A Voyage round the World By Way of the Great South Sea, Perform’d in the Years 1719, 20, 21, 22, in the Speedwell of London, of 24 Guns and 100 Men, (under His Majesty’s Commission to cruize on the Spaniards in the late War with the Spanish Crown) till she was cast away on the Island of Juan Fernandes, in May 1720; and afterwards continu’d in the Recovery, the Jesus Maria and Sacra Familia.... London: Printed for J. Senex, 1726. [8], xxxii, [4], 468 pp. Folding engraved frontispiece map, four engraved plates (two folding), engraved title vignette, decorative woodcut head- and tail-pieces and initials. 8vo (197 x 125 mm). Contemporary paneled calf. Lower margin of L7r lightly soiled, a few light rust spots, pencil note to last leaf ("AR Smith May 20 1879 VII"), else exceptionally clean with strong plate impressions, rebacked with corners renewed, overall a fine copy. First edition of "the fullest account of California, the natives and other features, of any of the old voyages" (Cowan). "Captains Shelvocke and Clipperton led a privately financed expedition for attacking Spanish shipping. Shelvocke gave his superior officer the slip in a storm and proceeded to Brazil and thence to the west coast of South America, where in two months he sacked Payta, Peru, and captured several small prizes. His vessel was wrecked at Juan Fernández Island, but a ship was built out of the wreck[a]ge and he sailed up the coast to Baja California. After crossing the Pacific via Guam and Macao, Shelvocke returned to England and was acquitted of piracy charges. He soon left for the Continent a wealthy man. Shelvocke mentioned the gold of California and the guano of Peru, one hundred and thirty years before their modern discovery. An incident in the narrative, describing the passage around Cape Horn, is said to have inspired Coleridge’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner. There are two histories published of this voyage this one and another by Betagh, an officer on the voyage. Betagh was roughly treated in Shelvocke’s account and Betagh wrote his own with exposing Shelvocke in mind. The account by Shelvocke was intended by him to be a vindication of his conduct, having been accused of piracy and embezzlement" (Hill pp. 272-273). Cowan II, pp. 581-582; Howes S383; Sabin 90158. See illustration.
A Voyage round the World By Way of the Great South Sea, Perform’d in the Years 1719, 20, 21, 22, in the Speedwell of London, of 24 Guns and 100 Men, (under His Majesty’s Commission to cruize on the Spaniards in the late War with the Spanish Crown) till she was cast away on the Island of Juan Fernandes, in May 1720; and afterwards continu’d in the Recovery, the Jesus Maria and Sacra Familia.... London: Printed for J. Senex, 1726. [8], xxxii, [4], 468 pp. Folding engraved frontispiece map, four engraved plates (two folding), engraved title vignette, decorative woodcut head- and tail-pieces and initials. 8vo (197 x 125 mm). Contemporary paneled calf. Lower margin of L7r lightly soiled, a few light rust spots, pencil note to last leaf ("AR Smith May 20 1879 VII"), else exceptionally clean with strong plate impressions, rebacked with corners renewed, overall a fine copy. First edition of "the fullest account of California, the natives and other features, of any of the old voyages" (Cowan). "Captains Shelvocke and Clipperton led a privately financed expedition for attacking Spanish shipping. Shelvocke gave his superior officer the slip in a storm and proceeded to Brazil and thence to the west coast of South America, where in two months he sacked Payta, Peru, and captured several small prizes. His vessel was wrecked at Juan Fernández Island, but a ship was built out of the wreck[a]ge and he sailed up the coast to Baja California. After crossing the Pacific via Guam and Macao, Shelvocke returned to England and was acquitted of piracy charges. He soon left for the Continent a wealthy man. Shelvocke mentioned the gold of California and the guano of Peru, one hundred and thirty years before their modern discovery. An incident in the narrative, describing the passage around Cape Horn, is said to have inspired Coleridge’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner. There are two histories published of this voyage this one and another by Betagh, an officer on the voyage. Betagh was roughly treated in Shelvocke’s account and Betagh wrote his own with exposing Shelvocke in mind. The account by Shelvocke was intended by him to be a vindication of his conduct, having been accused of piracy and embezzlement" (Hill pp. 272-273). Cowan II, pp. 581-582; Howes S383; Sabin 90158. See illustration.
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