Captain Murray Maxwell, RN
Expedition Commander

 
McLeod, John:
Narrative of a Voyage, in His Majesty's Late Ship Alceste, to the Yellow Sea, Along the Coast of Corea and Through its Numerous Hitherto Undiscovered Islands, to the Island of Lewchew; with an Account of Her Shipwreck in the Straits of Gaspar, London, John Murray, 1817, 1st Edition, frontispiece (black and white lithograph), 4 hand colored lithograph plates, 4 pages of advertisements, 288 pp. The book contains on 5 appendices. The first pertains to the court-martial regarding the loss/sinking of the Alceste. The other four pertain to Okinawa (Lew Chew). This is the Narrative of the expedition (February 1816 - August 1817) of the British Naval ships the Alceste and the Lyra under the command of Captain Murray Maxwell to transport the Lord Amherst's Embassy to China and explore the relatively little known East China Sea and the Yellow Sea. The book contains extensive sections on visits to China, Korea, Okinawa (Lew Chew) and St Helena.

 
Title Page -- Click Here.

Frontispiece
Islanders of Sir James Hall's Group	Corean Chief and Attendants
After Page 39	After Page 40
Lewchewan Chief and Attendants	Garden of the Temple at Lew Chew
After Page 62	After Page 67
Collation. Full Title: Narrative of a Voyage, in His Majesty's Late Ship Alceste, to the Yellow Sea, Along the Coast of Corea and Through its Numerous Hitherto Undiscovered Islands, to the Island of Lewchew; with an Account of Her Shipwreck in the Straits of Gaspar, London, John Murray (printed by W. Clowes), 1817. Frontispiece (b/w lithograph), Title Page, Dedication to James Wood, Esq, Advertisement (actually a Preface), Directions for Placing the Plates (lists frontispiece and 4 plates), text of Narrative (numbered pages 1-274), Appendix I. The Court Martial regarding the sinking of the Alceste (pages 275-6), Appendix II. Chronological List of Kings of Lewchew (pages 277-8), Appendix III. Names and Situation of the Lewchew Islands (page 279), Appendix IV. Lewchewan Words and Numerals. (pages 280-4), Appendix V. "The Farewell" - a poem by the Clerk of the Lyra (Pages 285-288), insert 1/8 page Eratta, Advertisements (4 pages). The book contains 5 illustrations. The Frontispiece and 4 full page lithographic plates that are hand colored. Chapters. This first edition of the book is not sub-divided into chapters. Subsequent editions do have chapters with summary headings. Listing of Illustrations (Lithographs). Portrait of Captain Maxwell (lithograph, black and white) Handcolored Lithographs Islanders of Sir james Hall's Group (facing page 38) Corean Chief and Attendants (facing page 40) Lewchewan Chief and Attendants (facing page 62) Garden of the Temple of Lewchew (facing page 67) The lithographs are not protected by tissue guards and light text foxing is the norm.