Lot 28. ELLIS, William.

‘Clerke in his famous dying letter to Banks commended Ellis [who served as surgeon’s mate on Cook’s Third Voyage] to his notice, but Ellis forfeited Banks’ regard by publishing this account of the voyage in contravention of the instruction to surrender all journals and logs’ (Holmes). The work contains probably the earliest published account of Cook’s death, and preceded the official account by two years. According to Howes this first edition, though dated 1782, was already printed in December 1781. ‘The fine plates are among the earliest published on the Hawaiian Islands, Alaska and the Northwest’ (Hill).

First edition. 2 volumes, 8vo, [x], 358, [ii (list of plates)]; [viii], 348 pp., half-titles, folding map, 21 engraved plates, contemporary calf gilt, red and green morocco labels, small chips to feet of spines, marginal browning to endpapers and adjoining leaves, light offsetting from some plates, generally a fine fresh copy attractively bound.

[Beddie, 1599; BCJC, 1599; Forbes, 41; Hill (2004), 555; Hocken, 20-21; Holmes, 42; Howes, E122; Lada-Mocarski, 35; Sabin, 22333.]

Herman Milford (inscription dated 4/12/90); Wm. Constable FRS & FAS (armorial bookplate).