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This series includes accounts, by eye-witnesses and contemporaries, of voyages by Europeans to the Americas, Asia, Australasia and the Pacific during the colonial period. Driven by the military and commercial interests of powers including Britain, France and The Netherlands, particularly the East India Companies, these expeditions brought back a wealth of information on climate, natural resources, topography, and distant civilisations. Their detailed observations provide fascinating historical data for climatologists, ecologists and anthropologists, and the accounts of the mariners' experiences on their long and dangerous voyages are full of human interest.

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112 results in Cambridge Library Collection - Maritime Exploration

Page 4 of 6

Narrative of the Circumnavigation of the Globe by the Austrian Frigate Novara
  • Undertaken by Order of the Imperial Government, in the Years 1857, 1858, and 1859
  • Volume 1
  • Karl von Scherzer
  • Published online:
    05 September 2014
    Print publication:
    27 June 2013
    First published in:
    1861
  • Joined by seven eminent natural scientists, including Karl von Scherzer (1821–1903), the Austrian naval expedition of 1857–9 was remarkable for its globe-spanning scale. During the course of the voyage, the naturalists collected an abundance of samples which contributed to several scientific discoveries, including the isolation of cocaine in its pure form. Some of the investigations also revolutionised knowledge in such fields as geology, oceanography, hydrography and geomagnetism, and are still being studied by modern-day researchers. Prepared by Scherzer and first published in English in 1861–3, this is a compelling three-volume account of the mission, remaining relevant to scholars interested in naval exploration and the history of science. Opening with the guidance given by Alexander von Humboldt prior to the expedition, Volume 1 covers the leg between Europe and India. It includes notes on the social structure of the populations encountered, and on the local flora and fauna.

A Voyage of Discovery, into the South Sea and Beering's Straits, for the Purpose of Exploring a North-East Passage
  • Undertaken in the Years 1815–1818, at the Expense of His Highness the Chancellor of the Empire, Count Romanzoff, in the Ship Rurick
  • Volume 3
  • Otto von Kotzebue
  • Translated by H. E. Lloyd
  • Published online:
    05 September 2014
    Print publication:
    06 May 2013
    First published in:
    1821
  • An admirer of Captain Cook, Otto von Kotzebue (1787–1846) was a leading navigator, in Russian service, circumnavigating the globe three times. His 1815 expedition set out to find a passage through the Arctic, study the coastlines of Kamchatka and Alaska, and explore the Pacific. Among the personnel were the naturalist Chamisso and the artist Choris, who both contributed valuable information to the published account, while Eschscholtz, a physician, collected zoological specimens. Originally published in 1821 in Russian and German, this English translation, presented with many plates and charts, appeared the same year and formed part of Darwin's library aboard the Beagle. Volume 3 continues with Chamisso's detailed observations as well as contributions by other members of the expedition. Flora and fauna are identified, mineral samples taken, and aerometric readings recorded along with the temperature of the sea.

Narrative of the Circumnavigation of the Globe by the Austrian Frigate Novara
  • Undertaken by Order of the Imperial Government, in the Years 1857, 1858, and 1859
  • Volume 2
  • Karl von Scherzer
  • Published online:
    05 August 2014
    Print publication:
    27 June 2013
    First published in:
    1862
  • Joined by seven eminent natural scientists, including Karl von Scherzer (1821–1903), the Austrian naval expedition of 1857–9 was remarkable for its globe-spanning scale. During the course of the voyage, the naturalists collected an abundance of samples which contributed to several scientific discoveries, including the isolation of cocaine in its pure form. Some of the investigations also revolutionised knowledge in such fields as geology, oceanography, hydrography and geomagnetism, and are still being studied by modern-day researchers. Prepared by Scherzer and first published in English in 1861–3, this is a compelling three-volume account of the mission, remaining relevant to scholars interested in naval exploration and the history of science. Volume 2 covers the leg from India to Australia, with notes on the Nicobar Islands, Singapore, Java, Manila, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Pacific archipelagos.

