D'Wolf, John, Captain | Presentation copy, an inspiration for Moby Dick

D'Wolf, John, Captain 

A Voyage to the North Pacific and a Journey Through Siberia. Cambridge: Welch, Bigelow, and Company, 1861 

8vo (214 x 136 mm). 4 lithograph plates with manuscript titles; occasional light browning. Half black sheep over marbled boards, spine lettered and ruled in gilt; lightly rubbed. [With]: Autograph letter signed ("John D'Wolf) to Mrs. Lucia D.W. Brownel [Brownell]. 1 page (188 x 114mm) on a bifolium, Dorchester, August 3rd, [18]61, with the original envelope; old folds, lightly toned.

First edition, presentation copy, signed by D'Wolf on the title-page to his cousin, an inspiration for Moby Dick

"One of the rarest of Pacific voyages.... D'Wolf captained the Juno to New Archangel (Sitka) in Alaska ... After staying with Governor Alexander Baranov of the Russian American Company at New Archangel, D'Wolf accepted Baranov's invitation to accompany him across Siberia to St. Petersburg with Baron Georg von Langsdorff. In his narrative, D'Wolf expresses the opinion that he was the first American to make the journey" (Hill).

Captain D'Wolf was related to Herman Melville through his wife Mary Melville. His nephew was undoubtedly influenced by his uncle's voyages, citing him in both Redburn (see lot 1084) and Moby Dick (lot 1085). The latter references him in Chapter 45, where he relays the story of an encounter with a whale that "raised the ship three feet at least out of the water. The masts reeled, and the sails fell altogether ..." Before going on to describe D'Wolf as "a New Englander, who, after a long life of unusual adventures as a sea-captain, this day resides in the village of Dorchester near Boston. I have the honor of being a nephew of his."

Rare: according to Sabin, only 100 copies were printed. Writing to his cousin in the letter enclosed in this copy, D'Wolf explains his rationale for publishing an account of his voyage: "My object in writing This Book was namely a desire to leave a slight record of that voyage in our family least it might be in infered by modern travelers that the spirit of enterprise was entirely dormant fifty years ago."

REFERENCE:

Hill 527; Sabin 19883; Streeter 3526

PROVENANCE:

Mrs. Lucia Brownell (gift inscription, letter of presentation dated August 3rd, 1861) — Chas. D.W. Brownell (ownership signature dated October, 1884)