David Spilman Fine Books

Miscellanies; [North Pole and Bodega Journal]

Barrington, Daines

London: J. Nichols (Sold by D. Whaite), 1781. First Edition. 4to [11x9] iv, viii, 557 pp., [1] errata and binder directions, [four leaves of page numbers. 471-477 repeated with asterisk and pages 541-546 omitted in binding], two portrait plates (Mozart at age seven, Sir John Wynne Baronet), two maps of Europe and North America coast (one folding), five folding genealogical tables, index; Contemporary calf binding with gilt lettering on red label, gilt designs, and raised ribs on spine, gilt line border on front and back covers, all edges with speckled blue ink and trimmed; Some shelf wear to edges and corners with rubbing and fraying, corners bumped and frayed, covers rubbed and scratched in places with a little soiling and glue mark on back cover, leather split along both front and back joints with hinges weak, dent to top front edge. top edge of text block darken some soiling and spots to end papers, light age toning to text, shadow offset from plates and maps, several handwritten corrections to text. [Hill 56, Lada-Mocarski 34, Howes B177 and M438, Wagner Northwest Coast 674, Wickersham 6653, Tourville 3036, TS Streeter Sale 21] CS. Item #14082

Daines Barrington (1727-1800) was a judge, antiquary and naturalist. He authored and published the Naturalist’s Journal in 1767 to record natural phenomena. He was also interested in Arctic and search for the Northwest passage, and, as a member of the Royal Society Council, he influenced support of Arctic explorations. Later, promoted Cook’s third voyage to the North Pacific to find the Northwest passage from the west coast of North America.

Between 1774 and 1776 Barrington published several pamphlets on the possibility of reaching the North Pole by sea. The ‘Miscellanies’ include essays and letters on ‘The Possibility of Approaching the North Pole Discussed’. The discussion includes ship captains on the open polar sea and other opinions on polar conditions and the northwest passage.

The important article in this book is Barrington's translation of the journal of the Spaniard Francisco Antonio Maurelle's 1775 voyage along the Northwest Cost of North America. The ‘Journal of a Voyage in 1775 to explore the coast of America, Northward of California, by the second Pilot of the Fleet, Don Francisco Antonio Maurelle, in the King’s Schooner, called the Sonora, and commanded by Don Juan Francisco de la Bodega’.

Francisco Antonio Mourelle (Maurelle, Morel) (1754-1820) was a Spanish navigator that was the second pilot on the ‘Sonora’, commanded by Juan Francisco de la Bodega Y Quadra in 1775 to the northwest coast of North America. A second ship, ‘Santiago” under Captain Bruno Heceta accompanied Bodega. The ships sailed as far north as the southern Alaska archipelago, discovered Sitka Harbor, and explored the rivers and islands. Mourelle’s journal, which at the time was a confidential document of the King, was acquired by Barrington and published for the first time in English in this book and was the only contemporary account of the Spanish voyage. Mourelle participated in several other voyages to the Pacific Northwest and had a distinguished career in the Spanish navy.

There are other articles on the ‘History of the Gwedir Family’, an account of ‘Mozart, a very remarkable young Musician.’, as well as essays on natural history, nature, Ohthere's Voyage, and others.

This book was from the library of the late Dr. G. Warren Smith of Pennsylvania. He had a long career as university professor and administrator, and was a collector of over 6,000 books, maps, illustrations, and artifacts relating to the Arctic, Alaska and Pacific Northwest.

Price: $1,300.00