The Life of John Ledyard, the American Traveller; comprising selections from his Journals and Correspondence

First edition of this biography of John Ledyard, the American who sailed as sergeant of marines in the Resolution on Cook's third voyage: 'one of the great American biographies' (Forbes). Ledyard was the author of one of the scarcer - if less reliable - surreptitious accounts of Cook's voyage (published Hartford, 1783). In every sense, this biography is a necessary companion to the original work and a significant addition to the Cook canon as a substantial portion of the text relates to Cook's third voyage, with important original letters as well as critical comments on Ledyard's narrative found nowhere else.

In his later life Ledyard travelled to Europe, Siberia and Africa, meeting with figures such as Sir Joseph Banks and Thomas Jefferson. Shortly after his death in Egypt in 1789, his cousin, Dr Isaac Ledyard began accumulating material for a biography. His project never materialised and some years later the material was handed to the American historian Jared Sparks, editor of the North American Review and later president of Harvard University. Sparks used his considerable skill to integrate the original manuscript materials into the present compelling narrative, including additional important original letters relating to Ledyard, Cook and other officers of the Resolution. Forbes notes the considerable historical significance of Ledyard's life and commends the work as 'one of the great American biographies' (Hawaiian National Bibliography, 708).