Pacific Islands

Cook’s Final Voyage – The Journal of Midshipman George Gilbert – Introduced by Christine Holmes.

Published by Brian Clouston, Caliban Books in 1982, a first edition in this form. Also published in Hawaii.

Large octavo, 158 pages, nicely illustrated. A near fine copy.

Yet another source of exceptional information on the third, final and fateful voyage of James Cook. Due to James Cook’s discipline the Midshipman on his voyages kept impeccable journals. With a focus on the Central Pacific and up into the Arctic searching for the North-West Passage from the other side.

The Third Voyage through Gilbert’s Eyes

$40.00

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Rare Pacific Voyage Books from the Collection of David Parsons (Part 2). La Perouse to Wilkes.

The second part of the Parson’s collection offered by Hordern House. Published in 2006 a year after the first part. Quarto hardback, unpaginated, circa 130 pages, magnificently illustrated. Fine example in a fine dust jacket.

English born David Parsons was educated at Corpus Christi, Oxford. He spent his adult life in the USA where he applied his mathematical skills as a top actuary.

Contains all of the key works one would expect, often of super quality or special provenance. Contains, inter alia, English voyages – First Fleet … Bligh & the Bounty; French voyages – La Perouse and the search … Baudin … Freycinet; Russian voyages – Krusenstern … Kotzebue; Spanish voyages – Malaspina; American voyages – Wilkes and special rare works relating to Hawaii (this list does not do it justice). As always with HH an excellent description of content and relevance of each work with a helpful selection of images

Super reference a collection to envy for sure

$60.00

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Cook the Discoverer – George Forster – Fine Edition

Small quarto, number six in the prestigious Maritime series published by Hordern House in 2007. Limited to 1050 copies, 276 pages, bound in quarter tan kangaroo with speckled papered sides. Fine condition as new.

The book includes a facsimile of the original book published in the German language with a new English translation to follow. Copious notes and a good bibliography the whole supported by an excellent introduction by Nigel Erskine, Curator of Explorations at the Australian National Maritime Museum.

It was eight years after the death of Cook that Forster completed his essay on the great man Cook der Entdecker (Discoverer). Partly written as an introduction to Forster’s own translation of Cook’s Third Voyage. Foster had participated in Cook’s second Voyage along with his father who had taken over as naturalist with Joseph Banks dropping out. Forster displays a true understanding of the character of Cook and that alone makes his viewpoint worthy of this sumptuous presentation.

Forster required reading for all Cook followers

$140.00

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The Voyage of Jacob Le Maire and William Schouten 1615-1616: Mirror of Australian Navigation. Originally translated by Alexander Dalrymple

A special production published by Hordern House, Sydney 1999. Folio (30.5 x 20.2cm), quarter bound in quarter alum-tawed goat skin and quality marbled paper. Printed on Raleigh Oxford cream paper .. a fine copy as if new.

One of 950 copies thus, 96 page facsimile of the original Dutch printing followed by 65 page facsimile of the original Dalrymple translation. Illustrated with 5 black and white and 7 colour illustrations and 3 colour maps on double pages. Frontispiece double hemisphere world map as published in Amsterdam in 1618..

The objective of the voyage was further the lucrative trade in nutmeg and pepper by forging a new route to the East Indies via South America and the Pacific, influenced by the account of the voyage of de Quiros, the Portuguese navigator. In doing so it was hoped that the Great South Land would be encountered.

Forward by Justus Veeneklaas and Introductory Essay by Edward Duyker.

Rare Le maire – super production … quality book.

$140.00

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The Gold Trail – Henry Stacpoole – First Edition 1916

From the author of The Blue Lagoon and The Pearl Fishers.

A first U.S. edition published by John Lane, New York in 1916. Octavo, 308 pages plus publishers advertisements. Original clay coloured cloth covered boards with striking design in black and gilt to front. Inner hinges re-enforced, bookplate removed from front past down, some age marks, internally pretty bright and clean. A pretty good copy of a now very scarce book

Irish born Henry Stacpoole (1863-1951) was for some time a ship’s Doctor mostly in the South Pacific. He later became a very successful author. His novels often based in New Guinea or the Pacific Islands reflect his in depth understanding of the environment, people etc.

This novel, titled “The Reef of Stars” in the UK starts in Sydney .. a venture is formed and off to New Guinea … up a river a heroine is found among the local tribes … the unfortunate Maquart goes made over his inability to move a fortune in gold … etc tense stuff in equatorial New Guinea,

Scarce early novel based in unknown New Guinea

$50.00

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Isles of Despair – Ion Idriess – 1949

A very good copy just a little chipped to the dust jacket.

Octavo, 290 pages, end paper maps, illustrated with good line drawings befitting the historical nature of the account. Published by Angus and Robertson, Sydney a second printing 1949.

A fictionalised account of the the true story of Barbara Thompson [Idriess Thomson] shipwrecked on the cutter “America” on the reef at Horn island and only survivor. She swam to Prince of Wales Island and lived with the Kaurareg people for five years before being found by Captain Owen Stanley and a young Thomas Huxley who as a junior officer on board the exploring vessel Rattlesnake.

Barbara saved at last

$70.00

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Cook’s Final Voyage – The Journal of Midshipman George Gilbert – Introduced by Christine Holmes.

Rare Pacific Voyage Books from the Collection of David Parsons (Part 2). La Perouse to Wilkes.

Cook the Discoverer – George Forster – Fine Edition

The Voyage of Jacob Le Maire and William Schouten 1615-1616: Mirror of Australian Navigation. Originally translated by Alexander Dalrymple

The Gold Trail – Henry Stacpoole – First Edition 1916

Isles of Despair – Ion Idriess – 1949

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