As part of the diplomatic mission to China under Lord Amherst in 1816, Captain Basil Hall undertook surveys of the west coast of Corea and the Ryuku Islands. This book records this journey and was one of the first descriptions of Korea by a European.
The embassy to China under the Right Honourable Lord Amherst left England in HM frigate Alceste under Captain Murray Maxwell 9 February 1816. They landed near the mouth of the Pei-Ho River in the Yellow Sea 11 August. Shortly afterwards the Alceste and the sloop of war Lyra, under the command of Captain Basil Hall, sailed to the coast of Corea on the eastern side of the Yellow Sea. A series of charts were prepared by Captain Hall showing the track of both ships along the west coast of the Peninsular of Corea and also of the Great Loo-Choo Island.
Captain Hall pays tribute to the assistance given him by Lieut. HJ Clifford who accompanied him on the journey and "- was able to devote himself entirely to the acquisition of knowledge." Clifford was also responsible for the creation of the vocabulary of the Loo-Choo language. In the Preface Hall states -"The drawings of scenery and costumes were made by Mr William Havell, the eminent artist who accompanied the Embassy, from sketches taken on the spot by Mr CW Browne, mid-ship-man of the Alceste, and my self."
Some of the sketches pasted into the book are folded and many are faint but it is very rare to have such items in a published book. This would appear to be unique and this book a true "treasure".
