A VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD,

In the years MDCCXL, I, II, III, IV, by George Anson Esq; Commander in Chief of a squadron of his Majesty's ships, sent upon an expedition to the South-Seas

Compiled from papers and other materials of the Right Honourable George Lord Anson,

And published under his direction by Richard Walter, M.A., chaplain of his Majesty's ship the Centurion, in that expedition

Illustrated with forty-two copper-plates

First edition: [xxi] + 417 + [ii]pages, 42 folding illustrations, maps and charts, full leather binding rebacked with brown title label gilt on the spine, starting to wear at the front hinge, marbled end papers, corners bumped, a good copy.

Although several private journals of the voyage had been published, the official version of events was published in London 1748, as A Voyage Round the World in 1740-4 by George Anson It was a great popular and commercial success and a 5th edition was already in print by 1749. As well as detailing the adventures of the expedition, it contained a great amount of useful information for future navigators and with 42 detailed charts and engravings, most based on drawings by Capt. Piercy Brett, it laid the basis for later scientific and survey expeditions by Captain Cook and others.

The final words from the authorized account were: Thus was this expedition finished, when it had lasted three years and nine months, after having, by its event, strongly evinced this important truth: That though prudence, intrepidity, and perseverance united are not exempted from the blows of adverse fortune, yet in a long series of transactions they usually rise superior to its power, and in the end rarely fail of proving successful. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Anson%27s_voyage_around_the_world