With 61 copper-engraved plates & 2 folding copper-engraved maps. (folio) 22¼x16¼, modern ¾ morocco & marbled boards, spine tooled in gilt with sailing ship vignettes, raised bands, leather label.

The superb atlas volume to the account of James Cook's third and final voyage of exploration into the Pacific Ocean, where he met he tragic fate at the hands of the native of of Hawaii. The striking views from drawings by John Webber include depictions of Pacific islanders, coastal scenes of northwest America and its native residents, various artifacts, etc.; there is a large folding chart of the world, and a double-page chart of Alaska, Kamtchatka, the Bering Straight, etc. The famous plate depicting the death of Captain Cook was not issued with this first edition atlas, making its first appearance in the second. Bound into the front of the volume is a facsimile chart of Magellan's Straight; it was not issued with the atlas.