[2], 560 + [10] ad pp. Illus. with 10 copper-engraved or aquatint plates & plans, 6 of them folding. 9x5¾, original blindstamped cloth, spine lettered in gilt. First Edition.
Hill p.252; Sabin 70434 - Reynolds in 1827 began lobbying the U.S. government to sanction and finance exploration of the South Seas and the polar regions, an effort which was to result in the Wilkes expedition. Meanwhile, he made several ocean voyages on his own, and in 1832 was in Valparaiso. Upon visiting the U.S. man-of-war Potomac, which was in port, he was invited to join the crew as private secretary of Commodore Downes. Hill states that "in view of an uneasy situation created by an attack of the ship on the Malays of Sumatra, Reynolds was directed to prepare an official report delineating all the facts and circumstances. Chapters 1-17 are transcribed by Reynolds from the journal of his predecessor, N.K.G. Oliver; chapters 18-23 are gathered from the reports of various crew members; chapters 24-30 are Reynold's own observations, after departing from Valparaiso. During her course of duty, the Potomac visited Rio de Janeiro, Cape Town, Quallah-Battoo (Sumatra; this subject receives over seven chapters' attention), Batavia, Macao, Canton, Hawaii, Tahiti, Callao and Lima, the Galapagos Islands, and the Falkland Islands."
Condition:
Spine & portions of covers faded, joints splitting at top; light to moderate foxing to contents, folding frontis. with wear to fore-margin, folding plan of Lima with short stub tear; else very good, a better copy than generally seen.