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MORTIMER, George. Observations and Remarks made During a Voyage to the Islands of Teneriffe, Amsterdam, Maria's Island near Van Diemen's Land; Otaheite, Sandwich Islands, Owhyhee, the Fox Islands on the North West Coast of America, Tinian, and from thence to Canton, in the Brig Mercury, Commanded by John Henry Cox. London: Printed for the Author, and sold by T. Cadell, J. Robson and J. Sewell, 1791.
4o (306 x 231 mm). List of Subscribers. Three engraved plates (some slight offsetting onto text). Contemporary half calf, marbled boards, green morocco lettering piece (some light wear). Provenance: Garrison Library, Gibraltar, founded 1793 (presentation inscription from the author; bookplate with designation "The Earl of Chatham, K.G., Governor and Patron." John Pitt, 1756-1835, the 2nd Earl of Chatham, served as Governor of Gibraltar from 1820-1835).
FIRST EDITION. PRESENTATION COPY, INSCRIBED BY MORTIMER on the title: "From the Author to the Garrison Library." Captain Cox's voyage aboard the Mercury was a Swedish-sanctioned privateering attack on the Russian fur-trading settlements on the Northwest coast of America. Mortimer's narrative disguises the voyage as an English voyage of exploration aboard the Mercury, which in fact doubled as the Swedish privateer Gustaf III. The voyage visited Alaska and the Northwest coast, Hawaii, Tahiti, Tasmania and the Australian mainland. Cox failed in his mission, being unable to attack the Russians in their settlements.
Of great interest is the fact that the members of the Mercury were the first Europeans to hear anything of the mutiny on the Bounty. They learned in Tahiti that "Titreano" had returned in the Bounty two months after she had sailed without Bligh. There are also many references to Cook, whose path the voyage followed from Tahiti, and on Tahiti they are shown Webber's ship-board portrait of Cook, now lost, with Bligh's notes on the reverse recording the sailing of the Bounty with 1015 bread-fruit plants in April 1789. The visit to Hawaii in 1789 was one of the earliest visits to the islands.
RARE: according to American Book Prices Current, the last copy sold at auction was sold at Christie's London, 26 October 1988, lot 31. Beddie 252; Ferguson 110; Forbes 213; Hill 1192; Lada-Mocarski 48; Sabin 50985. A FINE COPY OF THIS VERY SCARCE BOOK.
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FIRST EDITION. PRESENTATION COPY, INSCRIBED BY MORTIMER on the title: "From the Author to the Garrison Library." Captain Cox's voyage aboard the Mercury was a Swedish-sanctioned privateering attack on the Russian fur-trading settlements on the Northwest coast of America. Mortimer's narrative disguises the voyage as an English voyage of exploration aboard the Mercury, which in fact doubled as the Swedish privateer Gustaf III. The voyage visited Alaska and the Northwest coast, Hawaii, Tahiti, Tasmania and the Australian mainland. Cox failed in his mission, being unable to attack the Russians in their settlements.
Of great interest is the fact that the members of the Mercury were the first Europeans to hear anything of the mutiny on the Bounty. They learned in Tahiti that "Titreano" had returned in the Bounty two months after she had sailed without Bligh. There are also many references to Cook, whose path the voyage followed from Tahiti, and on Tahiti they are shown Webber's ship-board portrait of Cook, now lost, with Bligh's notes on the reverse recording the sailing of the Bounty with 1015 bread-fruit plants in April 1789. The visit to Hawaii in 1789 was one of the earliest visits to the islands.
RARE: according to American Book Prices Current, the last copy sold at auction was sold at Christie's London, 26 October 1988, lot 31. Beddie 252; Ferguson 110; Forbes 213; Hill 1192; Lada-Mocarski 48; Sabin 50985. A FINE COPY OF THIS VERY SCARCE BOOK.