CAPTAIN COOK RECORDS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 49, Issue 14884, 23 March 1923, Page 6

CAPTAIN COOK RECORDS.

BIG PRICES PAID. LONDON, Wednesday. Australia secured five lots mating to Captain Cook at Sotheby’s to-day from Bolckow Library, at Marten Hall, Yorkshire. They consist of a manuscript diary, including the description and naming of Botany Bay, and the coast ot New Zealand, which sold for £o000; a contempory copy of Cook’s correspondence with the Admiralty during his first voyage, including the secret instructions known only in this manuscript, toOO, the Endeavour’s logbook, I'6B-1« , which sold for £300; the log-book of the Dolphin, from August, 1766, to October, 1767, which sold for £260; Cook s autograph manuscript describing the coasts of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland in 1762, while Cook was master of the Northumberland, £720. There was an element of uncertainty in the sale owing to the presence of Rosenbaek, the famous American book-buyer, who recently caused a sensation in London by spending £/0,000 in one week on rare books. Rosenbaek however, did not participate m the bidding for the Cook manuscript. Bidding began at £SOO, and the MS. was finally knocked down to Mr. Ifould, representing the Mitchell Library The only other bidders were two London dealers. Mr. Ifould is satisfied with the purchase. He feared that he might have to give considerably more for the diary, and was prepared to do so. The London dealers bought Cook’s sailing directions, boo to 1762, relating to the East Indies. Rosenbaek purchased Cook’s remarks taken aboard the sloop Porcupine in 1761 for £IOO, and the logbook of the Weasel, 1775 to 1781. which operated in the Atlantic and West Indies during the American War of Independence.— Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assn.