NARRATIVE OF A WHALING VOYAGE ROUND THE GLOBE, FROM THE YEAR 1833 TO 1836. COMPRISING SKETCHES OF POLYNESIA, CALIFORNIA, THE INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO, ETC. WITH A ACCOUNT OF SOUTHERN WHALES, THE SPERM WHALE FISHERY AND THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE CLIMATES VISITED. [ 2 VOLUMES - COMPLETE] by Frederick Debell Bennett - 1840

London: Richard Bentley, 1840. First edition. Hardcover. Very Good. Each volume 5 3/4 x 9 inches. Vol. 1, xv, 402 pages + 2 pages of ads, Vol. 2, vii, 395 pages. Frontis illustrations (Tahiti in Vol. 1, Pitcairn Island in Vol. 2), fold-out map facing p.1 in Vol. 1. Bindings have been recased retaing the original cloth covers and spines, added endpapers but retaining the original yellow endpapers in the front of Vol. 1 and front and rear of Vol. 2. Ownership sig. of Samuel C. Damon on front yellow endpaper of each volume, dated 1845, also labels from his private library numbered 108 and 109 at base of spines. Damon (1815-1885) was a missionary and book collector in Hawaii. This book was one of the primary whaling sources Melville used in writing Moby Dick. Condition of the books is Very Good, cloth lightly stained and worn at edges, bindings are very tight, light stains on frontis illustrations, mainly in the margins (see photos), fold-out map is lightly foxed, a few pages of text (about 5%) have light foxing. RGRR