Narrative of the Circumnavigation of the Globe by the Austrian Frigate Novara
  • Undertaken by Order of the Imperial Government, in the Years 1857, 1858, and 1859
  • Volume 3
  • Karl von Scherzer
  • Published online:
    05 August 2014
    Print publication:
    27 June 2013
    First published in:
    1863
  • Joined by seven eminent natural scientists, including Karl von Scherzer (1821–1903), the Austrian naval expedition of 1857–9 was remarkable for its globe-spanning scale. During the course of the voyage, the naturalists collected an abundance of samples which contributed to several scientific discoveries, including the isolation of cocaine in its pure form. Some of the investigations also revolutionised knowledge in such fields as geology, oceanography, hydrography and geomagnetism, and are still being studied by modern-day researchers. Prepared by Scherzer and first published in English in 1861–3, this is a compelling three-volume account of the mission, remaining relevant to scholars interested in naval exploration and the history of science. Volume 3 includes notes on Sydney, Auckland, Tahiti, the coastal cities of South and Central America, and the journey back to Europe, as well as reflections by the author on the achievements of the expedition.

History of Merchant Shipping and Ancient Commerce
  • Volume 3
  • W. S. Lindsay
  • Published online:
    05 June 2014
    Print publication:
    28 February 2013
    First published in:
    1876
  • The shipowner and politician William Schaw Lindsay (1816–77) combined a wealth of personal experience with a meticulous approach to research. Originally published in 1874–6, this is his authoritative four-volume history of the world of ships and maritime trade. Its coverage ranges from the legend of Noah's Ark, through ancient commerce and the colonising expeditions of the middle ages, to the progress brought about by the introduction of steam to the shipping of Lindsay's own day. Details on construction and performance sit alongside explanations of the customs and superstitions of seamen, complemented by full accounts of many important nautical events. Volume 3 describes the extraordinary progress made by the United States of America in the first half of the nineteenth century, discusses Cromwell's Navigation Acts and the causes and effects of their abolition, and concludes with a warning against excessive legislation. Lindsay's practical knowledge and enthusiasm for his subject are evident throughout the work.

History of Merchant Shipping and Ancient Commerce
  • Volume 4
  • W. S. Lindsay
  • Published online:
    05 June 2014
    Print publication:
    28 February 2013
    First published in:
    1876
  • The shipowner and politician William Schaw Lindsay (1816–77) combined a wealth of personal experience with a meticulous approach to research. Originally published in 1874–6, this is his authoritative four-volume history of the world of ships and maritime trade. Its coverage ranges from the legend of Noah's Ark, through ancient commerce and the colonising expeditions of the middle ages, to the progress brought about by the introduction of steam to the shipping of Lindsay's own day. Details on construction and performance sit alongside explanations of the customs and superstitions of seamen, complemented by full accounts of many important nautical events. Volume 4 describes the changes produced by the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 and charts the rise of steam propulsion and its implications for modern-day commerce. Lindsay's practical knowledge and enthusiasm for his subject are evident throughout the work.

History of Merchant Shipping and Ancient Commerce
  • Volume 1
  • W. S. Lindsay
  • Published online:
    05 June 2014
    Print publication:
    28 February 2013
    First published in:
    1874
  • The shipowner and politician William Schaw Lindsay (1816–77) combined a wealth of personal experience with a meticulous approach to research. Originally published in 1874–6, this is his authoritative four-volume history of the world of ships and maritime trade. Its coverage ranges from the legend of Noah's Ark, through ancient commerce and the colonising expeditions of the middle ages, to the progress brought about by the introduction of steam to the shipping of Lindsay's own day. Details on construction and performance sit alongside explanations of the customs and superstitions of seamen, complemented by full accounts of many important nautical events. Volume 1 encompasses shipping in the ancient world, the foundation of a royal and commercial navy in England, and tales of the Norman invasion and the Crusades to the Holy Land, ending with Christopher Columbus' voyages of discovery. Evident throughout the work are Lindsay's practical knowledge and enthusiasm for his subject.

History of Merchant Shipping and Ancient Commerce
  • Volume 2
  • W. S. Lindsay
  • Published online:
    05 June 2014
    Print publication:
    28 February 2013
    First published in:
    1874
  • The shipowner and politician William Schaw Lindsay (1816–77) combined a wealth of personal experience with a meticulous approach to research. Originally published in 1874–6, this is his authoritative four-volume history of the world of ships and maritime trade. Its coverage ranges from the legend of Noah's Ark, through ancient commerce and the colonising expeditions of the middle ages, to the progress brought about by the introduction of steam to the shipping of Lindsay's own day. Details on construction and performance sit alongside explanations of the customs and superstitions of seamen, complemented by full accounts of many important nautical events. Volume 2 encompasses Vasco da Gama's expeditions, the Spanish Armada, and a discussion of the varying fortunes of the East India Company. Evident throughout the work are Lindsay's practical knowledge and enthusiasm for his subject.

