The Journal of a Voyage undertaken by order of His Present Majesty, For making Discoveries towards the North Pole,

by the Hon. Commodore Phipps, and Captain Lutwidge, in his Majesty's Sloops Racehorse and Carcase. To which is prefixed, An Account of the Several Voyages undertaken for the Discovery of a North-East Passage to China and Japan.First edition. 2 folding maps (one as frontis.) & one plate (the whale fishery). 8vo. Late twentieth-century half calf, morocco label to spine, occasional very light waterstaining, tear to final leaf repaired (this rather dust soiled). [ii], xxviii, 29-118pp. London, F. Newbery,

Rare. Published in the same year as the official account of the voyage, this narrative contains "particulars not given in the official account" (Sabin). The information contained in the Introduction is of particular interest, covering the history of Arctic voyages and the quest for a North-East passage, with geographical and meteorological observations. Phipps' own expedition was thwarted by pack ice at Spitsbergen and they were forced to return to England. The voyage is often remembered for the fact that Horatio Nelson served as midshipman aboard the Carcase, and had a well-known encounter with a polar bear. Sabin, 62573; Hill, 899.

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