A Mariner’s Sketches.
(Ames, Nathaniel)
( 1830), Providence
20.5 cm. 312 pp.
Price: $250
First and only edition of a scarce and important book. “Ames was at sea for thirteen years… as a common sailor. Much of that time he sailed in the East Indies, but he made several excursions into the South Pacific Ocean, and left interesting accounts of the islands and of South America and India. When Herman Melville wrote about the South Seas, he annexed a new kingdom to the world of letters, his only possible forerunners being Nathaniel Ames… Richard Henry Dana… and John Ross Browne.” Hill (first edition) p. 5. This copy evenly foxed throughout, with occasional staining. Front blank removed. Bottom corner of page 5-6 torn with no loss. Pencil ownership inscription on front blank dated 1834. An untrimmed copy in publisher’s cloth over boards with spine label, and a scarce survival of a fragile publisher’s binding.
