Pacific Islands

Sea of Dangers – Captain Cook and His Rivals- Geoffrey Blainey

A modern book by our choices but a special one by academic author Geoffrey Blainey.

Published by Viking, Melbourne in 2008 a first edition. Large octavo, 420 pages, nicely illustrated and in fine near new condition. A substantial book.

Blainey interestingly writes a co-mingled account of the first voyage of James Cook where he discovers the eastern coastline of Australia when at the same time Frenchman Jean de Surville was in the Pacific looking for a supposed Pacific based Jewish colony.

It is suggested that de Surville was in and around Sydney in the months before Cook arrived.

Nice work – Cook not alone the French were around!

$22.00

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An Introduction to Social Anthropology – Ralph Piddington – Two Volumes

Two volumes published by Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh 1957. Octavo, 442 pages and 443 to 819 pages both after preliminaries and including a useful index. No dust jacket but very good condition. Illustrated mainly with tables and diagrams assisting the text.

Ralph Piddington was Professor of Anthropology at Auckland University and his “Introduction” is now regarded as a modern classic in anthropology.

For some reason this book set is rarely found as a pair which may explain the confusing publishing date with one volume 1963 and the other 1957 although they look a perfect pair.

Volume I covers – primitive culture; a cook’s Tour of Africa and America, and Asia and Oceania (includes Australia); social organisation; cultural analysis; food, wealth, primitive law, religion and magic.

Volume II deals in part with field work, contact and trends. Both nicely illustrated with appropriate photographs and competent diagrams and charts of a high standard.

Rare as a pair – Piddington on People

$40.00

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Journal of a Voyage to the South-Seas [One of the Anson’s Voyage Cornerstone Books} – Pascoe Thomas

This is a great example of the Israel Facsimile Voyages published in Amsterdam in 1971. The original account from which this faithful copy was made was published by Birt, Newbery et al London in 1745.

Octavo, Following a Preface and a very lengthy list of subscribers, 347 pages plus various very useful appendices. Fine condition.

Pascoe Thomas described himself a “teacher of the Mathematicks on board the Centurion”.

The Title Page contain a nice precis of the volume … “A True and Impartial Journal of a Voyage to the South-Seas, and Round the Globe, in His Majesty’s Ship the Centurion, Under the Command of Commodore George Anson. WHERINH … All the material Incidents during the said Voyage, from its Commencement in 1770 to the Conclusion in 1744, are fully and faithfully related, having been committed to Paper at the Time they happen’d. Together with some historical Accounts of Chili, Peru, Mexico, and the Empire of China; exact Descriptions of such Places of Note as were touch’d at; and Variety of occasional Remarks. To which is added … A large and general Table of Longitudes and Latitudes, ascertain’d from accurate Observations, or (where these are wanting) from the best printed Books and Manuscripts taken from the Spaniards in this Expedition: Also the Variations of the Compass throughout the Voyage, and the Soundings and depths of water along the different Coasts: And lastly, several curious Observations on a Comet seen in the South-Seas on the Coast of Mexico.

So there we have it … except we also have an appendix which tabulates the massive amounts of gold Anson accumulated from his exploits. This is the only account of the voyage to contain that detail.

Pascoe Thomas .. completes the Anson story

$80.00

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Fatu-Hiva – Thor Heyerdahl

Published by George Allen & Unwin, London in 1974 a first edition.

Octavo, 381 pages very nicely illustrated. A very good if not fine copy.

This all happened before WWII even though published in the 1970’s … Thor Hyderdahl’s first adventure. Armed with a beautiful new bride he set off to Fatu-Hiva in the Marquesas Group. They built a cabin in the jungle, ate with the last cannibal etc all very interesting and very nicely illustrated with great photographic images considering the period.

Great condition and very exciting Heyerdahl

$25.00

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Call of the Sea – France and Christian Guillain

Published by Victor Gollancz, London 1976 a first English edition having been published in France in 1974. Translated by Caroline Hillier who captures the emotion well. Octavo, 272 pages well illustrated. A very good near fine copy.

This is the first English translation of a French best seller. France and Christian Guillain set off for Tahiti from the Mediterranean with a baby of just a e weeks. This is a very joyful account despite the unusual calamities that befell them along the way. Stranded in the mouth of the Ebro, sea monsters of the Cocos the dreariness of the doldrums. Nice family photographs .. so French.

French couple take their young family on the voyage of anyone’s lifetime and more …

$25.00

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Two Yachts, Two Voyages (Across the Pacific) – Eric Hiscock – 1984

Published by Adlard Coles, London a first edition 1984. Certain parts had previously been published in specialist magazines. Octavo, 167 pages, illustrated and in fine condition.

Few wrote better modern day voyaging accounts than Hiscock.

At over 70 years old Eric Hiscock and his wife Susan crossed the Pacific from their home in New Zealand to the West Coast of Canada in the steel ketch Wanderer IV. They changed their boat for the return a smaller sloop-rigged yacht. Job 40 as it was known was transformed into Wanderer V. It was not plain sailing on the return and repairs and modifications were required along the way and she still had snags as she reached her final destination Pittwater, near Sydney.

Across the Pacific and back with a change of boats – always adventurous Hiscocks

$30.00

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Sea of Dangers – Captain Cook and His Rivals- Geoffrey Blainey

An Introduction to Social Anthropology – Ralph Piddington – Two Volumes

Journal of a Voyage to the South-Seas [One of the Anson’s Voyage Cornerstone Books} – Pascoe Thomas

Fatu-Hiva – Thor Heyerdahl

Call of the Sea – France and Christian Guillain

Two Yachts, Two Voyages (Across the Pacific) – Eric Hiscock – 1984

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