Travel & Voyages

A Voyage Round the World in His Majesty’s Frigate Pandora – George Hamilton

The Pandora was sent to recover the Bounty and bring back the Mutineers. The voyage is an extraordinary story told with a light and readable touch by George Hamilton, surgeon onboard. After having recovered some Mutineers the Pandora was wrecked on the Barrier Reef approaching the Torres Straits.

One of a limited edition of 950 copies published by Hordern House in 1998. Octavo, 37 pages plus 164 pages illustrated. Spotted to edges otherwise very good. Bound in quarter cherry calf with marbled paper covered boards, separate black leather title label to spine gilt lines.

A faithful facsimile of the Voyage of the Pandora a rare 1793 publication connected to Bligh’s Mutiny on the Bounty.

HMS Pandora was a sixth rate Porcupine class naval vessel. She was commissioned in May 1779, built by Adams & Barnard, Deptford. Pandora saw action in the war against France in that year and in the American War of Independence. She was then mothballed from 1783. In 1790 having heard of the Bounty Mutiny, the First Lord of the Admiralty, Lord Chatham despatched her, under Captain Edward Edwards, to recover the Bounty and capture the Mutineers. When they arrived at Tahiti, they found that a group of fourteen mutineers had broken away from Fletcher Christian and returned there. Some surrendered themselves, including Peter Heywood, others proved more difficult, but eventually all fourteen were captured and locked in a cell on board … known as Pandora’s Box. The Pandora visited numerous islands looking for the others … but only managed to lose some of their own crew to desertion. They headed west for home, but the ship ran aground on 29^th August 1791 on the outer Great barrier Reef. She soon sank with 35 men lost including 4 of the Bounty Mutineers. The survivors made for a sand cay and two days later sailed in four open boats for Indonesia.

The wreck was found in 1977 jointly by John Heyer and Ben Cropp, after much competition to be the first to the spot. The Queensland Museum excavated the wreck under a team led by Peter Gesner who wrote the forward to this book.

HMS Pandora … the recovery of the Bounty Mutineers and its Shipwreck on the Barrier Reef.

$90.00

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A Voyage Round the World – Mary Ann Parker – The First Account of the Colony to be Published by a Woman

First published in 1795, reissued with a commentary by Gavin Fry of the Australian National Maritime Museum. Sydney Horden House 1991.

Octavo, hand bound in half maroon Scottish calf over marbled boards, 34, xxxi, 150 pages. With 2 illustrations and 3 facsimiles. (Australian Maritime Series No 1). Very good condition.

Mary Ann Parker was the wife of Captain Parker of the Gorgon – she accompanied him out to Australia and back in 1791/2. The voyage also carried Gidley King and his new wife Anna – the only other woman. Approximately a third of the book is taken up by goings on in Port Jackson.

The book is known not only for it being the first female account of such travels to and from Port Jackson but for its full, lively and positive content … nothing dour here.

Limited edition of 750 copies.

$120.00

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The Voyage of the Batavia – Francois Pelsart – First Published in 1647, reissued with a translation from the original Dutch.

Probably our favourite Hordern House published book and possibly the most sought after.

Published, Potts Point, Hordern House for the Australian National Maritime Museum in 1994.

Octavo, xxvi, 162 pages with 4 illustrations plus a folding page of plates reproducing the 15 engravings of the original work.

Beautifully bound, quarter calf over marbled papered boards with contrasting leather title label. Some spotting to page edges otherwise very good. One of 750 copies produced.

The original account “Ongeluckige voyagie, van’t schip Batavia, nae de Oost-Indien” Jan Jansz, Amsterdam 1647. Comprises the edited extracts from the journal of Francois Pelsaert relating to the disastrous voyage in the Dutch merchant ship Batavia. The ship was wrecked off the west coast of Australia. The fifteen illustrations depict the wreck and the terrible scenes following the mutiny of the crew. The account represents the first representations of the Australian coastline.

The English translation is by Willem Siebenhaar which appeared in the “Western Mail” in 1897. An additional commentary by Martin Terry from the Australian National Maritime Museum.

The Batavia – what more could have gone wrong – a quality production of this important book.

$190.00

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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 Beautiful Book

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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An Account of the Discoveries Made in the South Pacific Ocean – Alexander Dalrymple

A quality production, Number 3 in the Australian Maritime Series published by Hordern House, Sydney.

A Limited edition of 950 copies hand bound in midnight blue Scottish calf with marbled papered boards. Designed by Margo Snape.

Octavo, 103 pages plus portrait frontispiece, six folding plates and folding map at rear. All in very good condition.

First published in 1767 one of the rarest accounts. First time reissued faithfully reproduced.

The original account used as a reference on the Endeavour and mentioned by Banks and Cook.

Dalrymple lead Cook to Australia

$120.00

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Back O’ Cairns – Ion Idriess – First Edition 1958

Published by Angus and Robertson a first edition 1956.

Octavo, 310 pages end paper maps, other maps and illustrations from period photographs.Previous ownership name cut from corner of front free end paper otherwise a very good copy.

Ion Idriess at his best beyond and around Cairns in the Queensland Far North with amazing early photographs. Much about the pioneers, the land and the gold.

Idriess in the Far North a First Edition super copy.

$60.00

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A Voyage Round the World in His Majesty’s Frigate Pandora – George Hamilton

A Voyage Round the World – Mary Ann Parker – The First Account of the Colony to be Published by a Woman

The Voyage of the Batavia – Francois Pelsart – First Published in 1647, reissued with a translation from the original Dutch.

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

An Account of the Discoveries Made in the South Pacific Ocean – Alexander Dalrymple

Back O’ Cairns – Ion Idriess – First Edition 1958

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