condensed discuss document expanded export feedback print share remove reset document_white enquire_white export_white report_white
discuss document export feedback print share gallery-landscape xml

A voyage round the world by way of the great South Sea: perform'd in the years 1719, 20, 21, 22, in the Speedwell of London, of 24 guns and 100 men, (under His Majesty's Commission to Cruize on the Spaniards in the late war with the Spanish Crown) till she was cast away on the island of Juan Fernandes, in May 1720; and afterwards continu'd in the recovery, the Jesus Maria and Sacra Familia, &c

documentary heritage
  • Other Name

    Shelvocke's voyage round the world -- [Spine title] (Alternate title)

  • Description

    his privately-funded privateering voyage sought to duplicate the success of Woodes Rogers' highly profitable voyage of 1708-1711. Shelvocke commanded the Speedwell and John Clipperton the Success on raids against Spanish shipping on the west coast of South America.

    Shelvocke soon slipped away to conduct his own raids in Peru and to sail up the coast to Cabo San Lucas where he remained for some months and wrote one of the earliest descriptions of the Indians of Baja California. He also was one of the first to suggest the possibility of finding gold in California. Controversies surrounding the voyage began with his unjustified attack on a Portuguese merchantman, desertions and mutiny. It was while rounding Cape Horn that one of his crew shot an albatross, reported here and later read by William Wordsworth who surely relayed it to Coleridge. It became an inspiration for his Rime of the Ancient Mariner. After a quick crossing of the Pacific to Guam and Canton where Speedwell was sold, Shelvocke seems to have awarded himself more than double his share of the plunder. His return to England brought charges of piracy and embezzlement, and the publication of his account in 1726 brought charges of libel from his shipmate William Betagh who duly published his own account and rebuttal in 1728.--Christie's

  • Place
  • Other Id

    G925.S54 SHE 1726 (Library of Congress Call Number)

    38299 (Cat ID)

    71635 (DBTextworks system ID)

    31438 (Presto content ID)

  • Department

Images and documents

Catalogue

  • Object Type
  • Name/Title
    A voyage round the world by way of the great South Sea: perform'd in the years 1719, 20, 21, 22, in the Speedwell of London, of 24 guns and 100 men, (under His Majesty's Commission to Cruize on the Spaniards in the late war with the Spanish Crown) till she was cast away on the island of Juan Fernandes, in May 1720; and afterwards continu'd in the recovery, the Jesus Maria and Sacra Familia, &c
  • Other Name

    Shelvocke's voyage round the world -- [Spine title] (Alternate title)

  • Primary Maker
  • Contributor/Publisher
    Printed for J. Senex at the Globe against St Dunstan's Church, Fleet street; W. and J. Inny's, at the Prince's-Arms in St. Paul's Church-yard ; and J. Osborn and T. Longman, at the Ship in Pater-noster Row
  • Place
  • Date
    1726
  • Physical Description

    [8], xxxii, [4], 468 pages, [5] plates : illustrations, folded map, plates (part fold.) ; 20 cm

  • Language
    English
  • Collection
  • Level of Current Record
    Bib record
  • Member Object

    1 item in this collection. View all items.

