LEDYARD, John (1751-1789). A Journal of Captain Cook's last voyage to the Pacific Ocean and in quest of a North-West Passage between Asia & America . Hartford, Conn.: Nathaniel Patten, 1783.
LEDYARD, John (1751-1789). A Journal of Captain Cook's last voyage to the Pacific Ocean and in quest of a North-West Passage between Asia & America . Hartford, Conn.: Nathaniel Patten, 1783. 8 o (173 x 114 mm). (Lacking map, as usual, browned, some pale spotting and staining.) Contemporary sheep, later morocco lettering piece on spine (a bit rubbed). Provenance : James Adams, Boston (early inscription on front flyleaf). ONE OF THE RAREST ACCOUNTS OF COOK'S VOYAGES AND OF GREAT INTEREST TO THE HISTORY OF THE NORTHWEST COAST AND ITS EXPLORATION IRST EDITION OF THE FIRST AMERICAN BOOK ON THE NORTHWEST COAST, AND THE FIRST AMERICAN BOOK ON HAWAII, originally issued in two parts in June and July 1783. This copy is bound from the parts, and exhibits stab-marks in signatures A-K (part I), and none in L to the end (part II). Ledyard served as a corporal of Marines on board the Resolution . He was one of the oarsmen on the boat Cook took ashore when he met his death on Hawaii. His journal, with all other journals, was retained by the Admiralty on the expeditions' return, but after jumping ship and returning to his family in Hartford, he was persuaded to re-write the journal (largely from memory) which was then published. Later in his career he made some remarkable overland journeys (largely on foot) and eventually accidentally killed himself in Cairo by drinking vitriol. His journal is of special value in that it is a narrative of the only American who accompanied Captain Cook on his last voyage, which included several visits to Alaska. The book is extremely rare, and the map is even rarer: according to American Book Prices Current , no copy has appeared at auction in the last 30 years containing a genuine map. Evans 17998; Howes L-181 ("d"); Lada-Mocarski 36; Mitchell Library Cook 1603; Sabin 39691 ("Very rare"); Smith 5797; Streeter sale VI:3477; Wickersham 6556.
LEDYARD, John (1751-1789). A Journal of Captain Cook's last voyage to the Pacific Ocean and in quest of a North-West Passage between Asia & America . Hartford, Conn.: Nathaniel Patten, 1783.
LEDYARD, John (1751-1789). A Journal of Captain Cook's last voyage to the Pacific Ocean and in quest of a North-West Passage between Asia & America . Hartford, Conn.: Nathaniel Patten, 1783. 8 o (173 x 114 mm). (Lacking map, as usual, browned, some pale spotting and staining.) Contemporary sheep, later morocco lettering piece on spine (a bit rubbed). Provenance : James Adams, Boston (early inscription on front flyleaf). ONE OF THE RAREST ACCOUNTS OF COOK'S VOYAGES AND OF GREAT INTEREST TO THE HISTORY OF THE NORTHWEST COAST AND ITS EXPLORATION IRST EDITION OF THE FIRST AMERICAN BOOK ON THE NORTHWEST COAST, AND THE FIRST AMERICAN BOOK ON HAWAII, originally issued in two parts in June and July 1783. This copy is bound from the parts, and exhibits stab-marks in signatures A-K (part I), and none in L to the end (part II). Ledyard served as a corporal of Marines on board the Resolution . He was one of the oarsmen on the boat Cook took ashore when he met his death on Hawaii. His journal, with all other journals, was retained by the Admiralty on the expeditions' return, but after jumping ship and returning to his family in Hartford, he was persuaded to re-write the journal (largely from memory) which was then published. Later in his career he made some remarkable overland journeys (largely on foot) and eventually accidentally killed himself in Cairo by drinking vitriol. His journal is of special value in that it is a narrative of the only American who accompanied Captain Cook on his last voyage, which included several visits to Alaska. The book is extremely rare, and the map is even rarer: according to American Book Prices Current , no copy has appeared at auction in the last 30 years containing a genuine map. Evans 17998; Howes L-181 ("d"); Lada-Mocarski 36; Mitchell Library Cook 1603; Sabin 39691 ("Very rare"); Smith 5797; Streeter sale VI:3477; Wickersham 6556.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
