Travel & Voyages

The Journals of Thomas Williams Missionary in Fiji 1840-1853 – 2 Vols – G.C. Henderson – First Editions1931

A fine first edition set published by Angus $ Robertson, Sydney in 1931. Large octavo, 278 and 279- 606 pages. Very good if not fine condition. With an annotation of the free endpaper by the author “With the Author’s compliments to his fellow Sabbath-breaker on the xxx links 20/11/31”

Carries the heraldic bookplate of Sir Howard Watson Lloyd, Bank of Adelaide etc and old boy of St Peters surely Australia’s best school.

Thomas Williams recorded in the finest and most intimate detail his observations of and interactions with native Fijians in the first half of the 19th Century. His manuscript accounts are held in the Mitchell Library. The author Henderson a noted expert on Fiji trawled over these difficult to read documents and other related items held in London to produce as complete a work as possible.

Starting from his humble home in Horncastle, England Thomas Williams set out across the world … after a lengthy introduction which deals with this background and a few brief notes on the voyage out we find him on the Fijian Island of Lakemba and then Somosomo and Mbua Bay. Thomas Williams was by no means a brilliant artist, but he left many sketches now in the Michel which have been used as illustrations and bring the narrative alive. The whole embellished with maps, charts and later photographs of localities.

Included a couple of ephemeral scraps in the authors had writing … one has written “Quite recently the British Admiralty has paid me two very gratifying compliments in the publication of their Fijian charts: following certain information given in my last book” … nice work.

Henderson on Williams essential Fiji – Nice copies with author inscription.

$120.00

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A Journal of the Endeavour Voyager – James Magra

This is a fine facsimile published by Israel Amsterdam in 1967. Note titles “Cook” by Israel but not the author.

The original account … A Journal of a Voyage Round the World in His Majesty’s Ship Endeavour, in the Years 1768,1769,1770 and 1771 etc published by Becket and Hondt in the Strand in 1791. Quarto, 130 pages plus 3 pages of vocabulary of the language of Otahitee.

Published two years before the official Hawkesworth account in 1793 and now generally attributed to James Magra.

James Magra was a New Yorker and American sympathiser and accordingly to James Cook a man of dubious quality. Almost impossible to find in original form … this was the first published book describing the East Coast of Australia and includes for example reference to Stingray Bay the name given to Botany Bay by James Cook before the latter was adopted sometime before Hawkesworth.

Magra’s account and essential Cook ingredient

$80.00

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The Voyage of the Brig Mercury – Including Maria’s Islands near Van Diemen’s Land

Full title … Observations and Remarks made during a Voyage to the Islands of Tenerife, Amsterdam, Maria’s Islands near Van Diemen’s Land; Otaheite, Sandwich Islands, Owhyhee, the Fox Islands on the North West Coast of America, Tinian, and then to Canton, in the Brig Mercury, Commanded by John Henry Cox …

Illustrated with a Sketch of the Island of Amsterdam, a Plan of Oyster Harbour at the Maria Islands, with some views of the Land; a Curious Medal; and a Club accurately engraved.

Originally published for the author Lieutenant George Mortimer of the Marines, T Cadell in the Strand et al. in 1792.

This fine facsimile published by Israel, Amsterdam in 1975. Small quarto, 73 pages with the charts faithfully reproduced. A clean crisp copy.

The original account of this voyage difficult near impossible to obtain. Mortimer suggests that the Voyage was chiefly undertaken from motives of curiosity by Mr Cox, the fur trade on the North West Coast of America was the ultimate objective.

Mortimer’s narrative is a pleasing and easily read account. The visit to Amsterdam Island well to the South in the Indian Ocean, nearly Antarctic, is important to cold weather island enthusiasts. Cox had planned to call in at Adventure Bay in Van Diemen’s Land but missed it and ended up at Maria’s Island … he named Oyster Bay and the charts produced is of historical value. The progression across the Pacific to the North west Coast of America has unique elements and interesting encounters with Russians in the locale.

Mortimer on Cox’s Voyage .. important Tasmanian content

$60.00

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Wanderings in A Wild Country Or Three Years Amongst the Cannibals of New Britain – Wilfred Powell – First Edition 1883

Scarce, one of the prized early New Guinea accounts. Published by Sampson Low, London 1883 a first edition.

Octavo, 283 pages including vocabulary of words. 5 full page plates and 29 illustrations in the text plus four pages with illustrations on New Britain sign language. Folding sketch survey of the North-east Portion of New Britain by the author. A little ribbing to the cloth on the front board and age toning near the ends otherwise a very good copy.

The book begins with the selection of an appropriate vessel, the ketch Star of the preparation and departure from Sydney. An eventful voyage with waterspouts, recounting the tragedy of Lizard Island (gruesome) … remarkable whirlpool near the Duke of York Islands. Reaching Matupi Island. Visiting George Brown first white in the region. Port Hunter natives, first signs of cannibalism … the Duk-duk. To Kininigunun and a native battle. To Spacious Bay with Brown and more hostilities, full on volcanic eruption. The murder of the teachers, forced to fight, saving the native women. Turtle catching and wife hunting .. exploration of the interior … natives board vessel and destroy everything.

We lost track of how many times Powell escaped from danger …

Wilfred Powell early adventures in New Britain

$190.00

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Jenolan Caves (The Underground Wonderland) New South Wales, Australia – H. Phillips – c1910

Superior period view book of the glorious Jenolan Caves. Photographed, printed and published by H Phillips (1873-1844) of Katoomba in the Blue Mountains.

This is a scarce edition with superior illustrated cover and more images than his more standard work on the Jenolan Caves. No date but circa 1910. Not in Trove.

Landscape presentation … soft covers with exotic gilt title and illustration to front. 30cm by 24cm with title page, 2 page introduction plus 49 pages of plates, 3 of which are double folding with five excellent panoramas. Captioned images include …The Grand arch; Carlotta Arch; Devil’s Coach House and Bridge from Lucas Entrance; Grand Stalactites Imperial Cave; The Giant Shawl; Cleopatra’s Needle; Mons Meg; The Proscenium; Brookes Column; Crystal Palace; The Mystery; The Willows Nettle cave; Gem of the South etc etc

Beautiful record of the Jenolan Caves by Harry Phillips

$80.00

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Wildlife and Wilderness – An Artist’s World – Keith Shackleton

A really super book of Keith Shackleton’s Polar art. Much of the work completed on the Ms Lindblad Explorer (see our copy of Keith Shackleton’s Antarctic Pilot). In his well written introduction he expresses his gratitude to Lars-Eric Lindblad for putting his vessel on the high seas with him aboard.

First US edition published by Salem House 1986. Small quarto, landscape 120 pages with 8 full page colour images of selected cold weather painting with a nice page of attendant narrative. Very good if not fine condition.

A nice forward by HRH Prince Charles. But to the art … something special … the subjects naturally well chosen and the style clean bright and dramatic

Keith Shackleton’s beautiful paintings – where can we get one?

$50.00

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The Journals of Thomas Williams Missionary in Fiji 1840-1853 – 2 Vols – G.C. Henderson – First Editions1931

A Journal of the Endeavour Voyager – James Magra

The Voyage of the Brig Mercury – Including Maria’s Islands near Van Diemen’s Land

Wanderings in A Wild Country Or Three Years Amongst the Cannibals of New Britain – Wilfred Powell – First Edition 1883

Jenolan Caves (The Underground Wonderland) New South Wales, Australia – H. Phillips – c1910

Wildlife and Wilderness – An Artist’s World – Keith Shackleton

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