  • Subject Category
  • Provenance Details
    Hand written note on inside of back cover that reads: "Perfect B. Quaritch Ltd" which is likely to be from bookseller Bernard Quartich Ltd.
  • Content
    The Contents.
    Chap. I. Our out-set from England ; account of our separation from our Consort ; transactions amongst the Canary and Cape de Verd Islands, and Voyage continu?d as far as the island of St. Catharines on the coast of Brasil
    Chap. II. Arrival at the Island of St. Catharines on the coast of Brasil, in the Latitude of 26 deg. 30 min. South, and remarkable transactions there.
    Voyage from thence continu?d all along the Coast of Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego, and passage through the Straights of Le Mair, with all the remarkable occurrences till we arriv?d at the Island of Chiloe on the Coast of Chili.
    Chap. III. Arrival at the Island of Chiloe, on the Coast of Chili ; our most remarkable transactions there, and the description of the place and inhabitants.
    Voyage continued from thence to the Bay of Conception, in the Latitude of 36 deg. 40 min. South on the Coast of Chili
    Chap. VI. Arrival in the Bay of Conception, in the Latitude of 36 deg. 40 min. South on the Coast of Chili, and transactions whilst we lay there
    Bay of Conception describ?d
    Voyage continu?d from thence to the Island of Juan Fernandes, and from thence to Copiapo ; and from thence to Arica , in the Latitude of 18 deg. 25 min. South on the Coast of Peru
    Chap. V. Arrival in the Road of Arica, in the Latitude of 18 deg. 25 min. South on the Coast of Peru, and the transactions there.
    Arica describ?d
    Voyage continu?d from Arica along the Coast of Peru to Payta, in the latitude of 5 deg. 15 min. South on the same Coast, and the remarkable incidents in that passage. The Islands of Lobos describ?d.
    Chap. VI. Arrival in the Cove of Payta on the Coast of Peru. An Account of our transactions there, particularly of our taking the town of Payta, and engagement with the Spanish Admiral in that harbour
    Voyage continu?d from thence to the Southward, as far as the Island of Juan Fernandes
    Second arrival at the Island of Juan Fernandes, where we were shipwreck?d upon it
    Our manner of living on the Island of Juan Fernandes.
    Description of the Island of Juan Fernandes, in the Latitude of 33 deg. 30 min. South, 90 leagues from the Coast of Chili
    Departure from the Island of Juan Fernandes in the Bark we built there, called the Recovery ; with our engagements and most remarkable incidents in her, particularly (p. 267) our taking the Lieutenancy of Iquique ; and a description of the Island of that name, on the coast of Peru
    Chap. VIII. Arrival in the road for Pulco, in the Latitude of 13 deg. 45 min. South of the Coast of Peru, where we took a Spanish Ship call?d the Jesus Maria
    Voyage continu?d in the Jesus Maria, along the Coast of Peru, till our Second arrival at Payta
    Chap. IX. Our second arrival in the Cove of Payta, in the latitude of 5 deg. 15 min. South on the Coast of Peru, which Town we took a second time by Stratagem, &C.
    Description of the Town of Payta, &c.
    Voyage continu?d to the island of Gorgona, and from thence to the Island of Quibo, on the cCost of Mexico.
    Chap. X. Arrival at the island of Quibo, in the latitude of 7 deg. 30 min. North on the Western Coast of Mexico. Our transactions both there and at Point Mariato, in the Gulf of St. Martin
    Voyage continu?d along the Coast of Mexico
    Meet Captain Clipperton in the Success, after two years separation. Some incidents which happen?d in their Voyage ; and our transactions with Captain Clipperton afterwards. And an account of our several distresses on the Coast of Mexico, till we arriv?d in the road of Sonfonnate
    Chap. XI. Arrival in the Road of Sonfonnate. In the Latitude of 13 deg. North on the Coast of Mexico, where we took a Spanish ship call?d the Sacra Familia ; and an account of all our transactions in that Road
    Voyage continu?d to the South Eastward down the Coast of Mexico, in the Sacra Familia, which we had exhang?d for the Jesus Maria
    Arrival in the Gulph of Amapala, and the disappointment we met with there, and we suffer?d thereupon till our arrival at the island of Cano, in the latitude of 9 deg. 00 min. North on the Coast of Mexico ; from whence we go a second time to the island of Quibo
    Chap. XII. Second arrival at the Island of Quibo, in the latitude of 7 deg. 30 min. North on the Coast of Mexico
    Description of the Island of Quibo, and Canal Bueno
    Voyage continu?d from Quibo into the Bay of Panama, with all the remarkable occurrences in that passage, but particularly out being attack?d by a Spanish Ship call?d the Conception de Recova, but in the end we take her. Voyage continu?d afterwards back again to Cano, and from thence to the Islands of Tres Maria, and Puerto Seguro in California, in the Latitude of 23 deg. 5 min. North ; With some remarks on the winds and currents on the Coast of Mexico
    Chap. XIII. Arrival in Puerto Sergo in Californica, and an account of whatever remarkable happen?d whilst we were there
    Description of the Southernmost part of California and its inhabitants
    Chap. XIV. Containing some remarks on the passage into the Great South Sea, and some instructions to such as may for the future go to cruise on the Western Coasts of North and South America
    Chap. XV. Transactions in our passage between Puerto Seguro in California and the River of Canton in China
    Chap. XVI. Arrival in the River of Canton and transactions there
    Chap. XVII. Containing an account of our passage for China into England in the Cadogan East-India Man, commanded by Captain John Hill.
  • Public Access Text

    [Keywords: Indonesia--Discovery and exploration]

    Title page vignette. Frontispiece folded world map in two hemispheres, each 15 cm. diameter, showing an incomplete north-west North America, California as an island, New Guinea joined to a sketchy Australia, and the Tasman view of New Zealand (i.e. Taranaki coast joined to the top of the North Island), and no indication of Antarctica. ESTC: T86937.

  • Associated Notes

    https://books.google.co.nz/books?id=SGDQAAAAMAAJ

    Digitised copy available to read online via Google Books (accessed 24/11/2021)

  • Subject Notes
    George Shelvocke (baptised 1 April 1675 - 30 November 1742) was an English Royal Navy officer and later privateer who in 1726 wrote A Voyage Round the World by Way of the Great South Sea based on his exploits. It includes an account of how his second captain, Simon Hatley, shot an albatross off Cape Horn, an incident which provided the dramatic motive in Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. -- Wikipedia page.
  • Collection Type
    Reserve Collection
  • Copyright
    All rights reserved
  • Last Update
    19 Dec 2023
The development of the Auckland War Memorial Museum online collection is an ongoing process; updates, new images and records are added weekly. In some cases, records have yet to be confirmed by Museum staff, and there could be mistakes or omissions in the information provided.

The gift of curiosity

With unlimited free entry to all paid exhibitions, discounted event tickets and exclusive Member-only events, a Museum Membership is the gift that keeps on giving year-round.

SEE OPTIONS FROM $60

The gift of curiosity