLean Evans (bookplate). FIRST EDITION OF A RARE UNAUTHORIZED ACCOUNT OF COOK'S LAST VOYAGE by the surgeon's mate (not assistant surgeon, as claimed on the title-pages), on both Discovery and Resolution , published two years before the official account. Although Ellis was not an eyewitness to Cook's death (nor were Rickman, Ledyard or Zimmermann), Beaglehole writes in his edition of the voyages that "the most reliable tradition, on the Hawaii side, is probably that incorporated in Ellis's narrative." Returning to England and in financially-strained circumstances, Ellis sold his Narrative to a bookseller for fifty guineas. By publishing it in contravention of the instruction to surrender all logs and journals to the Admiralty, he ruined any prospects he had in the Navy. Banks responded to his publication by saying, "I fear it will not in the future be in my power to do what it might have been had you asked and followed my advice." "Ellis was also a talented artist and his album of natural history drawings 'is a highly valuable record, a complement to Webber" (Beaglehole), and the plates in his narrative are some of the earliest views to depict Hawaii and Alaska. Beddie 1599; Forbes 41; Hill 555; Holmes 42; Sabin 22333; Lada-Mocarski 35; Mitchell Library Cook 1599. (2)
ELLIS, William (1728-1779). An Authentic Narrative of a Voyage performed by Captain Cook and Captain Clerke, in His Majesty's Ships Resolution and Discovery, During the Years 1776, 1777, 1778, 1779, and 1780; in search of a North-West Passage Between the Continents of Asia and America . London: For G. Robinson, 1782.
ELLIS, William (1728-1779). An Authentic Narrative of a Voyage performed by Captain Cook and Captain Clerke, in His Majesty's Ships Resolution and Discovery, During the Years 1776, 1777, 1778, 1779, and 1780; in search of a North-West Passage Between the Continents of Asia and America . London: For G. Robinson, 1782. 2 volumes, 8 o (203 x 128 mm). 22 engraved plates, including folding chart. (Lacks half-titles, scattered pale foxing and offsetting, vol. 1 with some pale dampstaining in lower margins.) Contemporary sheep (rebacked). Provenance : Archie W. Shiels (bookplate); Herbert McLean Evans (bookplate). FIRST EDITION OF A RARE UNAUTHORIZED ACCOUNT OF COOK'S LAST VOYAGE by the surgeon's mate (not assistant surgeon, as claimed on the title-pages), on both Discovery and Resolution , published two years before the official account. Although Ellis was not an eyewitness to Cook's death (nor were Rickman, Ledyard or Zimmermann), Beaglehole writes in his edition of the voyages that "the most reliable tradition, on the Hawaii side, is probably that incorporated in Ellis's narrative." Returning to England and in financially-strained circumstances, Ellis sold his Narrative to a bookseller for fifty guineas. By publishing it in contravention of the instruction to surrender all logs and journals to the Admiralty, he ruined any prospects he had in the Navy. Banks responded to his publication by saying, "I fear it will not in the future be in my power to do what it might have been had you asked and followed my advice." "Ellis was also a talented artist and his album of natural history drawings 'is a highly valuable record, a complement to Webber" (Beaglehole), and the plates in his narrative are some of the earliest views to depict Hawaii and Alaska. Beddie 1599; Forbes 41; Hill 555; Holmes 42; Sabin 22333; Lada-Mocarski 35; Mitchell Library Cook 1599. (2)
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
