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Explorers' and Travelers' Narratives: A Peregrination Through Different Editions*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 May 2014

I.S. MacLaren
I.S. MacLaren*
Affiliation:
University of Alberta
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Extract

Researchers keen to examine the representation of native people in European accounts of exploration and travel need bring under review the mechanism by which field notes became books, and, once they were books, the multiplicity and diffusion of editions, often themselves quite different from one another. An example that illustrates well this need is British Royal Naval Captain James Cook's posthumously published account of his third voyage to the Pacific Ocean in the years 1776-80. The standard scholarly source is J.C. Beaglehole's monumental edition, The Journals of Captain James Cook on His Voyages of Discovery (1955-74), a twenty-year editing project for the Hakluyt Society, which made available for the first time Cook's own writings until his death at Kealakekua Bay, Sandwich Islands (Hawaii), on 14 February 1779, during the third voyage. However, the need for Beaglehole's project arose, according to the president of the Hakluyt Society, because the original publications differed very widely from Cook's own writings. They were “official” accounts, published by order of George III, and they performed that always interesting exercise—they “improved” on Cook's own writings. It is well known that Cook did not prepare his journals for the press: in the case of the first two voyages to the Pacific, this was his choice. In the case of the third, the choice was not his to make, he being five years deceased. How wide are those differences?

In the case of Cook's description of a month-long mooring in Nootka Sound, on the west coast of Vancouver Island, do substantive differences occur between Cook's logs and journal and Bishop John Douglas' edition? Answering that question necessarily involves consulting first editions of the various published accounts.

Type
Research Article
Information
History in Africa , Volume 30 , 2003 , pp. 213 - 222
Copyright
Copyright © African Studies Association 2003

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Footnotes

*

The present paper is a revised version of one published originally in Facsimile (Newsletter of the Canadian Institute of Historical Microreproductions[henceforth CIHM]), no. 12 (November 1994), 8-16.

References

1 Beaglehole, J.C., ed., The Journals of Captain James Cook on His Voyages of Discovery. 5 vols. in 4, Hakluyt Society Extra Series nos. XXXIV-XXXVII (Cambridge, 1955–1974), 1:vGoogle Scholar.

2 [Douglas, John, ed.], A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean. Undertaken, By the Command of His Majesty, for Making Discoveries in the Northern Hemisphere … Written by Captain James Cook …, 3 vols. and Atlas (London: Printed by W. and A. Strahan, for G. Nicol and T. Cadell, 1784)Google Scholar. ( CIHM 34921-34925; see note 16 below).

3 [Douglas, John, ed.], A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean … Being a copious, comprehensive, and satisfactory Abridgement…, 4 vols., vol. I (London: Printed for John Fielding, 1785 [sic]), vols. II-IV (London: Printed for John Stockdale, Scatchard and Whitaker, John Fielding, and John Hardy, 1784), CIHM 17638-17642Google Scholar; and Compendious History of Captain Cook's Last Voyage Performed in the Years 1776, 1777, 1778, I779 and 1780; in Which all the Interesting Transactions are Recorded, Particularly those relative to his Unfortunate Death … (London: Printed for G. Kearsley, 1784), CIHM 17672Google Scholar.

4 (3 vols. and atlas: Dublin: Printed for H. Chamberlaine et al., 1784), CIHM 42432-42436.

5 (3 vols. and atlas: London: Printed by H. Hughs, for G. Nicol, and T. Cadell, 1785), CIHM 48501-48505.

6 Captain Cook's Third and Last Voyage to the Pacific Ocean, In the Years 1776. 1777. 1778. 1779 and 1780 (London: Printed for John Fielding and John Stockdale, [1785])Google Scholar; CIHM 17480.

7 Jean-Nicolas, Démeunier, trans., Troisième Voyage de Cook, on Voyage à l'Océan Pacifique, ordonné par le roi d'Angleterre … (8 vols.: Paris: Hôtel de Thou, 1785), CIHM 17643-17651Google Scholar.

8 Troisieme Voyage abrégé du capitaine Cook, dans l'Océan Pacifique… (3 vols.: Paris: Chez Moutard, 1785), CIHM 17689-17692Google Scholar.

9 [Hawkesworth, John, ed.], An Account of the Voyages undertaken by the Order of His Present Majesty for Making Discoveries in the Southern Hemisphere (3 vols.: London: Printed for W. Strahan and T. Cadell, 1773), CIHM 35754-35757Google Scholar. [Douglas, John, ed.], A Voyage towards the South Pole and round the World: Performed in His Majesty's Ships Resolution and Adventure, in the Years 1772, 1773, 1774, and 1775 (2 vols.: London: Printed for W. Strahan and T. Cadell, 1777)Google Scholar; CIHM 76488-76490.

