Memoirs of the Life and Travels of John Ledyard, From His Journals and Correspondence by Sparks, Jared

London: Henry Colburn, 1828. First London Edition. Ledyard, an American, joined the British marine and sailed with Cook on his third expedition, 1776-1780, visiting Kerguelen Islands, Van Dieman's Land, New Zealand, Society Islands, Nootka Sound, Alaska, the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii), and Kamtschatka. His experiences on that voyage are here related in chapters II-V, pp. 48-166. He was one of the landing party present when Cook was killed in Hawaii. Also of great interest are the chapters dealing with Ledyard's 1787-88 journey to Siberia, where he was arrested at Irkutsk by the order of the Russian Empress Catherine and forced to leave the country. Beddie 4525. Howes S-818. Lada-Mocarski 92n. Sabin 88993. Smith 9724. Strathern & Edwards 519 (iii). Wickersham 6566. cfNerhood 115. 8vo. pp. xii, 428. with half-title. 19th century half roan (joints & extremities rubbed, spine faded, short splits in upper & lower front joint). engraved bookplate of Frank B. Pidgeon, Omemee, by Leslie Victor Smith, dated… Read More

London: Henry Colburn, 1828.. xii,428pp. Half title. Original plain paper boards, rebacked at an early date with green cloth, most of the original paper spine laid down, printed paper label. Boards scuffed and stained, spine soiled. Contemporary ownership inscription on front board, armorial bookplate of the Elphinstone family on front pastedown. Minor scattered foxing. A very good copy. Untrimmed and partially unopened. The first British edition of Sparks' life of Ledyard, after the first American edition of the same year. After these first two printings, this popular and compelling biography would see an additional four editions including a German translation over the next five years. John Ledyard was one of the first great American explorers. He accompanied Cook's third expedition as a sailor, and so visited the Pacific, the Northwest Coast, Alaska, and Hawaii, where he was one of the oarsmen in the boat which took Cook ashore for the parley at which he was murdered. After the American… Read More