COOK, Capt. James (1728-1779).
The Three Voyages of Captain James Cook.
London: 1773-1785.

THE FIRST VOYAGE HAWKESWORTH, John (1715-1773). An Account of the Voyages undertaken by the Order of His Present Majesty for making Discoveries in the Southern Hemisphere, And successively performed by Commodore Byron, Captain Wallis, Captain Carteret, And Captain Cook, In the Dolphin, the Swallow, and the Endeavour. London: W. Strahan; and T. Cadell, 1773. 3 volumes, 4to (11 2/8 x 8 7/8 inches). 2 large folding maps of "Part of the South Seas," (small tears to folds) and "The Straights of Magellan," 50 engraved plates, charts and maps (35 double or folding), (some occasionally heavy spotting). Second edition.

SECOND VOYAGE COOK, James. A Voyage towards the South Pole, and round the World. Performed in His Majesty's Ships the Resolution and Adventure, in the years 1772, 1773, 1774, and 1775 . In which is included, Captain Furneaux's Narrative of his Proceedings in the Adventure during the Separation of the Ships. London: W.Strahan and T.Cadell, 1784. 2 volumes, 4to (11 2/8 x 8 7/8 inches). Engraved portrait frontispiece, large folding chart of the Southern Hemisphere and 61 plates, charts and maps (33 double or folding), one letterpress table (occasional light browning and a few pale mostly marginal stains). Fourth edition.

THIRD VOYAGE. COOK, James and James KING (1750-1784). A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean. Undertaken, by the command of His Majesty, for making Discoveries in the Northern Hemisphere. London: H. Hughes. 1785. 3 volumes, 4to (11 2/8 x 8 7/8 inches). 23 folding or double charts and views (occasional light browning and a few pale stains). Third edition.

Together 9 volumes: 8 text volumes uniformly bound in contemporary tree calf, spines in six compartments, green and red morocco lettering-pieces in two, the others elaborately decorated in gilt with fine three-masted ship tools (skillfully rebacked preserving the original spines); folio atlas volume (22 x 15 6/8 inches) to accompany the Third Voyage, containing a large folding chart of Cook's Discoveries (marginal tears crossing the plate mark), a double page chart of the "New Coast of America and New Coast of Asia, and 61 plates of views, portraits and artifacts (without the plate depicting the "Death of Captain Cook") (some occasionally heavy spotting), contemporary tree calf (rebacked to style, edges repaired).

"[Cook] was the first really scientific navigator, and his voyages made great contributions to many fields of knowledge" (Hill).

"In three great voyages Cook did more to clarify the geographical knowledge of the southern hemisphere than all his predecessors together had done. He was the first really scientific navigator, and his voyages made great contributions to many fields of knowledge" (Hill). Cook conducted his three voyages between the years of 1768 and 1779. During his expeditions, the British naval officer traversed the South Pacific three times, twice braving into the Antarctic Circle. He was the first European to make contact with the Eastern coast of Australia: "The date of Captain James Cook's exploration of the eastern coast marks the beginning of a new era in the history of Australia. Cook took possession of the country for Great Britain. From the resemblance of its coasts to the southern shores of Wales, he called it New South Wales" (Jenks). Cook also ventured across the North Pacific and into the Arctic Sea, by way of the Bering Strait, in hopes of locating the ever elusive Northwest Passage. From there Cook made his way to the present-day Hawaiian Islands, he was the first European to step foot there, but he and four of his officers ultimately met a grisly fate at the hands of local inhabitants. Though Cook never made it home to England, he nevertheless achieved a great deal during his voyages. Cook's expeditions allowed for the creation of the first accurate nautical charts of the Pacific Ocean, which were based on thousands of astronomical sightings, and marine chronometers, used to determine longitude.