WITHOUT PREJUDICE

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 291, 8 September 1928, Page 8

WITHOUT PREJUDICE

NOTES AT; RANDOM

(Bj

T.D.H.)

“H.F.” writes Surely there is some mistake iu your statement that our local Public Library is consigning to tlie Hames such ancient volumes as Pinkerton’s ‘Collection of Voyages,’ Forster’s ‘Observations Made During a Voyage Round the World,’ and Forrest’s ‘Voyage to New Guinea,’ etc. Pinkerton's ‘Voyages’ were published in 17 volumes, and I doubt whether they could be replaced for less than £6 to £lO. Volume XI alone treats of the voyages of Dampier. Tasman, Cook and several others. Including M. Peron, whose expedition in ISOO gave such a lot of French nomenclature to Australia, in fact, the southern part of it was named Terre Napoleon.

“Let us hope that if a minor Louvain tragedy has really occurred that only a single volume is involved. Forster’s ‘Observations’ was published in one' volume, and could not well be replaced for less than £2. In a scattered way it treats largely of the natural history and physical geography of New Zealand, as seen and considered by this Professor of Natural History, lie remarked on New Zealand’s fresh water, impregnated with good vegetable matter, and that it kept remarkably well at sea. His son, a youth of 17 years, accompanied him in this second" voyage of Cook, ■ and, assisted by his father, produced in two volumes, ‘A Voyage Round the World in H.B.M. sloop Resolution.’

“It is in this work there is established beyond all doubt that Cook anchored off Port Nicholson entrance, and noted that there was evidently a considerable body of water inside, so much so as possibly making an island of the land area covered by Wellington to so far as Makara. Cook’s account of this is most unsatisfactory, and up to fourteen years ago misled many of our best local historians. Maggs Bros., London, in their recent book catalogue on ‘Australia and the Soutfi Seas,’ price Forrest’s ‘Voyage to New Guinea’ at £2 2s. to £3 10s. . If the condition of these works was good a most extraordinary blunder would seern to have been perpetuated in preparing them for tlie city destructor.”

Our correspondent is in error in supposing that only one or two books have gone to the destructor from the Public Library, for a very large clearance has been effected, apparently by tlie cartload. All the books referred to above, were in excellent condition. It would undoubtedly be a great improvement if, instead of destroying unwanted volumes, a cancelled stamp were put on the title page and the rejects offered for sale. In addition to the volumes previously mentioned T.D.H. noted in this single heap of rejects several others of more than ordinary interest awaiting incineration.

For instance, there was a copy of the first edition of Fremont’s “Narrative of an Exploring Expedition to the Rocky Mountains in 1842 and to Oregon arid North California in 1843-4.” This expedition is one of the most famous in American annals. Fremont, “the Pathfinder,” as he was nicknamed, and afterwards a candidate fois the Presidency, was accompanied by that famed hero of the West, Kit Carson, and one biographer says: “The daring and fortitude exhibited in this expedition among hostile savages and inhospitable deserts have hardly been surpassed in the records of human adventure.” The story of the expedition aroused the greatest interest in Washington, and fears arose that the valuable territory of California might be seized by Britain. To prevent this, Fremont was immediately sent back on another expedition, nominally for further exploration, but in reality to take possession of California, which he did by hoisting the Stars and Stripes near Monterey in San Francisco Bay in January, 1846, American forces arriving by sea soon after.

Another ancient tome on the dustheap with its covers removed ready for destruction was Colonel Symes’s “Account of an Embassy to the Kingdom of Ava in 1795 ” Colonel Symes had been dispatched by the Governor-General of India to visit the Emperor of Ava. as the ruler of Burma was called in those days, and he made •arrangements for a British agent to be stationed at Rangoon. The volume thus describes the circumstances surrounding the first establishment of the British connection with Burma, the customs of the country as observed by Colonel Symes, and is embellished with many fine engravings.

Still another work, noted was Captain J. K. Tiickey’s “Narrative of an expedition to the. River Zaire, usually called the Congo, in South Africa, in 1816.” Captain Tuckey had been first lieutenant of H.M.S. Calcutta when that vessel was sent out in ISO2 to found a colony at Port Phillip—the beginning of Melbourne and Victoria. He surveyed the port and. did such good work geographically that this resulted in his being chosen from among many competitors to lead tlie expedition dispatched by the British Government to solve the mystery of where the River Congo rose and whether it was connected with the Nile —they had pretty wild ideas.on Africa in those days. Captain Tuckey got up as far as the first cataract by boat and then proceeded on by laud until be took ill and died. The narrative of the expedition gives an interesting account of the Congo as it was at this date, and it contains a large number of engravings and sketches of the country traversed.

There is very little doubt that . although such volumes as those mentioned may not often be asked for at the Public Library, they are nevertheless valuable historic documents that many people would like to preserve if given the opportunity. Captain Forrests voyage to New Guinea in 1774-76 was a wonderful feat of seamanship performed in a miserable little ten-ton galley, and during it he made the first charts of the East Indian Islands visited that had any-approach to accuracy. * ♦ •

All libraries have clean-outs at times. Only, a week or two back a correspondent of the Sydney “Bulletin noted that Auckland once narrowly missed retaining any of the literary treasures of Bishop Selwyp’s library.

“An imported prelate wbp briefly governed the Auckland see, lie wrote, had a detestation for anything old, and en--a"-ed one of his subordinates to go o\er Ih/ library shelves and east out anything that looked out of date. The subordinate did bis work with great enthusiasm, and the local destructor had swallowed numerous and undoubtedly valuable tomes. When a synodsman, awaiting an interview with his lordship, wandered Into the library and found parcelled up on the floor a presentation “Life of Gladstone In several volumes, autographed by the G.0.M., awaiting transit to the incinerator. The uproar he created among the parish authorities resulted in the remainder of the library being hastily put back on the shelves to await a suitable home.