Kotzebue, Otto von

Entdeckungsreise..Sudsee; Behring Strasse,

Nord Ostliche Durchfahrt, 1815-1818

Weimar, Hoffmann 1821

(Sabin 38284; Streeter 3511; Lada Mokarski 80)

Three parts in one volume

In quarto (28x23 cm), uncut; barbed paper

Original editors binding of paper over boards

Title on paper label on the spine

23 nn lvs; 168 pp; 176 pp; 240pp, 3 nn lvs XVIII pp (subscribers list)

16 copper plate engravings of which 15 in contemporary color

4 double page aquatints in sepia

6 folding maps

2 tables

Contents:

1-21:         Introduction by Krusenstern

21-72:         History of exploring the NW passage

72-92:         Instructions for the voyage

92-168:     Exploration northern Pacific with a.o. maps of Behring Str. and Kotzebue Sound

1-148:     Exploration of Alaska- California

149-176:    Analysis of this part by Krusenstern

1-240:    Mainly Adelbert von Chamissos exploration of nature and Pacific languages in the style of his contemporary Alexander von Humboldt.

Otto von Kotzebue (1787-1846) was a naval officer and discoverer at the service of Russia. He was born in Reval, now Tallinn, Estland. Between 1803 and 1806 he sailed under von Krusenstern the Pacific visiting Japan and China. Ours is the report he wrote as commander of a second Russian voyage around the world between 1815 and 1819. This voyage was financed by the Russian count Nicolae Roemjanev. Its purpose was to find the passage north of Russia but this time entering form the East, not the West and the exploration and mapping of parts of the northern Pacific. A first exploration concerned Kamchatka; Behring Strait and Alaska. A later part of exploration covered Hawaii and the Marshall islands.

Important exploration report in its original presentation.