A Voyage to China and the East Indies
  • Together with a Voyage to Suratte, and an Account of the Chinese Husbandry, to Which Are Added, a Faunula and Flora Sinensis
  • Volume 2
  • Pehr Osbeck, Olof Torén, Carl Gustaf Ekeberg
  • Translated by Johann Reinhold Forster
  • Published online:
    05 March 2014
    Print publication:
    05 September 2013
    First published in:
    1771
  • A student of Carl Linnaeus, Pehr Osbeck (1723–1805) was a Swedish explorer, naturalist and chaplain. He travelled to Asia in 1750–2 and brought back some six hundred specimens that were included in Linnaeus' Species Plantarum (1753). His account of his voyage was published in Swedish in 1757, in German in 1765, and here in English in 1771, edited and translated by Johann Reinhold Forster (1729–98). This two-volume work also includes letters to Linnaeus by another pupil, Olof Torén (1718–53), who also travelled to the East in the early 1750s, as well as a paper on Chinese husbandry by Carl Gustaf Ekeberg (1716–84). Ekeberg made ten trips to China and India between 1742 and 1778, becoming a captain in the Swedish East India Company. He too brought back numerous specimens for Linnaeus. Volume 2 contains the conclusion of Osbeck's account, the pieces by Torén and Ekeberg, and a catalogue of animals and plants native to China.

A Voyage to China and the East Indies
  • Together with a Voyage to Suratte, and an Account of the Chinese Husbandry, to Which Are Added, a Faunula and Flora Sinensis
  • Volume 1
  • Pehr Osbeck, Olof Torén, Carl Gustaf Ekeberg
  • Translated by Johann Reinhold Forster
  • Published online:
    05 March 2014
    Print publication:
    29 August 2013
    First published in:
    1771
  • A student of Carl Linnaeus, Pehr Osbeck (1723–1805) was a Swedish explorer, naturalist and chaplain. He travelled to Asia in 1750–2 and brought back some six hundred specimens that were included in Linnaeus' Species Plantarum (1753). His account of his voyage was published in Swedish in 1757, in German in 1765, and here in English in 1771, edited and translated by Johann Reinhold Forster (1729–98). This two-volume work also includes letters to Linnaeus by another pupil, Olof Torén (1718–53), who also travelled to the East in the early 1750s, as well as a paper on Chinese husbandry by Carl Gustaf Ekeberg (1716–84). Ekeberg made ten trips to China and India between 1742 and 1778, becoming a captain in the Swedish East India Company. He too brought back numerous specimens for Linnaeus. Volume 1, however, is given over entirely to Osbeck's narrative.

A Voyage to Madagascar, and the East Indies
  • To Which Is Added M. Brunel's Memoir on the Chinese Trade
  • Alexis-Marie de Rochon
  • Translated by Joseph Trapp
  • Published online:
    05 March 2014
    Print publication:
    22 August 2013
    First published in:
    1792
  • Published in English translation in 1793, this was the first study of Madagascar by a European. A member of the Académie des Sciences, Alexis-Marie de Rochon (1741–1817) was a distinguished French physicist, astronomer and traveller. He was involved in scientific voyages of discovery in the 1770s, conducting a hydrographic survey of the Indian Ocean. The present account was intended to show the advantages of French settlement in Madagascar and includes details of geography, anthropology and agriculture. In discussing cocoa and sugar, Rochon outlines the potential advantages of steam engines in sugar factories. He also provides an exploration history of the region and an interesting account of colonial leaders, notably Maurice Benyovszky (1746–86), the explorer-adventurer who was appointed governor of Madagascar by Louis XV. The work also includes a 'Memoir of the Chinese Trade', which details the many products traded between Europe and China in the late eighteenth century.

The Progress of Maritime Discovery
  • From the Earliest Period to the Close of the Eighteenth Century, Forming an Extensive System of Hydrography
  • James Stanier Clarke
  • Published online:
    05 March 2014
    Print publication:
    02 December 2010
    First published in:
    1803
  • James Stanier Clarke (c.1766–1834) was a chaplain and naval author. An associate of the Prince of Wales, Clarke was a naval chaplain before being appointed chaplain at Carlton House. He is best remembered for founding the Naval Chronicle with his colleague John McArthur, and published various scholarly works concerning the British Navy. This volume, first published in 1803, contains Clarke's study of early navigational methods and naval history. Originally conceived as the first volume of a multi-volume work encompassing the development of maritime technology until the eighteenth century, this volume focuses on early navigational methods and discoveries in antiquity and the Medieval periods until 1498. Arranged chronologically according to civilisation or country, Clarke describes in detail the navigational methods and naval discoveries of early societies. This volume provides an example of the interest in naval history following the British Navy's successes during the early French Revolutionary Wars.

