The official account, 1777

COOK, James (1728-1779). A Voyage towards the South Pole, and Round the World, performed in His Majesty's Ships the Resolution and Adventure, in the Years 1772, 1773, 1774, and 1775. London: W. Strahan and T. Cadell, 1777.

The first edition of the official account of Cook’s second voyage, with plates in atlas folio volume. After the success of the first voyage, the Admiralty sent Cook on a second expedition: to investigate the globe as far south as possible. “Cook earned his place in history by opening up the Pacific to western civilization and by the foundation of British Australia” (PMM). On this voyage, he also made the first crossing of the Antarctic Circle, dispelling the myth of Terra australis and hinting at another continent beyond the ice fields. This is the only publication on his voyages which Cook prepared himself, having been “greatly dissatisfied with Hawkesworth’s treatment of the first voyage” (Parsons). The illustrations are after the work of expedition artist William Hodges. Hill 358; Parsons 104 (this copy); PMM 223; Sabin 16245.

Three volumes, two quarto (288 x 229mm) and one folio (472 x 286mm). Engraved portrait frontispiece in quarto vol. 1; 63 plates, charts and maps in folio vol., all mounted on stubs (a few plates closely cropped; plate LIX shaved on right edge with loss of about 1mm). 19th-century mottled calf, flat spines with gilt stamping. Provenance: John Kennion (d. 1792, a plantation and slave owner in Jamaica; armorial bookplate) – R. David Parsons (book label).

Please note: The property is bound in late 20th century mottled calf gilt in antique style, not in 19th century mottled calf as originally described.