SHELVOCKE, George (1675-1742). A Voyage round the World by Way of the Great South Sea, Perform'd

SHELVOCKE, George (1675-1742). A Voyage round the World by Way of the Great South Sea, Perform'd in the Years 1719, 20, 21, 22. London: Printed for J. Senex, W. and J. Innys, J. Osborn and T. Longman, 1726. 8° (197 x 124mm). Folding engraved map (part depicting Europe, Africa and Asia bound in before title, part with the Americas bound in at beginning of text), 4 engraved plates, one folding. (Title, map of Africa, Europe and Asia, and verso of final leaf of text browned and a little soiled, final leaf of text misbound after contents, light worming in inner gutter at beginning, a few upper margins lightly soiled, a few spots throughout.) Contemporary calf (worn). Provenance: John Clevland (bookplate).

FIRST EDITION. On this privately funded expedition, Shelvocke commanded the Speedwell and John Clipperton the Success as they conducted raids against Spanish shipping on the west coast of South America. Shelvocke soon slipped away to conduct his own raids in Peru and to sail up the coast to Cabo San Lucas where he remained for some months and wrote one of the earliest descriptions of the Indians of Baja California. He also was one of the first to suggest the possibility of finding gold in California. It was while rounding Cape Horn that one of his crew shot an albatross, reported here and later read by William Wordsworth who surely relayed it to Coleridge. After a quick crossing of the Pacific to Guam and Canton, Shelvocke seems to have awarded himself more than double his share of the plunder. His return to England led to charges of piracy and embezzlement, to which charges of libel were added by his shipmate William Betagh when he published his account in 1726; Betagh published his own account and rebuttal in 1728. Alden & Landis 726/192; Barrett 2261; Borba de Moraes II, 796. Cowan I, pp.211-212; Cowan II, pp.581-582. Hill 1557; Howes S-383; Leighly California as an Island 159; Sabin 80158. Sold with a copy of the 1757 second edition of this work (browned, spotted and a little waterstained).

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