A Directory for the Navigation of the Pacific Ocean, with Descriptions of its Coasts, Islands, etc.
  • From the Strait of Magalhaens to the Arctic Sea, and Those of Asia and Australia
  • Volume 2
  • A. G. Findlay
  • Published online:
    05 March 2014
    Print publication:
    28 March 2013
    First published in:
    1851
  • The English geographer and hydrographer Alexander George Findlay (1812–75) had observed that navigators of his time had to consult a considerable number of documents to gather the information they needed to sail the Pacific Ocean safely. Not only was this highly impractical, it also exposed seafarers to conflicting information that could lead to their demise. First published in 1851, this two-volume nautical directory, compiled by Findlay from reputable sources, provided seamen with a single comprehensive and authoritative reference work. This second volume focuses on navigating the islands and archipelagos of the Pacific and also contains detailed information on the winds, currents, tides and other physical phenomena of the Pacific, as well as general sailing directions. An invaluable resource for navigators of the nineteenth century, this work remains of great interest to geographers and scholars of nautical history.

A Directory for the Navigation of the Pacific Ocean, with Descriptions of its Coasts, Islands, etc.
  • From the Strait of Magalhaens to the Arctic Sea, and Those of Asia and Australia
  • Volume 1
  • A. G. Findlay
  • Published online:
    05 March 2014
    Print publication:
    28 March 2013
    First published in:
    1851
  • The English geographer and hydrographer Alexander George Findlay (1812–75) had observed that navigators of his time had to consult a considerable number of documents to gather the information they needed to sail the Pacific Ocean safely. Not only was this highly impractical, it also exposed seafarers to conflicting information that could lead to their demise. First published in 1851, this two-volume nautical directory, compiled by Findlay from reputable sources, provided seamen with a single comprehensive and authoritative reference work. This first volume covers the shores of the Pacific and is a collection of nautical coordinates, sailing instructions and detailed descriptions of the topography of the coastlines, as well as the winds, currents and tides affecting them. An invaluable resource for navigators of the nineteenth century, this work remains of great interest to geographers and scholars of nautical history.

A Voyage to the South Sea, for the Purpose of Conveying the Bread-fruit Tree to the West Indies
  • In His Majesty's Ship the Bounty, Commanded by Lieutenant William Bligh
  • William Bligh
  • Published online:
    05 March 2014
    Print publication:
    28 March 2013
    First published in:
    1792
  • During the voyage of HMS Bounty from Tahiti to bring the breadfruit plant to the West Indies, Fletcher Christian led what became the most infamous mutiny in seafaring history. Perhaps better known today through Hollywood depictions, the story of the events surrounding the date of 28 April 1789 is told here by William Bligh (1754–1817), the ship's commander. This reissue includes as an appendix Bligh's first narrative of the mutiny, published in haste in 1790 with the intention of following it with a separate account of the events leading up to the mutiny. The main text comprises the revised, fuller version he published instead in 1792, citing 'the manifest convenience' of having everything in one continuous narrative. The reasons behind the mutiny remain to this day a subject of debate. Undeniable, however, is that Bligh's is a remarkable tale of seamanship and survival.

A Voyage of Discovery, into the South Sea and Beering's Straits, for the Purpose of Exploring a North-East Passage
  • Undertaken in the Years 1815–1818, at the Expense of His Highness the Chancellor of the Empire, Count Romanzoff, in the Ship Rurick
  • Volume 1
  • Otto von Kotzebue
  • Translated by H. E. Lloyd
  • Published online:
    05 March 2014
    Print publication:
    06 May 2013
    First published in:
    1821
  • An admirer of Captain Cook, Otto von Kotzebue (1787–1846) was a leading navigator, in Russian service, circumnavigating the globe three times. His 1815 expedition set out to find a passage through the Arctic, study the coastlines of Kamchatka and Alaska, and explore the Pacific. Among the personnel were the naturalist Chamisso and the artist Choris, who both contributed valuable information to the published account, while Eschscholtz, a physician, collected zoological specimens. Originally published in 1821 in Russian and German, this English translation, presented with many plates and charts, appeared the same year and formed part of Darwin's library aboard the Beagle. Volume 1 details the expedition's inception and presents the journal of the voyage, with observations of Cape Horn, Polynesia, Siberia, Alaska, California, and Hawaii. Meteorological details are regularly recorded, but this account is notable for its vivid descriptions of the peoples encountered.

