Walter Colton’s’Deck and Port’ was an important historical account of the post-war voyages of the USS Congress. This voyage from The Gulf of Mexico, around South America ended in California. Colton describes botanical and scientific discoveries near the equator, including animals and weather phenomena. However, the most interesting topics in this book include his perspective on. The treatment of slaves and slave-trading in Brazil. This book also has one of the earliest descriptions of surfing. Nothing here has amused me more than the surf-sports of the young chiefs. Each takes a smooth board, of some eight feet in length, leads it over the coral shallows far out into the sea, and when a tremendous roller is coming in, jumps upon it, and the roller carries him upon its combing top, with the speed of an arrow to the shore. A young American. Ventured out a short distance, and as the roller came, jumped upon his plank, was capsized, and hove, half strangled onto the beach! Deck and port, or, Incidents of a cruise in the United States frigate Congress to California: with sketches of Rio Janeiro, Valparaiso, Lima, Honolulu, and San Francisco. Collation: Complete with all pages. Sabin 14799; Howes C 624; Cowan, 237; Hill 340. Binding: Hardcover; tight & secure. 7.5in X 5in (19cm x 13cm). This item is in the category “Books & Magazines\Antiquarian & Collectible”. The seller is “schilb_antique_books” and is located in this country: US. This item can be shipped worldwide.
- Year Printed: 1850
- Topic: South America
- Binding: Hardcover
- Region: North America
- Author: COLTON, Walter
- Subject: Americana
- Original/Facsimile: Original
- Language: English
- Publisher: A.S. Barnes & Co
- Place of Publication: New York
- Special Attributes: 1st Edition, Illustrated