Pacific Islands

A Solomons Sojourn: J.E. Philp’s Log of the Makira 1912-1913

A limited edition of 500 available copies published in 1978 by the Tasmanian Historical Research Association and one of their best efforts.

Octavo, 208 pages nicely illustrated from period photographs and with useful maps of the region. A very good copy.

John Ernest Philp was a Tasmanian shipping clerk. Likely seeking greater adventure he served for two year on the Makira as engineer, mate and then captain of the vessel in and around the Solomons. His log reproduced here is an important contribution to the somewhat scant detail available regrading activities during the pre WWI colonial era. His crew drawn from native stock were special to him and his warmth comes through in his writing. Tragedies such as murder and cannibalism arise and are recorded with precision.

Nicely edited by Richard Herr and Anne Rood and a helping hand by Dan Sprod, of course, to get it through the Press

Detailed account of a trading ketch in the Solomons when it was pretty lively.

$40.00

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A Narrative of a Voyage to New Holland and Van Diemen’s Land by Amaso Delano

Published by the Cat & Fiddle Press, Hobart, Tasmania in 1973. One of 500 copies and a fine example of a special work.

Octavo, with dust jacket, unpaginated but complete.

A facsimile extract from a Narrative of Voyages and Travels in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres Comprising Three Voyages Round the World Together with a Voyage of Survey and Discovery in the Pacific Ocean and Oriental Lands.

Set out in two parts.

Part One: Remarks upon a voyage to the South Sea by way of the Cape of Good Hope – King Island – Straits between New Holland and Van Diemen’s Land – Settlements on New Holland and van Diemen’s Land … and,

Part Two: Transactions at New Holland, Van Diemen’s Land, and Bass’s Strait – Letter to Philip Gedney (sic) King, Governor General of New South Wales – remarkable Accident of the Pilgrim’s boat being sunk – Departure from Bass’s Strait – Description of the Snares – Bounty Islands – Passage across the south Pacific Ocean – Rendezvous with the ship Perseverance.

Amas Delano – a rare account brought to life by the Cat & Fiddle.

$50.00

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The Kon-Tiki Expedition – Thor Heyerdahl (With Original Photograph of the Raft)

Well certainly not a rare book, probably the biggest selling modern maritime adventure book. But a very good copy.

A 1959 edition by which time it had already run to 23 impressions. Octavo, 235 pages with eighty odd photographic images.

Thor Heyerdahl set off on the most amazing raft voyage with five companions determined to prove his migration theories. This account, praised by Somerset Maugham as “an incredible adventure which happens to be true. It would be a very dull reader who did not admire and envy the courage of the six men who took part in it”. Very good copy.

We also have what appears to be an original photograph of the raft on its way … the camera work is rather shaky so clearly taken from another vessel.

Leaving Callao in Peru for Tahiti, they almost made it running aground on the Raroia Reef were the raft was smashed to smithereens.

Kon-Tiki nice copy with photograph.

$30.00

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A Voyage Around the World (1785-1788) – Captain George Dixon

One of the harder to find facsimile published Israel, Amsterdam; this one in 1968.

Full original title … “A Voyage Round the World; but more particularly to the North-West Coast of America; performed in 1785, 1786, 1787, and 1788, in The King George and Queen Charlotte, Captains Portlock and Dixon. Dedicated, by permission, to Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. By Captain George Dixon.

Originally published by Geo. Goulding, Haydn’s Head, No ^, James Street, Covent Garden, 1789.

This form thick quarto, xxix (Introduction and Content, 360 pages, plus additional appendices 47 pages. Enormous folding chart of the Pacific as frontispiece. A further 21 plates of charts, maps and natural history exhibits, many folding. Very good condition. Heavy (1.3kgs), will require an overseas postage supplement.

Dixon has served under Cook on the Third Voyage on the Resolution. During that voyage he became aware of the commercial opportunities on the American North-West Coast. Dixon promoted a venture to exploit the fur trade in that region. He became partner in the King George’s Sound Company and an expedition was mounted with Dixon Captain of the Queen Charlotte and Portlock Captain of the larger King George. In the summers of 1786 and 1787 they explored the coastline of British Colombia and Alaska, spending the winter in Hawaiian Islands … they were the first to visit Moloka. Back in the North-West a good cargo of furs was collected, and the party sailed to China where they were traded … returning to England. During their exploits they were the first to understand that Haida Gwaii were islands and not part of the mainland; they explored Queen Charlotte Sound, Yakutat Bay, Sita Bay and the Dixon Entrance … they named the are where they took many fur cloaks .. Cloak Bay.

Dixon one of the less promoted Cook prodigies … with a commercial venture that went around the world and filled in the North-West Pacific.

$90.00

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Decorative Maps – Robert Bacon

A visual delight Robert Bacon’s book on some of the rarest and most beautiful maps ever created, starting with the Hereford Mappa Mundi.

Folio size, softcover, perfect bound, published by Bracken Books, London in 1989. Jonathan Potter had a hand in it … well he would.

Forty alternating plates and page narrative after a fine introduction by the compiler.

Including the aforesaid map … Ptolemy Map of the World; Rotz – the Portlan Chart of South-East Asia; Saxton – Dorecestriae; Ortleious – the beautiful Pacific Map; Boazio – Isle of Wight … and the rest … they are all really super.

Great selection very good images…

$25.00

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Mercator’s World – Anson’s Voyage

Volume 3 No 6 of Mercator’s World published in 1998.

Our favourite features is “Victory at Sea – How George Anson Became Leader of the British Navy”. Having said that, we do not like the title as he became the “Father” of the Royal Navy for many reasons, albeit including the incredible circumnavigation and stealing of the Spanish gold, the story of this feature.

An eight page article nicely illustrated, mostly from images and maps out of the official account. The charming engraving “England’s glory. Wagons heading into the Tower of London with the Spanish treasure” is a very rare engraving the originator unknown.

Provides fresh insight into the voyage particularly as you would expect concerning the charts and the route taken and the mistakes made and bad luck encountered. It is a lesson in the difficulties had before the problem of the longitude was solved by Harrison’s chronometer.

Other articles include quite a bit on underwater surveying … Davy Jones Locker etc and Portlan reflection a good one on early sea charts.

Mercator’s ideas and views on the Anson Voyage.

$25.00

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A Solomons Sojourn: J.E. Philp’s Log of the Makira 1912-1913

A Narrative of a Voyage to New Holland and Van Diemen’s Land by Amaso Delano

The Kon-Tiki Expedition – Thor Heyerdahl (With Original Photograph of the Raft)

A Voyage Around the World (1785-1788) – Captain George Dixon

Decorative Maps – Robert Bacon

Mercator’s World – Anson’s Voyage

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