Manuscripts in the British Isles Relating to Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific

Australian National University Press, Canberra, 1972. First Edition. Hardcover. Very Good/Good. XXIV, 700 pages, last three pages blank, foreword by J.A.La Nuze, Professor of History, Australian National University and A.P. Fleming, National Librarian, National Library of Australia. Introduction by author, bibliographical note, and index. Blue coloured endpapers. Dark blue coloured cloth covered boards with gilt titles to the backstrip. Plain text dustwrappers, with a tan coloured background, with black and white titles to the front panel and backstrip. "This book gathers together for the first time in one place annotated descriptions of manuscripts held in Great Britain and Ireland relating to Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific. The geographic range of the manuscripts extends from Western Australia to the Galapagos and Juan Fernandez, and a curve embracing the Marianas and the whole Hawaiian islands to the Antarctic. In time the work spans from the earlier Spanish voyages to the Pacific to the 1960s. Contents as diverse as the letter from a noble woman seeking a colonial sinecure for her husband, the secret instructions given to Captain Cook to seek Terra Australis, documents regarding the murder of Bishop Patteson, and the papers of a young midshipman who sailed on the notorious Bounty. Any manuscript maps, drawings, and paintings which occur with the manuscripts are noted." -- from the front fold over panel blurb. Rubbing to the backstrip corners and to the book corners. There is very light browning of the text block edges. Creasing to the dustwrapper edges and rubbing to the dustwrapper panels. Some marks to the front spine gutter edge and there is fading to the backstrip and to the top inch of the rear dustwrapper panel. Small closed tears to the top dustwrapper edge. This is the first Australian edition. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Please refer to accompanying picture (s). Quantity Available: 1. Shipped Weight: 1-2 kilos. Category: History; Exploration; History -- New Zealand; History -- Pacific; ISBN: 0708104509. ISBN/EAN: 9780708104507. Inventory No: 0110245. . 9780708104507