Sunshine and Storm in the East
  • Or, Cruises to Cyprus and Constantinople
  • Annie Brassey
  • Published online:
    05 September 2013
    Print publication:
    23 December 2010
    First published in:
    1880
  • Anna, Lady Brassey (1839–1887) was an English travel writer and philanthropist best known for her vivid accounts of ocean journeys undertaken with her family. Her husband was a Civil Lord of the Admiralty who made many ocean voyages by steam yacht to test this new technology. Anna Brassey's description of these travels led to her becoming a best-selling author. In 1874 and 1878 the Brasseys sailed around the Mediterranean and as far as Constantinople in the Sunbeam. Her account of the voyages, with many delightful illustrations, is vividly written in considerable detail. It mixes exotic descriptions of people and places with lively accounts of domestic life on board. Inconveniences are made light of, and she relishes new experiences and acquaintances, showing none of the condescension towards foreigners often exhibited by Victorian travellers. For more information on this author, see http://orlando.cambridge.org/public/svPeople?person_id=brasan

Narrative of a Voyage to the Ethiopic and South Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Chinese Sea, North and South Pacific Oceans in the Years 1829, 1830, 1831
  • Abby Jane Morrell
  • Published online:
    05 May 2013
    Print publication:
    14 June 2012
    First published in:
    1833
  • Abby Jane Morrell (b. 1809) was the wife of ship captain and explorer Benjamin Morrell (1795–1839). During the nineteenth century it became more common for women to join their husbands on voyages, and Abby insisted on accompanying her husband on his fourth voyage. They left America for the Pacific in 1829 on board the Antarctic, which visited the Auckland Islands and Pacific Islands in search of commercial gain, before returning via the Azores in 1831. First published in 1833, this is Abby's account of their journey. It was ghostwritten by the American author Samuel Knapp (1783−1838) and followed the publication of Benjamin Morrell's own account as part of A Narrative of Four Voyages (also reissued in this series). It includes an account of the violent conflicts with the inhabitants of some of the Pacific Islands, and also contains Abby's comments on the 'amelioration of the condition of American Seamen'.

Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia, Performed between the Years 1818 and 1822
  • With an Appendix Containing Various Subjects Relating to Hydrography and Natural History
  • Volume 2
  • Phillip Parker King
  • Published online:
    05 May 2013
    Print publication:
    26 April 2012
    First published in:
    1827
  • This two-volume work by Captain Phillip Parker King (1791–1856) was published in 1827, and describes the Royal Navy's 1817–22 surveying expedition to chart the coastal regions of Australia. King carried out the surveys in two successive ships, the Mermaid, which was declared unseaworthy in 1820, and the newly commissioned Bathurst. He worked on the charts, which were published by the Hydrographic Office, for two years after his return to England. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society, and later undertook a similar surveying voyage, in which he was accompanied by Captain Fitzroy on the Beagle, around the coast of South America. The book is derived from the author's journal, and describes not only the voyages but also the towns and settlements of the region. Volume 2 continues the survey along the north and west coasts of Australia, and contains an appendix describing winds, currents, ports and islands.

Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia, Performed between the Years 1818 and 1822
  • With an Appendix Containing Various Subjects Relating to Hydrography and Natural History
  • Volume 1
  • Phillip Parker King
  • Published online:
    05 May 2013
    Print publication:
    26 April 2012
    First published in:
    1827
  • This two-volume work by Captain Phillip Parker King (1791–1856) was published in 1827, and describes the Royal Navy's 1817–22 surveying expedition to chart the coastal regions of Australia. King carried out the surveys in two successive ships, the Mermaid, which was declared unseaworthy in 1820, and the newly commissioned Bathurst. He worked on the charts, which were published by the Hydrographic Office, for two years after his return to England. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society, and later undertook a similar surveying voyage, in which he was accompanied by Captain Fitzroy on the Beagle, around the coast of South America. The book is derived from the author's journal, and describes not only the voyages but also the towns and settlements and the natural history of the region, often making comparisons with Captain Cook's account. Volume 1 covers the south, east and north coasts of Australia.

Page 4 of 6