COOK, James, Capt. (1728-1779). -- [SECOND VOYAGE]. A Voyage towards the South Pole, and Round the World, performed in His Majesty's Ships the Resolution and Adventure, in the Years 1772, 1773, 1774, and 1775. London: W. Strahan and T. Cadell, 1777.
2 volumes, 4to (295 x 225 mm). Engraved frontispiece portrait, 63 engraved maps and plates, some folding, one folding letterpress table (tape repair to map verso in vol. I, one plate trimmed close, some offsetting from plates to text). Full contemporary calf, neatly rebacked, probably late 19th century, spines in 7 compartments with raised bands, 2 leather lettering-pieces gilt, others with nautical devices gilt (light rubbing along joints and extremities, else fine). Provenance: Sir Rainald Knightley (1819-1895), armorial bookplate of a British Conservative Party politician; Malin and Constantine Sorsbie (armorial bookplate); Captain Richard Campbell (bookplate and original bill of sale).
SECOND EDITION, a tall copy. “The success of Cook’s first voyage led the Admiralty to send him on a second expedition which was to circumnavigate the globe as far south as possible in search of any southern continents. Cook proved that there was no ‘Terra Australis’ which supposedly lay between New Zealand and South America but became convinced that there must be land beyond the ice fields” (Hill). Among the official accounts of Cook’s three voyages, this is the only one written by Cook himself and contains the frontispiece portrait of Cook by William Hodges (1744-1797) that is “one of the most famous images of the great navigator” (Rosove). Forbes 62; Hill 358; Homes 24; PMM 223; Rosove 77.A2; Sabin 16245.