An Authentic Narrative of a Voyage Performed By Captain Cook and Captain Clerke in His Majesty's Ships Resolution and Discovery During the Years 1776 1777 1778 1779 and 1780

Philadelphia: Printed and sold by Robert Bell, 1783. First American edition. Two volumes bound in one, 8vo, pp. [i-ii].[9]]-30, [31]-96,99-12; [113]-229 [230-232], including 2 pages of advertisements at the end of the second volume. Contemporary sheep, rebacked with matching calf, preserving original leather label. Boards scuffed and rubbed. Corners of first and last few leaves neatly repaired. Some light soiling, heavier to first and last few leaves. Very good. "The very rare first American edition of the John Rickman narrative of Cook's Third Voyage. This work has often confused bibliographers since the publisher used the title of the William Ellis narrative for this edition instead of the proper Rickman title," -Forbes, Hawaiian National Bibliography, 54. Rickman, who was a second lieutenant aboard the Discovery, despite Captain King's confiscation of all sailors' logs, journals, maps, and drawings, managed to retain a copy of his journal. It was first published, anonymously, to prevent his prosecution, in London in 1781, and is the first book published in English about Cook's third voyage and an important supplement to the official account, which was not published until 1784.