A Voyage of Discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and Round the World; in which the Coast of North-West America has been Carefully Examined and Accurately Surveyed. Undertaken by his Majesty's Command, Principally with a View to Ascertain the Existence of any Navigable Communication between the North Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans; and Performed in the Years 1790, 1791, 1792, 1793, 1794, and 1795, in the Discovery Sloop of War, and Armed Tender Chatham, under the Command of Captain George Vancouver. Volumes I-III plus Atlas

London: Printed for G. G. and J. Robinson, Paternoster-Row; and J. Edwards, Pall-Mall, 1798. 4 volumes (including atlas). 4to (11 3/4 x 9 1/4 inches) and folio (22 1/2 x 17 1/2 inches). Vol. I: [8] [i]-xxix [9] [1]-432. 478 pp. 6 engraved plates by W. Alexander after H. Humphries. Vol. II: [10] [1]-504. 514 pp. 5 engraved plates by W. Alexander after T. Heddington and F. Sykes. Vol. III: [10] [1]-505 [3]. 516 pp. 6 engraved plates by W. Alexander after J. Sykes, et al. Atlas: 10 engraved folding charts, 6 engraved plates of coastal profiles, uncut, mounted on guards throughout. Half-Titles, Titles, Dedication, Introduction, Editor's Advertisement, Table of Contents, List of Plates, Books I-VI, Notes and Miscellaneous Observations, Errata. Finely bound to style in uniform red quarter morocco with tips on original grey paper boards, spine gilt-ruled into six compartments, title and volume number in gilt in second and fourth compartments, all edges sprinkled grey. Atlas with binder's ticket of "J. Tuck, Bookbinder"

"One of the most important [voyages] ever made in the interests of geographical knowledge." - Hill

This work, considered by Cowan to be "superior to any of its kind," documents Vancouver's voyage, which resulted in the first published map to depict Hawaii in its entirety. [Fitzpatrick] Vancouver had been put in command of the expedition related in this work on the recommendation of his old commanding officer Alan Gardner. He had served earlier with both Admiral Rodney and on James Cook's second and third voyages, so he was well experienced in addition to being a first-class navigator. Vancouver's voyage was mounted as a "grand-scale expedition to reclaim Britain's rights, resulting from the Nootka Convention, at Nootka Sound, to thoroughly examine the coast south of 60º in order to find a possible passage to the Atlantic; and to learn what establishments had been founded by other powers. Vancouver sailed by way of the Cape of Good Hope to Australia, where he discovered King George's Sound and Cape Hood, then to New Zealand, Hawaii, and the northwest coast of America. In three seasons' work Vancouver surveyed the coast of California; visited San Francisco and San Diego; and other Spanish settlements in Alta California; settled the necessary formalities with the Spanish at Nootka; investigated the Strait of Juan de Fuca; discovered the Strait of Georgia; circumnavigated Vancouver Island; and disproved the existence of any passage between the Pacific and Hudson Bay." [Hill]

Cowan (1914), p.236; Cowan (1933), 654-655 pp. Cox II, p.30. DNB. Ferguson I, 281. Fitzpatrick, Early Mapping of Hawaii, 39-43 pp. Forbes I, 298. Graff, Western Americana 4456. Hill 1753. Howes V-23. JCB 2009. Jones, Americana 667. Judd 178. Lada-Mocarski 55. Lande 1495. National Maritime Museum 142. O'Reilly-Reitman 635. Sabin 98443. Smith, Pacific Northwest Americana 10469. Staton and Tremaine 688. Strathern 582. Streeter Sale 3497. Tweney 78. Wagner, Cartography of the Northwest Coast, 853-860 pp. Wantrup 63a. Wickersham 6601. Zamorano, Eighty 77.