Dixon | A voyage round the world, 1789

BOOKS FROM THE LIBRARY OF THE EARLS OF HADDINGTON, LOTS 54-108

DIXON, GEORGE
A voyage round the world; but more particularly to the north-west coast of America. Performed in 1785, 1786, 1787, and 1788, in the King George and Queen Charlotte, Captains Portlock and Dixon. London: Geo. Goulding, 1789

FIRST EDITION, 4to (280 x 210mm.), half-title, 5 engraved maps, one folding, 4 double page, 17 engraved plates, 3 double page, contemporary calf, map of Norfolk sound creased and torn, some spotting, binding rubbed

“An excellent authority for the early days of fur trading on the northwest coast" (Streeter). Both Captain Portlock and Dixon were well prepared for this voyage; they were with Captain Cook on his third voyage and had seen the opportunities for fur trading on the north-west coast. They made important maps of the coast and many significant discoveries including Queen Charlotte Island, Port Mulgrave, Norfolk Bay, and Dixon Entrance and Archipelago. The work is primarily an epistolary narrative, being a series of forty-nine letters signed "W.B.", or, William Beresford, super-cargo aboard the Queen Charlotte, but edited and corrected by Dixon on nautical points. Dixon also added the introduction, the appendix, and the maps. In addition to the letters there are important appendices relating to aspects of natural history and ships' logs.

LITERATURE:
Hill (2004) 117; Howes D365; Lada-Mocarski 43; Sabin 20364; Staton & Tremaine 593 (under William Beresford); Streeter VI 3484

PROVENANCE:
George Baillie (1664–1738), engraved armorial bookplate applied posthumously; Hon. George Baillie (c.1721–1797), signature on title; thence by descent to the Earls of Haddington

Condition Report:
Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate.

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