Description

First Edition of Cook’s Second Voyage: This highly desirable copy of the official account of Cook’s great second voyage includes the rare separate atlas, preserving the engraved plates in their folio format. The engravings, mostly by William Hodges, are in fine, crisp condition and do not need to be folded as they would in the text volumes.

Cook’s Publication: The second voyage account was the only publication Cook prepared himself. Disappointed with Hawkesworth’s rendering of his first voyage, Cook ensured the second voyage was his narrative, written during the voyage. The resulting two quarto volumes, illustrated with dramatic engravings, were never seen by Cook himself, as he had embarked on his fatal last voyage before their publication.

Voyage Highlights: This voyage was historically the most important of Cook’s three voyages. The Antarctic Circle was crossed for the first time, and Cook visited New Zealand, New Caledonia, Palmerston and Norfolk Islands, Easter Island, the Marquesas, New Hebrides, Tonga, the South Sandwich Islands, and South Georgia.

Furneaux’s Narrative: Between February and May 1773, the two ships separated. Furneaux, commander of the Adventure, provided Cook with the narrative of his experiences, including their visit to Adventure Bay in Van Diemen’s Land and exploration of the east coast. Furneaux concluded that there was no strait between New Holland and Van Diemen’s Land, but a very deep bay.