A Narrative of Four Voyages
To the South Sea, North and South Pacific Ocean, Chinese Sea, Ethiopic and Southern Atlantic Ocean, Indian and Antarctic Ocean
Cambridge Library Collection - Maritime Exploration Series

Based on his journals, with literary assistance provided by a ghostwriter, this 1832 publication gives an account of the early life and later voyages of the American sealer and explorer Benjamin Morrell (1795?1839). The titular adventures consisted of explorations of the Pacific and Antarctic between 1822 and 1831. The text describes unfamiliar bodies of land, sometimes violent interactions with native populations (several of Morrell's crew were killed in the Carteret Islands), and encounters with the slave trade. Morrell also claimed to have been the first American captain to cross the Antarctic Circle. However, there are doubts about the veracity of his narrative, as reported distances, times and locations, particularly in the Antarctic, have proven to be inaccurate. This has been attributed variously to error, exaggeration or outright deception. Morrell himself admits to enhancing his narrative by drawing on information furnished by other navigators.

Advertisement; Introduction; Part I. First Voyage: 1. Thoughts on a polar expedition; 2. Departure from Rio Janeiro; 3. The Falkland Islands; 4. Desolation Island; 5. Erroneous ideas corrected; 6. Strait of Magellan; 7. Commence surveying the western coast of South America; 8. Bay of Conception and port of Talcaguano; 9. A discovery; 10. Island of Masafuero; Part II. Second Voyage: 1. Preparations for the second voyage; 2. Peninsula de Tres Montes; 3. Bay and city of Valdivia; 4. The port of Callao; 5. Cocos island; 6. A hunting excursion; 7. Sail from the Sandwich Islands; 8. Isthmus of Darien; 9. Surrender of the castle of Callao; Part III. Third Voyage: 1. The schooner Antarctic; 2. Island of Bonavista; 3. The Cape of Good Hope; 4. Excursion into the interior; 5. Robben or Penguin Island; 6. Visit to a slave brig; 7. A sister's inquiry for the brother; Part IV. Fourth Voyage: 1. Departure of the Antarctic; 2. Island of Tristan d'Acunha; 3. New-Zealand; 4. New discoveries; 5. Sail from Manilla; 6. Massacre Islands; 7. Sail from Manilla; 8. Monteverdeson's group; 9. Massacre Islands; 10. New-Britain; 11. Disappointed hopes.