1820 Voyages of HMS ALCESTE Asia Exploration China Korea Japan Shipwreck PIRATES
John McLeod’s book “Voyage of His Majesty’s Ship Alceste, to China, Corea, and the Island of Lewchew, with an Account of Her Shipwreck” vividly recounts the perilous journey of the HMS Alceste, led by Captain Sir Murray Maxwell and tasked with escorting the British Ambassador to China in 1816. Authored by the ship’s Scottish naval surgeon, John McLeod, the book recounts their voyage to several Asian destinations in China, Korea, and Japan and their encounters with varying cultures, as well as inaccuracies discovered in existing navigation charts of the period. The central drama of the book unfolds when the Alceste hits a hidden reef and is wrecked in the Gaspar Strait. Marooned on a nearby island, Maxwell and his crew endure the scarcity of food and persistent attacks from Malay pirates. Despite these challenges, there were no reported casualties, a testament to Maxwell’s leadership. Their rescue and eventual return to Britain saw them hailed as heroes. The book, enriched by hand-colored plates and a folding map, portrays an era of exploration and maritime heroism.
1820 Voyages of HMS ALCESTE Asia Exploration China Korea Japan Shipwreck PIRATES
John McLeod’s book “Voyage of His Majesty’s Ship Alceste, to China, Corea, and the Island of Lewchew, with an Account of Her Shipwreck” vividly recounts the perilous journey of the HMS Alceste, led by Captain Sir Murray Maxwell and tasked with escorting the British Ambassador to China in 1816. Authored by the ship’s Scottish naval surgeon, John McLeod, the book recounts their voyage to several Asian destinations in China, Korea, and Japan and their encounters with varying cultures, as well as inaccuracies discovered in existing navigation charts of the period. The central drama of the book unfolds when the Alceste hits a hidden reef and is wrecked in the Gaspar Strait. Marooned on a nearby island, Maxwell and his crew endure the scarcity of food and persistent attacks from Malay pirates. Despite these challenges, there were no reported casualties, a testament to Maxwell’s leadership. Their rescue and eventual return to Britain saw them hailed as heroes. The book, enriched by hand-colored plates and a folding map, portrays an era of exploration and maritime heroism.
Item number: #41278
Price: $750
M’LEOD, John
Voyage of His Majesty’s Ship Alceste, to China, Corea, and the Island of Lewchew, with an Account of Her Shipwreck.
London: John Murray, 1820.
Details:
- Collation: Complete
- [4], 339, [1]
- 5 hand-colored aquatints
- 1 folding map
- References: Abbey Travel 558-559; Lowndes 977
- Provenance: Armorial bookplate – Thomas Watkin Forster
- Motto: REDDE DIEM; VESTIGIA FERE DELETA
- Language: English
- Binding: Leather; tight and secure
- Size: ~9in X 5.5in (23cm x 14cm)
- rare and desirable
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41278
Category
Voyages & Exploration & Maps
Authors
M’LEOD, John
Printing Date
19th Century
Language
English
Binding
Leather
Book Condition
Excellent
Collation
Complete
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