ELLIS (Henry). Journal of the proceedings of the late embass - Lot 73

ELLIS (Henry). Journal of the proceedings of the late embassy to China; comprising a correct narrative of the public transactions of the embassy, of the voyage to and from China, and of the journey from the mouth of the Pei-Ho to the return to Canton London, John Murray, 1817. In-4 [VIII]- 526 p., [1] f., pl., contemporary fawn half-basin with corner, smooth spine, orange and brown title and date-pieces, gilt fillet on spine and boards, blue speckled edges (rubbing on edges, corners and bottom board, worn lower spine, 2 browned maps, marg. foxing on qq. plates and frontispiece). First edition of Henry Ellis's account of his journey to China, following Earl Amherst's mission on George III's orders in 1816. This was the third in a series of unsuccessful British attempts to establish trade relations with the Chinese government. This account is accompanied by an appendix of official documents, mainly translations from Chinese (pp. 493-510), and an itinerary corresponding to the text (pp. 51I-14). It is illustrated with a portrait of Earl Amherst, 7 hand-colored drawings by Charles Abbot engraved by I. Clark showing marine views, and 3 maps tracing the British embassy's itineraries, notably on the Yangtze River from Kwa-Choo to Nan-Chang-Foo and from the mouth of the Peiho River to Peking and Canton.