Pacific Islands

Pacific Odyssey [Three Years in the Pacific - Easter Island, Samoa, Tuvalu etc] – Gwenda Cornell – 1985

Published by Adlard Coles, London in 1985 a first edition soft cover. 218 pages, double page map and black and white illustrations.

A super Pacific voyage taking in Easter Islands, Samoa, the birth of Tuvalu and the nose flute playing in Tonga. Three years in all were spent in the Pacific in what would be a six year round the world adventure.

A sailing adventure to die for and a well written narrative.

$25.00

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Original 19thC Watercolour – Australian Squadron, HMS Opal off the New Hebrides [Vanuatu] 1886 – D. F. Gillett

D.F. Gillett was an active British naïve marine artist in the late 19th early 20th Century. This painting is of an event in 1888, and we take that to be the year of the painting.

A nice size, 38cm by 22cm in frame 65cm by 88cm. the wooden frame of unusual and pleasing design. The painting in very good condition, strong colours no fading or foxing.

HMS Opal was an Emerald Class Corvette. Despite having steam power, she was fully rigged Barque. Built in Sunderland, England in 1875 she made her way to the Australian fleet and served between 1885-1890, mainly in the Pacific.

Price $890.00 framed as in image

A rare subject, HMS Opal in the Pacific off the New Hebrides [Vanuatu].

$890.00

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Return to Tahiti – Bligh’s Second Breadfruit Voyage – Douglas Oliver – 1988

First edition published by Melbourne University [Miegunyah Press] in 1988. A super fine copy.

The first voyage written about a thousand times and in film of various qualities. The second successful voyage less well covered. This excellent book by Douglas Oliver covers it well.

Small quarto, 281 pages, illustrated to a high standard as you would expect from the Miegunyah Press, Melbourne.

After scholarly introductions we the Preparations for the Voyage and the outward journey first to Tasmania … then on to Tahiti and goings on at Matavai Bay. The return voyage with the true “Bounty”.

Bligh and the Breadfruit – finally

$45.00

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The Life of John Ledyard the American Traveller; comprising Selections from His Journals and Correspondence. – Jared Sparks – First edition 1828

First edition of this scarce work published by Henry Colburn, London in 1828.

Octavo, 428 pages, bound in green cloth binding with gilt titles and library call no to spine. New ends but front free endpaper retained – manuscript ownership note George Stokes, Hean Castle – August 31, 1842. Despite the binding the interior is as clean and crisp, the odd spot but really very good if not better.

America’s first true explorer who was with James Cook on his third fateful voyage to the Pacific, Northwest Coast of America, Alaska and Hawaii. Ledyard subsequently attempted to reach America by traversing Russia. He died whilst exploring the Nile.

Ledyard did not publish during is foreshortened life. After his death, his journals and papers and other materials were collected by his relative Dr Isaac Ledyard. That was a far as he got, and it was down to Jared Sparks to edit and arrange the narrative for publication. Little is changed in the journals etc the words are those of the traveller explorer.

Over fifty pages are devoted to Cook’s voyage. Of particular interest is that Ledyard was in the landing party with Cook at Kearakekua [Kealakekua] Bay, Hawaii “and was near his person’ when Cook was slain. His narrative of the events and his views on Cook’s approach to the encounter with the natives are unique. Many other interesting elements … such as organising a party to climb Hawaii’s highest mountain (near 14,000 feet) Mouna Roa … give a clue to the explorer he became.

His travels in Siberia were extensive, completing some lengthy stretches by canoe … eventually politics and confusion came into play, and he was arrested by order of the Empress Catherine the Great. He survived … but not the Nile … the plans for which he part formulated with Joseph Banks in London. He died in Cairo after having taken too much vitriolic (sulphuric) acid seemingly to deal with heartburn!

Ledyard’s Travels Important Cook Content and More

$390.00

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The Wild White Man of Badu – Ion Idriess

Second printing of the first edition published by Angus and Robertson, Sydney in 1951.

Tall octavo, 232 pages, well illustrated with images from photographs, maps of the islands, end paper maps etc. A very good copy in an even better dust jacket.

The incredible true story of a convict escaping from Norfolk Island and becoming the Chief of Badu. See map on rear end papers for some clues.

Strange and exciting Farthest North.

$60.00

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Robert Louis Stevenson – Memories – 1926

A very unusually presented biographical work on Robert Louis Stevenson published by Peter Davies, London in 1926. Not a first printing but extremely scarce regardless.

Tall slim octavo, card covers with affixed wrap around picturesque cover with yap edges. Internally twenty five pages of tipped in images from original photographs with narrative opposite. A mixture of the people, mainly family, in his life … his life in Scotland and in Samoa [which probably saved him from ill-health] and his magnificent schooner “Casco”.

Some age to yap cover, internally pretty good, gift inscription on front ends.

An unusual piece of R.S.L. ephemera, near a hundred year old and of an emotional quality

Robert Louis Stevenson – His Life nicely presented

$35.00

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Pacific Odyssey [Three Years in the Pacific - Easter Island, Samoa, Tuvalu etc] – Gwenda Cornell – 1985

Original 19thC Watercolour – Australian Squadron, HMS Opal off the New Hebrides [Vanuatu] 1886 – D. F. Gillett

Return to Tahiti – Bligh’s Second Breadfruit Voyage – Douglas Oliver – 1988

The Life of John Ledyard the American Traveller; comprising Selections from His Journals and Correspondence. – Jared Sparks – First edition 1828

The Wild White Man of Badu – Ion Idriess

Robert Louis Stevenson – Memories – 1926

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