A Voyage Round the World with Captain James Cook in H.M.S. Resolution
Anders Sparrman, Huldine Beamish and Averil Mackenzie-Grieve (Trans.)
Published by Robert Hale: London 1953 - FIRST GENERAL EDITION
"A Voyage Round the World with Captain James Cook in H.M.S. Resolution is an 18th-century narrative of exploration that recounts one of Cook's great Pacific expeditions. Written in the vivid style of a participant observer, the book details the Resolution's long journey across uncharted seas, describing encounters with remote islands, coastlines, and peoples previously unknown to Europeans. It emphasizes the challenges of navigation, the dangers of unknown waters, and the crew's reliance on Cook's skill and discipline. Alongside the geography, there are keen observations of natural history, climate, and the unfamiliar plants and animals found throughout the voyage.
The work also reflects the cultural and human aspects of Cook's expedition. The author records first contacts with Pacific Islanders, their customs, and material culture, often through the lens of 18th-century European curiosity and judgment. At the same time, it conveys the hardships of shipboard life—scurvy, storms, and the daily labor of sailing a vessel across vast oceans. The narrative captures both the spirit of scientific discovery and the imperial ambitions that underpinned Cook's voyages, making it an important contemporary record of Britain's most famous navigator and his circumnavigation of the globe."
Book has been fitted with a protective clear sleeve that has done a great job protecting the dustjacket. Minor fading to book cover corner as shown. Very light foxing to first few pages with the majority of the book clean, crisp and bright. A beautiful copy of a highly desirable book. Please study photos to understand condition. Happy to provide more photos on request.