10 Other relevant editions are too numerous to note here. Of other useful first translations of the first edition or abridgement, there ore the following: Capitain Cook's Dritte und Letzke Reise, oder Geschichte einer Entdeckungsreise nach dem Stillen Ocean … (5 vols.: Anspach: Kosten des Uebersetzers gedruckt mit messerischen Schriften, 1787–1812), CIHM 17787-17792Google Scholar; Reis naar den Stillen Oceaan, ondernomen op bevel van zyne Brittanische Majesteit, George de Derde (Rotterdam: A. Bothall and D. Vis, 1788), CIHM 17486Google Scholar; Storia dei Viaggi intrapresi der Ordine di S.M. Britainnica del capitano Giacomo Cook (8 vols.: Torino: Presso Ignazio Soffietti Stampatore e Francesco Prato Librajo, 1791–1792), CIHM 17879-17887Google Scholar.

11 Douglas, John, “Autobiography” (1776–1796)Google Scholar, British Library, Egerton MS 2181: ff.48-49v, quoted in Beaglehole, , ed., The Journals of Captain James Cook on His Voyages of Discovery: III The Voyage of the Resolution and Discovery 1776-1780: Part One, cxcixGoogle Scholar.

12 Ibid., 297.

13 [Douglas, , ed.], A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean. Undertaken … (1784), 2:271, with emphasis addedGoogle Scholar.

14 [Douglas, , ed.], A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean … Being a copious, comprehensive, and satisfactory Abridgement…, title page, 2:211Google Scholar.

15 Troisième Voyage de Cook, on Voyage à l'Océan Pacifiqne, Ordonné par le Roi Angleterre (1785) V538.

16 It goes almost without saying that those unauthorized, unofficial accounts, published by junior officers prior and subsequent to the appearance of the official narrative, need also to be checked. For patrons of research libraries holding the complete set of microfiches produced from the ongoing Canadian Institute for Historical Mircoreproductions project, this check is rendered easy. CIHM microfiches numbers have been provided with each reference in the present notes. As well, the CIHM websites are useful: http://www.canadiana.org/ and http://www.nlcbnc.ca/cihm/. Those junior officers' works include the following: Ellis, William, An Authentic Narrative of a Voyage Performed by Captain Cook … In Search of a North-West Passage… (2 vols.: London: Printed for G. Robinson … J Sewell … and J. Debrett, 1782), CIHM nos. 37248-37250Google Scholar; (2d. ed., 2 vols.: London: Printed for G. Robinson … J Sewell … and J. Debrett, 1783), CIHM 18793-18795; (3d ed., 2 vols.: London: Pr. for G. Robinson … J Sewell … and J. Debrctt, 1784), CIHM 18790-18792; Ellis, William, Zuverlässige Nachricht von der Dritten mid Letzten Rene der Capitains Cook mid Clerke … (Frankfurt and Leipzig: Auf Kosten der Verlags-Casse, 1783), CIHM 18626Google Scholar; Ledyard, John, A Journal of Captain Cook's Last Voyage to the Pacific Ocean… (Hartford, Conn.: Printed and sold by Nathaniel Patten, 1783), CIHM 18281Google Scholar; Rickman, John, Journal of Captain Cook's Last Voyage to the Pacific Ocean… (London: Printed for E. Newbery, 1781), CIHM 40645Google Scholar; Rickman, John, Troisième Voyage de Cook on Journal d'une expédition faite dans la mer Pacifique du sud et du nord…, (Paris: Chez Pissot, père & fils …, Laporte …, 1782), CIHM 18624Google Scholar; (2d. ed.: Paris: Chez Belin …, 1783), CIHM 18625; Zimmermann, Heinrich, Heinrich Zimmermanns von Wissloch in der Pfatz, Reise um die Welt, mil Capitain Cook (Mannheim: For C.F. Schwan, 1781), CIHM 44926Google Scholar; and Zimmermann, Heinrich, Dernier Voyage du Capitaine Cook autour du Monde …, (Berne: Chez la Nouvelle Société typographique, 1783), CIHM 44925Google Scholar.

17 [Douglas, , ed.], A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean. Undertaken …, 1:lxxvi–lxxviiGoogle Scholar. A check of the introduction to the abridged edition of 1784 shows an alteration of the adjective from “horrid” to “abominable.”

18 Hearne, Samuel, A Journey from Prince of Wales's Fort, in Hudson's Bay, to the Northern Ocean. Undertaken by Order of the Hudson's Bay Company, for the Discovery of Copper Mines, a North West Passage, &c. in the Years 1769, 1770, 1771, & 1772 (London: Printed for A. Strahan and T. Cadell, 1795)Google Scholar.

19 Ibid., [xx].

20 Ibid., 202.

21 Ibid., 201. The National Library of Canada's copy of Hearne's Journey (CIHM 35434) has “North” as both the catchword on page 201 and the first word of page 202, but on the latter it is struck out by hand, and “South” is written above it in pencil.

22 Glover, Richard, ed. and intro., A Journey from Prince of Wales's Fort in Hudson's Bay to the Northern Ocean 1769. 1770. 1771. 1772 (Toronto, 1958), 131Google Scholar.

23 “Mr. Hearne's Narrative,” British Library, Stowe MSS vol. 307, ff. 66-89; f80r; National Archives of Canada has a transcription of this narrative: MG 21, Stowe MS 307 FF-67-89 1791, 61 pp.; 37.

