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Second and best edition

MCLEOD, John.
Voyage of His Majesty's ship Alceste, along the coast of Corea, to the Island of Lewchew; with an account of her subsequent shipwreck.

With engraved portrait and 5 fine engraved coloured aquatints depicting views and costumes of Corea.

Second edition. London, John Murray, 1818. 8vo. Contemporary half calf. With engraved portrait and 5 fine engraved coloured aquatints depicting views and costumes of Corea. (6), 323, (1) pp.

Second and best edition of the account by the ship's surgeon of the 'Alceste' of the British Embassy to China headed by Lord Amherst. Rio de Janeiro, of which interesting observations are made on pages 6-15, the Cape of Good Hope and Batavia were visited by the expedition before reaching China. The Embassy was dropped, and the ships sailed on an expedition to explore the west coast of Corea and the Ryukyu Islands. The sailors visited the island of Liu-Kiu (now Okinawa). The native people, who met with Europeans for the first time, were very hospitable. Three of the five plates in the present work depict portraits of natives: Islanders of Sir James Hall's group; Corean chief and attendants; and Lewchewan chief and attendants.
In the meantime, the Embassy of Lord Amherst had become a failure, since Lord Amherst refused to greet the Emperor by kow-tow. After being picked up at Macao by the returning ships, the company visited Manila. When the 'Alceste' sailed home a submerged reef in the Gaspar Strait was struck, and the ship was completely wrecked. But everybody survived and a small island nearby was reached. Lord Amherst went to Batavia with one of the other ships to get help. There is a long and vivid account of the sailors being attacked by Malay pirates, and of their final rescue.
On the return voyage, St. Helena was visited. An interesting report is given of an interview with Napoleon. McLeod describes Napoleon as follows: "Although there was nothing descending in his manner, yet it was affable and polite; and, whatever may be his general habit, he can behave himself very prettily if he pleases. He is by no means so corpulent as is usually represented, and his health appears to be excellent".
The present work was received enthousiastically. Together with Captain Basil Hall's Account of a Voyage of Discovery to the West Coast of Corea, 1818, it was described in the 'Edinburg Review' (quoted in Abbey) as: "We do not know when we have met with two more pleasing works than this very delightful account of the people of Loo-Choo, and Mr. McLeod's animating and ennobling story of the loss of the Alceste, and the deliverance of the crew. They make us proud of our country, and put us in good humour with our species".

Good copy with bookplate of Franz Pollack Parnau.- (Ms. note on portr.; pl. sl. foxed).

Cordier, Jap., 468; Borba de Moraes 507; Hill 188; Abbey 559; Lipperheide 1529; Hiler 559.

Related Subjects: Asia Cartography China

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