Rare books from D W Carson

LIONEL WAFER was a pirate-surgeon, prowling the West Indies and South Seas with the likes of William Dampier, Basil Ringrose, William Ambrosia Cowley, Captain Bartholomew Sharp and Captain Edward Cook. He chose the life of a buccaneer in 1679 when he abandoned his medical practice in Port Royal to join a pirate crew intent on sacking Panama City. This fateful decision would lead to a decade of dangerous undertakings.
IN 1681, while crossing from the Pacific to Atlantic side of the Isthmus of Darien, Dr. Wafer had his knee burned to the bone in a tragic gunpowder-drying incident. Left by his companions, he rested and recovered in the company of the so-called wild Cuna Indians. He spent four months among them, learning their language and customs, and culminating in his famous description of the Cuna and their country.
Written from memory, this volume contains Wafer's own account of his voyage and adventures and provides a unique first-hand glimpse into the pirating and sailing life of the… Read More

George Anson was a Royal Navy officer. Anson served as a junior officer during the War of the Spanish Succession and then saw active service against Spain at the Battle of Cape Passaro during the War of the Quadruple Alliance. He then undertook a circumnavigation of the globe during the War of Jenkins' Ear. Anson commanded the fleet that defeated the French Admiral de la Jonquière at the First Battle of Cape Finisterre during the War of the Austrian Succession. Anson went on to be First Lord of the Admiralty during the Seven Years' War. Among his reforms were the removal of corrupt defense contractors, improved medical care, submitting a revision of the Articles of War to Parliament to tighten discipline throughout the Navy, uniforms for commissioned officers, the transfer of the Marines from Army to Navy authority, and a system for rating ships according to their number of guns.
Notes: Hard. ¾ leather with tan cloth. Cloth and leather very nice. Maps and 43 plates included. Text ink bleeding onto… Read More

HMS Challenger was a steam-assisted Royal Navy Pearl-class corvette launched on 13 February 1858 at the Woolwich Dockyard. She was the flagship of the Australia Station between 1866 and 1870.
As part of the North America and West Indies Station she took part in 1862 in operations during the Second French intervention in Mexico, including the occupation of Veracruz. Assigned as the flagship of Australia Station in 1866, in 1868 she undertook a punitive expedition against Fiji in late 1870.
She was picked to undertake the first global marine research expedition: the Challenger expedition. Challenger carried a complement of 243 officers, scientists and crew when she embarked on her 68,890-nautical-mile (127,580 km) journey.
first edition. Hard. Octavo, 388pp., 24pp., large foldout map, text illustrations, green cloth with fine gilt ship pictured on front and gilt lettering. Hinges showing wear. Inside boards marbled. Very light foxing scattered throughout. "Hillbrow Rugby" to cover indicating that this… Read More

2 Vols. [132], 471; [126], 456 pages. Boards present but not covered. Scarce copy of early commentary by Juan Antonio Velazquez. Title-pages in red and black. Endpages wearing thin. Marbling to edge of book block. Inscribed on title page in ink. Pages and text nicely preserved from the period. No worming evident. Book block sound. Great candidate for restoration.