Travel & Voyages

Two Against Cape Horn – Hal Roth

Published by Stanford Maritime, London a first English edition 1979. Octavo, 288 pages well illustrated with photographs and great charts supporting the exciting narrative. Very good near fine condition.

A quite remarkable book by the adventurous Hal Roth. With his wife Margaret they he had already completed a Pacific voyage that won them the Blue water medal of the Cruising Club of America.

Having purchased the “Whisper” they decided to Round the Horn but not before a most interesting sailing experience through the vast archipelago of islands to the north of the Cape.

The book is enhanced by references to great historic voyages through these channels. Including HMS Darwin on Beagle and before that Lord Anson and his fleet and the loss of the Wager.

Unfortunately, within striking distance of the Cape the Whisper is forced aground and damaged. Surprisingly, help is nearby, they are found and the boat repaired and they finally succeed with their objective.

A special book about the Horn and much more plus historical perspective

$30.00

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Plan of Port Hunter (with View of Engagement with Native Canoes) – William Bradley – 1794

A scarce item in fine condition. Plan of Port Hunter surveyed by Lt W Bradley engraved by J Walker. Published (London) by A Dalrymple September 5th 1794.

With inset map showing part of Duke of York Islands and part of a the coast of New Britain. With an ancillary view of Port Hunter showing the ship firing on native canoes, and natives with spears on the beach. This view being a bellicose version of a watercolour painting by midshipman George Raper.

Printed on heavy paper, strong plate mark, image 22cm by 16.5cm with wide borders. Very good near fine condition.

William Bradley was 1st Lieutenant of HMS Sirius which foundered off Norfolk Island, Captain Hunter in Command. The ships crew were carried back to England in the hired Dutch transport ship Waaksamhey’d. On that voyage they anchored at to be named Port Hunter and were attacked by natives in canoes as depicted.

An interesting Plan showing depth soundings and anchorages. Pt Maule; Pt Mitchell; Ball’s Point and Bradley’s Island are identified. North is orientated to the foot. A “watering place” is identified and the intensity of the palm trees along the shore is clear. The myriad of inner coral fringes is suggested along with comments re bottom condition … rocky, mud and loose coral and sand and mud.

Published as part of the East India Pilot by A. Dalrymple (1762-1801) where it was plate 491. This version sold separately, priced sixpence under the Hydrographical Office Seal in the top left. As such could be a very scarce example.

Price $160.00 unframed. ask if you wish framing option …

Unusual and scarce chart with image of engagement with native canoes . Bradley, First Fleet Lieutenant and published by Dalrymple.

$160.00

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Trans-Himalaya: Discoveries and Adventures in Tibet – Two Vols – Sven Hedin – First Editions -1909

Published by MacMillan and Co, London first editions 1909. A third volume was added a few years later ….

Thick octavo volumes 436 pages and 441 pages with 388 illustrations from photographs and sketches by the author some in colour. Seven maps at end of Vol I and 3 colour fold out maps at end of Vol II. Top edge richly gilt. Original burgundy cloth covered boards with gilt decoration to front cover still bright. A little rubbed and a couple of areas of fading on the spine of Vol I and front board of Vol II. Other than that a very smart set very clean barely a mark inside and the maps free of damage.

Swedish explorer Sven Hedin (1865-1952), despite efforts to stop him, made his way “undercover” into Tibet and explored the southern and western regions. He claimed the discovery of major mountain systems and the sources of major rivers (Brahmaputra, Indus and Subtle) flowing east. He explored extensively around Lake Manasarovar and Mount Kailash and spent time in Shigatse where he interacted with Panchen Lama. A special Asian collectable.

Classic Travel account Sven Hedin in Tibet

$490.00

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The Big Game of Central and Western China – Harold Frank Wallace FRGS, RZS – First Edition 1913

Being an Account of a Journey from Shanghai to London Overland Across the Gobi Desert by Harold Frank Wallace.

A first edition published by John Murray, London in 1913. Royal octavo, 318 pages after preliminaries and including appendices and index.

Bound in original yellow cloth covered boards with decoration and facsimile signature of author to front. Top edge gilt. Some rubbing externally and a hint of glue in the front hinge. A very good copy with barely a mark internally. A sought after travel and hunting account written in a very readable style. Well illustrated with a frontispiece and 22 illustrations from drawings by the author (very talented) and thirty-eight illustrations from photographs.

In 1911 the author accompanied the experienced George Fenwick-Owen into the interior of China. Their primary objective was to secure a specimen of the Takin of which then little was known in the west, along with a collection of smaller animals for the British Museum. Their journey lasted precisely one year. The course of their journey had to be varied because of the outbreak of the Revolution. The book on the whole is well balanced towards a special travel account with excellent observations on the topography, the people, customs, manners, law etc the latter could not be more demonstrated by the sad image of the man caged for opium crimes.

Chapters include … the Call of the Red Gods; Shanghai; the Father of rivers [Yangste]; Hwa-Shan the Flower Mountain; Sian -Fu the Magnificent; Notes on caves and the Home of the Takin; Fensiang-Fu an inland town; Modern Rehoboam and His Capital; the Western Kanus; Rumours of war; On the Fringe of the Desert and Across the Desert. Animals sought include the aforementioned Takin … White-maned Serow; Roe deer; Wapiti; Przewalski’s Gazelle; Mongolian Gazelle etc.

The appendices make interesting reading with Field Measurements; Estimates of Expenses and Tables of Distances and Stages.

Central and Western China in 1911

$240.00

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Britannia: Rowing alone across the Atlantic. – John Fairfax – First Edition 1971

The record of an adventure. First edition published by Kimber, London in 1971. Octavo, 221 pages well illustrated with designs of the boat, endpaper maps. Very good condition albeit the dust jacket has some ageing and clear tape over closed tears. A valuable book in a number of quarters.

John Fairfax was broke when he decided he wanted to row across the Atlantic. Despite this he managed to get his rowing boat built to specification. He practiced on the Serpentine in Hyde Park. It took him 180 days to get from the Canary Islands to Miami a remarkable achievement.

He received congratulation from many including, in a lengthy “salute” from Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin of Apollo 11.

Rowing Across the Atlantic – well give it a go!

$40.00

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Atlantic Cruise in Wanderer III – Eric Hiscock – 1968

Published by Oxford University Press 1968, Octavo, 159 pages with 80 colour photographs and 7 charts by the author and his voyaging wife.

A first edition 1968 of Eric Hiscock’s Fourth book of sailing adventures … this time in the North Atlantic after having completed two circumnavigations.

The new Wanderer (no III) a 30-foot yacht taking in Western France, Spain, Portugal across to the Windward Islands and the Bahamas. Then up north to Bar Harbour, Maine and reversing back hugging the New England Coast and all the way down to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Hiscock North Atlantic two year cruise

$25.00

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Two Against Cape Horn – Hal Roth

Plan of Port Hunter (with View of Engagement with Native Canoes) – William Bradley – 1794

Trans-Himalaya: Discoveries and Adventures in Tibet – Two Vols – Sven Hedin – First Editions -1909

The Big Game of Central and Western China – Harold Frank Wallace FRGS, RZS – First Edition 1913

Britannia: Rowing alone across the Atlantic. – John Fairfax – First Edition 1971

Atlantic Cruise in Wanderer III – Eric Hiscock – 1968

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