[COOK, Capt. James (1728-1779)] - John HAWKESWORTH (c.1715-1779)

An Account of the Voyages undertaken by the order of His Present Majesty for making discoveries in the Southern Hemisphere, and successively performed by Commodore Byron, Captain Wallis, Captain Carteret, and Captain Cook, in the Dolphin, the Swallow, and the Endeavour; Drawn up from the journals which were kept by the several commanders, and from the papers of Joseph Banks

London: for W. Strahan & T. Cadell, 1773. 3 volumes, 4to. (11 1/4 x 8 5/8 inches). 52 plates, maps and charts (18 folding, 24 double-page).

Contemporary full calf, spines with raised bands forming six compartments, red and black morocco lettering pieces in the second and fourth compartments, other compartments tooled gilt.

Second edition of Hawkesworth's account of all the most important mid-18th century English voyages of exploration to the southern hemisphere: including the official account of Cook's first voyage. A fascinating narrative intended to 'embellish England's prestige as a maritime power' (Hill) and describing events that were to be major factors in the shaping of the subsequent history of the region.

One of the standard works of Pacific voyages, giving an account of English voyages of the 1760s in the first volume, and of Cook's first voyage in the second and third volumes. The first volume includes an account of John Byron's voyage to the Tuamoto Islands and the Gilberts, as well as Capt. Wallis' voyage of discovery to Tahiti and Moorea. Captain Carteret's discovery of Pitcairn Island is also told. The majority of the book, of course, is devoted to an account of Cook's first Pacific voyage. "The first voyage under Captain Cook's command on the Endeavour was primarily of a scientific nature. The expedition was to sail to Tahiti in order to observe the transit of Venus across the disk of the sun, to determine the earth's distance from the sun, and also to carry on the geographical discovery that John Byron had started. Entering the Pacific around Cape Horn, Cook reached Tahiti in 1769 and carried out the necessary astronomical observations...Leaving Tahiti in July, Cook discovered, named, and charted the Society Islands, and then, heading southwest, explored New Zealand...then headed towards Australia and discovered and charted the eastern coast for 2,000 miles, naming the area New South Wales. Both Australia and New Zealand were annexed by Britain as a result of this voyage which began in 1768 and ended in 1771" (Hill).

Beddie 648; cf. Hill (2004) 782; Holmes 5; Sabin 30934.

Item #41891

Price: $7,500.00