First edition of one of the earliest unofficial accounts of Cook's first voyage, from the journals of Captain Cook and Sidney Parkinson. Hawkesworth, following the first illicit publication of Cook's voyage in 1771, had issued an injunction preventing any further works being published before his own official account. This delayed Stanfield Parkinson's publication of his brother's journal until two days after Hawkesworth's in 1773 as well as this work, which followed hot on their heels with the inclusion of other voyages not found in either.

Volume one has the cancel title-page dated 1774 with the erroneous attribution of Clipperton's voyage as Chippendale's corrected. 'Henry was for many years a voluminous contributor to the Gentleman's Magazine. This set of collected voyages is introduced by an admirable summary of all the voyages, undertaken for discovery only, in both the southern and northern hemispheres in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The work is especially important for its inclusion of the early circumnavigators who had not published their own accounts.' (Hill).

First edition, vol. I second issue with cancel title; 4 vols, 8vo (21.5 x 14 cm); 5 folding maps, 44 engraved plates, subscriber's list, little offsetting from plates, a touch of light spotting; later full speckled calf, spines in six gilt ruled panels with gilt red morocco lettering pieces, a fine set; [i], l, 480; [i], 440; viii, 470; [i], 364, [iv], xxviii-(29)-118, [vi]pp.

Beddie 655, 711; Hill 800; Sabin 31389.