A true and impartial Journal of a Voyage to the South-Seas, and round the Globe, in His Majesty's Ship the Centurion, under the Command of Commodore Anson...

London, Birt, 1745. . First edition; 8vo, [xvi], 347, [i], 39, [i]pp., a couple of gatherings in the appendix slightly proud, contemporary sprinkled calf, lightly rubbed, short splits to joints, corners bumped, a very good copy. SEVIST 'Pascoe Thomas kept a full and faithful daily journal of the incidents of this important four-year voyage. Included [is] an appendix giving an account of the treasure taken from the Nuestra Signora del Buono Carmella. This account... preceded the publication of the official account of Lord Anson's voyage by three years' (Hill). At the bottom of page 36 of the appendix the exact latitude and, remarkably, the longitude of the fabled Strait of Anian are provided. This precise location of the Pacific entrance to the elusive Northwest Passage came from a Spanish document captured by Anson, and gave rise to the suspicion that the Spanish had discovered the passage but kept it secret. Anson's voyage was a landmark of 18th-century English circumnavigation, laying the groundwork for the British exploration of the Pacific in the later half of the 18th century. The expedition set out to cut off Spanish supplies of gold and silver from South America after the outbreak of war in 1739. Whilst successful, taking a number of prize ships off the Philippines, the cost was high: six ships were wrecked off the coast of South America or in rounding Cape Horn. Hill 1693; Sabin 95437.