THE COOK MANUSCRIPTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18356, 23 March 1923, Page 9

THE COOK MANUSCRIPTS

SECURED FOR - AUSTRALIA. ' :':r-y l W/v-'-V.

£0780 PAID FOE FIVE : LOTS.

DIARY BOUGHT FOR £5000.

By Telegraph—Press Association. Copyright. (Received 6.5 p.m.) ■,: V / A. and N Z.-Renter. , LONDON, March 21. Captain Cook's manuscripts relating to his Australian voyages were secured for Australia at the sale at Sotheby's to-day. They consist of Captain Cook's manuscript diary, including the description and naming of Botany Bay and the coast of New Zealand, which was bought for £5000; a contemporary copy of Captain Cook correspondence with the Admiralty during the first voyage, including secret instructions known only in this ' manuscript, bought for £500; the Endeavour's logbook from 1768 to 1770, bought for £300; the log-book of the Dolphin from August, 1766, to October, 1767, bought for £260: and Captain Cook's autograph manuscript describing the coasts of Nova ' Scotia and Newfoundland in 1762. when Cook was master of the Northumberland, bought for £720. There was an element of uncertainty about the sale, owing to the presence of Mr. Rosenbach, a famous American book buyer, who recently caused a sensation in London by spending £70,000 in one week on rare books. Mr. Rosenbach, however, did not participate in the bidding for the Cook diary. The bidding began at £500, and finally the lot was knocked down to Mr. Ifould, representing the Mitchell Library. The only other bidders were two London dealers. Mr. Ifould is satisfied with the purchase, as he feared that he might have to give considerably more for the diary, and was prepared to do so. London dealers bought Cook's sailing directions,,. 1755 to 1762, relating to the East Indies. Mr. Rosenbach purchased Cook's observations taken aboard the sloop Porcupine in 1761 for £100, and the log-book of the Weasel, ,1775-1781. The Weasel was operating in the Atlantic and West Indies during the American War of Independence.