WATHEN, James ([?]1751-1828). Journal of a Voyage in 1811 and 1812, to Madras and China; Returning by the Cape of Good Hope and St. Helena, London, 1814, 4to, 24 fine hand-coloured aquatint plates, modern half morocco gilt. FIRST EDITION.

WATHEN, James ([?]1751-1828).  Journal of a Voyage in 1811 and 1812, to Madras and China; Returning by the Cape of Good Hope and St. Helena; in the H. C. S. The Hope, Capt. James Prendergrass. London: Printed for J. Nichols (and others), 1814. 4to (264 x 205mm). 24 fine hand-coloured aquatint plates by J. Clark after drawings by the author (without a half title [?as issued], 11 plates browned and with margins trimmed, lacking the advertisements found in a few copies). Modern old-style half brown morocco and marbled boards. Provenance: Royal Geographical Society (small blue stamps to title and on versos of plates). FIRST EDITION. "In 1811 ... [the author] accompanied James Prendergast [sic] in his ship the Hope on a voyage to India and China, in which he visited Madras, Penang, Canton, Macao, the Cape of Good Hope, and St. Helena. In 1814 he published an account of his travels ... illustrated with twenty-four coloured prints from his own drawings. His narrative is lively, and his account of eastern life is minute and interesting" (DNB). Abbey Travel 517; Brunet IV, 707: "Volume orné de 20 [sic] belles planches color"; Cordier Sinica p.2107 (erroneously stating the date of publication as 1824); Gay 1063; Lust 386; Mendellsohn II, p.591.