Description
First American Edition of Judah Paddock’s A Narrative of the Shipwreck of the Ship Oswego.
Octavo, xvi, [17]-332pp. Bound in full calf, title on spine in gilt, decorative bands. Contemporary leather repairs at spine, reinforced front hinge. Previous ownership label on front free endpaper. Front free endpaper previously bonded to front endpaper, leaving a residual mark and small hole. Faint toning throughout with occasional foxing. Housed in custom green cloth slipcase, title in gilt on spine. An attractive presentation.
The Ship Oswego was based in Hudson, New York, and commanded by Captain Judah Paddock. In 1800, it sailed for the Cape Verde Islands to load salt for New York, with 14 people on board. The ship was lost, but all 14 hands made it to shore in Lisbon. After a mutiny by the crewmen and nearly dying from dehydration, they were captured by a band of Arabs. They were imprisoned and held for ransom. After months of captivity, the ransom was paid and the crew returned to New York. Upon landing in New York, Paddock told his story to Secretary of State John Marshall and wrote this book about his ordeal.
