208 pp. 6¾x4½, rebacked with modern calf, spine ruled in gilt, raised bands, morocco lettering piece. First Edition.
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 (lacking in this copy, supplied in facsimile). (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 his 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 was the Prentice Bloedel copy, purchased at PBA Galleries on November 14, 1996.
Condition:
Covers restored when rebacked, with evidence of earlier wear, old ink names on recto and verso of title-page have been heavily inked over, and bleeding through, marring the title; some soiling and mostly marginal staining, marginal chip to dedication page, a few pages with tiny holes in them, ink name to front endpaper, with an erasure causing a small hole, otherwise in very good condition, a rare work seldom seen better.