Voyages Round the World; with selected sketches of voyages to the South Seas, North and South Pacific Oceans, China, etc....between 1792 and 1832 by FANNING, Edmund (1769-1841) - 1833

New York, 1833. Octavo. 499pp. 5 plates (2 folding). Original green cloth-backed brown/grey paper covered-boards, printed paper label to spine (label chipped, neat repairs to spine), green cloth chemise, green cloth slipcase, brown morocco lettering-piece Provenance: E.A. Bradford (early pencilled signature to front pastedown); Sarah F. Bradford (inscription) First edition of a classic narrative of voyages to the Pacific. Fanning's adventurous life at sea began at a young age. A native of Connecticut, he set sail in 1792 for the South Seas in search of seal skins. During the following quarter century he made voyages around the world and to the Pacific, visiting Australia, south Georgia, Fiji, Tonga, and the Marquesas. Included in his work is a narrative of the first American naval exploring expedition to the southern hemisphere in 1829-30 by Benjamin Pendleton. "Fanning, who went to sea as a 14-year-old cabin boy in 1783, first sailed to the South Seas on a voyage for seal skins on the Betsey in May 1797. During the next 25 years he either captained or directed over 70 voyages to the Pacific and around the globe, personally visiting China, Australia, Fiji, and the Marquesas. In 1798 he discovered both Fanning and Palmyra Islands...the latter is officially a part of the city and county of Honolulu and is privately owned by a Honolulu family. In 1829 Fanning was instrumental in sending out an exploring expedition under the command of Captain Benjamin Pendleton and Nataniel Brown Palmer... It was Fanning's petition to Congress and largely his own personal efforts that led to the ... fitting out of the United States Exploring Expedition [i.e Wilkes Expedition]" (Forbes). The Bishop Museum in Honolulu holds Princess Kaiulani's copy of Fanning's Voyages. American Imprints 18752; Ferguson 1643; Hill (2004) 581; Howes F27, "aa."; Sabin 23780; Forbes 839.