To India and Back by the Cape.

A handsome work illustrated by a fine series of plates, all but two showing sailing ships, either in seascapes or harbour views; the others show the ceremony of crossing the line and a selection of marine life. The artist John Corbet Anderson (1827–1907) is perhaps best known for his series of portraits of famous English cricketers, Sketches at Lords, between 1850 and 1860, and as a Croydon historian. The anonymous text is attributed to Charles Richard Francis, a surgeon in the Indian army, and concludes with instructions how to revive a near-drowned man. He also gives descriptions of the islands and ports encountered on the journey and the principal Indian towns (Calcutta, Madras and Bombay), together with material on trade winds, monsoons and other weather conditions, oceanic fauna, the ceremony of crossing the line, and advice on selecting appropriate clothes and cabin furniture. First published the previous year, this edition confusingly retains the phrase “subscriber’s copy” in the title, although there is no list of subscribers at the end as in the first edition. This is the edition described in Abbey.

Large 4to (308 × 248 mm), pp. [iv], 28. Publisher’s blind-block green morocco-grain cloth, gilt vignette of ship on front cover with gilt lettering beneath. 19 tinted lithographic plates (one tint, except plate of Ceylon which has two tints), one with small area of hand-colour, part-coloured world map to text, illustrations to text. Some foxing as usual, a very good copy in the original cloth.