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Author: Ledyard, John
Title: A Journal of Captain Cook's Last Voyage to the Pacific Ocean, and in Quest of a North-West Passage, Between Asia and America; Performed in the Years 1776, 1777, 1778, and 1779
Place Published: Hartford, CT
Publisher:Nathaniel Patten
Date Published: 1783
Description: 208 pp. 17.3x11.3 cm (6¾x4½"), period calf, raised spine bands. First Edition.First edition of the first American book on the northwest coast of America, and a key account of James Cook's third voyage. An adventurous American wanderer, Ledyard, while on a visit to England, enlisted as a corporal of marines under Captain Cook, who was about to set sail on his third voyage. Though he surrendered his journal at the end of the voyage, in accordance with instructions, upon his return to Hartford in 1783 (following his desertion from the British navy), he was induced by friends to write a short account of the voyage, which he sold to Patten for 20 guineas. In order to supplement his memory, he obtained a copy of John Rickman's anonymous 1781 printed account, parts of which he copied literally, including the chart. (Howes believes that "Ledyard himself would not have stooped to this practice, which indicates that another hand prepared the book for publication"). This has in the past led to speculation that Ledyard was the author of the Rickman journal, but, as Holmes notes, "this is clearly wrong." Nonetheless, this is a very important book, being "not only the first American book on the Northwest coast but also probably the first American book on Hawaii" - Streeter. Lada-Mocarski calls it "an interesting - and rare - work, whose value is enhanced by the fact that it is a narrative of the only American who accompanied Captain Cook on his last voyage, which included several visits to Alaska," but he does allow that "One must not lose sight of the fact that Ledyard occupied an unimportant position in the expedition." Ledyard's position in history, however, is based upon more than this journal. He was a visionary who was one of the first to dream of opening up the trade of the Pacific Northwest, and also promoted the discovery of the interior parts of Africa. He died at the age of 38 while in Cairo awaiting to embark on an expedition into Africa sponsored by Sir Joseph Banks, of illness caused, according to Streeter, by "violent rage over delays in starting (the) expedition." Evans 17998; Forbes 52; Hill 991; Holmes 45; Howes L181; Lada-Mocarski 36; Sabin 39691; Smith 5797; Streeter 3477; Wickersham 6556. This copy does not contain the frontispiece map, which is quite rare in itself.

Covers rubbed with wear, chipping to spine head; some soiling and staining within, occasional marginal tears to earlier leaves at times intruding into text, a few marginal chips; free endpapers not present; overall very good.