The Gentleman Magazine Issue 10 | August 2018 | Page 65

Images courtesy of www.peterharrington.co.uk
In 1773 he made the first recorded crossing of the Antarctic
Circle and proved no ‘Terra Australis’ existed. On route to New
Zealand he discovered a host of islands including Easter Island,
Tahiti, Vanuatu and New Caledonia and he also mapped South
Georgia before returning to London in 1775;
• In 1776 he left on his third voyage and in 1778 became the
first European to visit Hawaii and went on to explore the west
coast of North America passing through the Bering Strait
before returning to Hawaii. Back in Hawaii quarrels broke out
between the Europeans and local people which led to Cook’s
death in February 1779.
Cook’s First Voyage
An Account of the Voyages undertaken...for Making
Discoveries in the Southern Hemisphere...compiled by John
Hawkesworth (1773) - £9,750
This is a handsome first edition, 3 volume set, of the official
account of Cook's first voyage, together with accounts of
previous expeditions under Byron, Carteret and Wallis,
compiled by John Hawkesworth.
Hawkesworth was a respected London author and was
commissioned by the Admiralty to edit the journals of the sea
captains. Although this book was a huge success and became
a best-seller, it was less successful for Hawkesworth who was
attacked by the captains for tampering with the texts of their
journals, by prudish readers for reprinting descriptions of the
sexual freedoms of the South Sea islanders, and by devout
churchmen for the immoral introduction. Hawkesworth was
devastated by the criticism, and it was thought to be the main
cause of his death.
Cook’s Second Voyage
A Voyage Towards the South Pole, and Round the World,
James Cook (1777) - £5,000
A first edition of Cook’s second and historically most
important voyage, and the only one to be included in Printing
and the Mind of Man as one of the printed books that made the
greatest impact on humanity. In his circumnavigation of the
globe in this voyage, Cook conclusively disproved the existence
of a great southern continent, or ‘Terra Australis’, which was
believed by some to connect Australia with a larger southern
landmass. This account was written by Cook himself and it is
noted for its very high-quality illustrations.
Cook’s Third Voyage
A Journal of Captain Cook's Last Voyage to the Pacific Ocean
(1783) - £18,750
A remarkably well-preserved first edition of this rare book
which is the first American account of Cook's third voyage,
which preceded publication of the official (London) account by
more than a year. This was the first American book about the
Northwest coast of America and probably the first American
book on Hawaii and was written by the Connecticut-born John
Ledyard who served under Cook.
The books are on display at Peter Harrington in Fulham Road,
Chelsea.
The Gentleman Magazine | 65