Heading:
Author: Byron, Captain [George Anson]
Title: Voyage of H.M.S. Blonde to the Sandwich Islands, In the Years 1824-1825
Place Published: London
Publisher:John Murray
Date Published: 1826
Description:

x, [2], 260 pp. Two maps (one folding); twelve engraved plates (one folding), one full-page woodcut illustrations. (4to) 26.7x21.2 cm (10½x8½"), period half-calf and marbled boards re-backed in modern calf retaining original spine strip, spine ruled and lettered in gilt, tooled in blind, raised bands. First Edition.

"This voyage was termed by Peter Buck (Ti Rangi Hiroa) 'One of the most gracious acts that one country has ever extended to another.' Kamehameha ll of Hawaii and his queen, Kamamalu, were on a visit to London in 1824 when they both died of the measles, for which they had no immunity. This voyage, with the cousin of the poet Lord George Gordon Byron in command, was undertaken by the British government specifically to return their bodies to the Hawaiian Islands....The work contains a history of the late King's visit to London, a resume of the discovery of and visits to Hawaii by British explorers, as well as the main narrative, compiled by Maria Graham from the journals kept by the naturalist (Bloxam) and from other official papers. The Hawaii portion of the text contains an interesting account of events in Honolulu and travels to Hilo, Kealakekua, and Kailua, Kona." Forbes, Hawaiian National Bibliography, 630; Hill, 231.

A handsome copy with wide margins, front hinge starting, foxing on frontispiece, title page and leaves, heavier in some areas; light foxing to margins of some plates not affecting images; very good or better.