The finest personal account of Cook's first voyage
The finest personal account of Cook's first voyage
The finest personal account of Cook's first voyage
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PROPERTY OF DANA M. BALDWIN
The finest personal account of Cook's first voyage

Sydney Parkinson, 1773

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The finest personal account of Cook's first voyage
Sydney Parkinson, 1773
PARKINSON, Sydney (1745-1771). A Journal of a Voyage to the South Seas, in his Majesty's Ship, The Endeavour. Edited by Stanfield Parkinson. London: Stanfield Parkinson, 1773.

The first edition of a controversial publication by the young artist-naturalist who sailed on James Cook's first voyage. Parkinson died at Batavia on the homeward journey, and his brother Stanfield battled against Sir Joseph Banks and Sir John Hawkesworth to publish this journal and a selection of Sydney's outstanding drawings—a dispute recounted in the preface. As completed by his brother, Parkinson's journal remains the finest personal account of Cook's first voyage and gives a more intimate portrait of the newly discovered islands, people, and languages than either Hawkesworth's account or Banks's own journal. This work contains the first publication of the word “kangaroo” (here spelled “kangooroo”), and valuable vocabularies of the languages of the South Seas. Hill 1308; Mitchell Library Cook 712; Sabin 58787.

Quarto (334 x 269mm). Engraved frontispiece portrait, 27 engraved plates (some light offsetting from plates). Contemporary marbled boards (rebacked with new calf corners, retaining original morocco). Provenance: Nicholas Nicolas (signature on front pastedown, dated 1773).

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