24 “Hearne's Journal 1770-72, from the Original in the Possession of the Hudson's Bay Company,” British Library, Dropmore Papers, Grenville MS. ADD.59237, 47 ff; f30r.

25 MacLaren, I.S., “Notes on Samuel Hearne's Journey from a Bibliographical Perspective”, Papers of the Bibliographical Society of Canada 31/2(Fall 1993), 21–45Google Scholar. Other essays by MacLaren pertaining to alterations between Hearne's and Cook's own writings and their books include “Samuel Hearne's Accounts of the Massacre at Bloody Fall, 17 July 1771,” Ariel 22/1(January 1991), 25–51Google Scholar; and “Exploration/Travel Literature and the Evolution of the Author,” International Journal of Canadian Studies/Revue Internationale d'études canadiennes no. 5(Spring 1992), 39–68Google Scholar.

26 Tyrrell, J.B., ed., A Journey from Prince of Wales's Fort in Hudson's Bay to the Northern Ocean in the Years 1769, 1770, 1771, and 1772. By Samuel Hearne (Toronto, 1911), 218Google Scholar.

27 Hearne, Samuel, A Journey from Prince of Wales's Fort (1795) facs. rpt. of the first edition, Biblioteca Australians #25, (Amsterdam, 1968), 202Google Scholar; Hearne: a Journey from Prince of Wales's Fort in Hudson's Bay to the Northern Ocean. Originally published as Champlain Society Publication VI (1911) (facsimile reprint)(New York, 1968), 218Google Scholar; Leslie H. Neatby, “Introduction to the New Edition,” in Hearne, A Journey from Prince of Wales's Fort in Hudson's Bay to the Northern Ocean. Undertaken by Order of the Hudson's Bay Company for the Discovery of Copper Mines, a North West Passage, &c. In the Years 1769, 1770, 1771, & 1772; (facsimile reprint of the first edition [Edmonton, 1971], 202.

28 Obviously, it was imperative to check as widely as possible for copies of the first edition to see if any of them showed incorporations of this or any other erratum. Seventy copies, held either privately or by institutional and public libraries in North America and abroad, were consulted.

29 Hearne, Samuel, A Journey from Prince of Wales's Fort, in Hudson's Bay, to the Northern Ocean. Undertaken by Order of the Hudson's Bay Company. For the Discovery of Copper Mines, a North West Passage, &c. in the Years 1769, 1770, 1771, & 1772 (Dublin: For P. Byrne and J. Rice, 1796), 201Google Scholar; CIHM 40172.

30 Landries van ‘t Prins van Wallis Fort aan Hudsons Baai, naar den Noorder-Oceaan. Ondernomen op bevel van de Maatschappij der Hudsons Baai, ter Ontdekkinge van Koper-Mijnen, een Noord-Westen Doortogt, enz. in de Jaren 1769, 1770, 1771 en 1772. Door Samuel Hearne. Uit bet Engelsch vertaald met Annmerkingen van Johann Reinhold Forster (2 vols.: The Hague: For J.C. Leeuwnstijn, 1798), 2:17Google Scholar; CIHM 18139-18141.

31 Samuel Hearnes Resa til Norra Americas ishaf, samt en Obekant Engelsmans Resor Bland Canadas Wildar, utgifne af Le Long: soamte Edvard Umfrevilles Beskrifning om Hudsons Baye och des Tilgroansande Wildar (Stockholm: For Johan Pfeiffer, 1798), 124Google Scholar; CIHM 17711.

32 Voyage de Samuel Hearne, du Fort du Prince de Galles dans la Baie de Hudson, a [sic] l'Océan Nord, Entrepris par Ordre de la Compagnie de la Baie de Hudson, dans les Années 1769, 1770, 1771, et 1772, et exécuté par Terre, pour la Découverte d'un Passage au Nord-Ouest. Traduit de l'Anglais, et Accompagné de Cartes et de Planches (2 vols.: Paris: Imprimerie de Patris, An VII [1799]), 1:131Google Scholar.

33 Journey from Fort Prince of Wales, in Hudson's Bay, to the Northern Ocean, for the Discovery of Copper Mines and a North-West Passage, Performed between the Years 1769 and 1772 by Mr. Samuel Hearne (Philadelphia: Joseph and James Crukshank, 1802), 73Google Scholar; CIHM 18327.

34 Samuel Hearne's Reise von dem Prinz von Wallis-fort and der Hudsons-Bay bis zn dem Eismeere, in den Jahren 1769 bis 1772. Aus dem Englischen übersetzt. Mit Anmerkungen von Johann Reinhold Forster, Professor der Naturgeschichte und Mineralogie in Halle, mit Glied der R. Dr. Akademie der Wissenschaften ec., Magazin von Merkwürdigen neuen Reisebeschreibungen, vol. 14 (Berlin: In der Vossichcn Buchhandlung, 1797), 186Google Scholar; CIHM 17710.