A Voyage Round the World in the Years MDCCXI, I, II, III, IV by George Anson

402pp, plus three sections of black and white plate illustrations, complete with two fold-out maps at rear. In blue cloth boards with gilt titles, upper text block edge sprayed blue, pale blue endpapers (boards very slightly rubbed and rounded at spine ends, mild mark on upper text block edge). Internally neat, clean, bright and tight. In its original dust jacket (slightly bumped along upper edge). 8vo. In the annals of Britain's naval history, Anson's voyage of 1740-4 holds a celebrated place. The first formal attempt by a naval expedition to circumnavigate the world, it affords a striking story of hardship, disaster, mutiny and heroism. Only one of Anson's squadron, the flagship the Centurion, returned to England with the mission accomplished; the other vessels were wrecked, scuttled or forced back in shattered condition. The authorised account of the voyage was published in 1748 under the name of Richard Walter, chaplain on board the Centurion. A classic story of adventure, it was an instant best-seller. In this edition the text is printed in full and is accompanied by notes containing information taken from other contemporary sources.