The account was first written by Joseph de Bustamante y Guerra (1759-1825) in manuscript in 1797. Publication was disrupted as the returning party fell out of favour. He was a commander along with Alejandro Malaspina (1754-1810). Both were explorers serving in the Spanish Navy. The manuscript was discovered in the Madrid Museum and edited by Pedro de Novo y Colson (1846-1931). This is the first published official account of ‘Spain’s greatest scientific voyage of exploration to the South Seas in the eighteenth century.’ (Hill).

The Spanish voyage was an attempt to emulate the achievements of James Cook in the Pacific. Aimed at a circumnavigation and the collection of scientific and geographical information. For this, two vessels were specially constructed, the ‘Descubierta’ and ‘Atrevida’. Malaspina was chosen as commander having already completed a circumnavigation. Accompanying him as officers were Dionisio Alcala Galiano and Cayetano Valdes, both of whom would command another expedition to the northwest coast in 1792.

Leaving Cadiz in 1789 they made there way to Cape Horn where he corrected its position from that provided by Cook. They continued surveying up the west coast of South America fixing positions as they went until they reached Acapulco. There they received new orders to continue up the west coast of North America and investigate Lorenzo Maldonado’s account of a ‘Strait’ written in 1609. Recently published it spurred the Spanish to reveal the truth. He ventured as far as Yakutat Bay in Alaska around 60 degrees north, where the strait was supposed to be, before returning south to Vancouver Island.

In December 1791 they headed out across the Pacific from Acapulco reaching Guam and then calling in at the Philippines. He then headed south for New Zealand and New South Wales. They returned to America and after rounding Cape Horn and mapping the Falkland Islands reached Spain in September 1794. Malaspina was charged with irregularities and imprisoned, his reports were not published until rediscovered nearly a century later. Provenance: Libreria de Antanao 2001; Juan and Peggy Rada Collection. Ferguson (1976) VI.12207; Hayes (1999) p. 75; Hill (1974) pp. 190-1; Howes M235; Hogwego (2004) M26; Palau (1948-77) 147592.2.