Book
Description: Rev. Walter Colton, 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. New York: A. S. Barnes,
1850, 408 pages. Illustrated with 4
color plates. First Edition. 5 ¼ ” x 7 ½ ”. Faded gilt title on green boards.
Some discoloration to cover. Tight binding and clean pages. In general, good to
very good. An important historical account of the post-war voyages of the USS
Congress. Following the War of 1812, the Congress toured the western
hemisphere, visiting ports in Brazil, Peru, Chile, and Hawaii. The journey ended
in California. Colton describes many botanical and scientific discoveries near
the equator, including animals and weather phenomena. However, perhaps the most
interesting topic in this book involves his perspective on the treatment of
slaves and slave-trading in Brazil.