An historical account of all the voyages round the world, performed by English navigators, vol. 1 of 4 : $b Including those lately undertaken by order of His present Majesty. The whole faithfully extracted from the journals of the voyagers

The volume gathers the original journals of England’s most daring sea‑men, letting listeners travel alongside the men who first cut a passage around Africa, slipped through the strait that bears Magellan’s name, and pressed onward into the unknown Pacific. Written in the explorers’ own words, the accounts reveal the mix of curiosity, royal ambition, and personal glory that drove voyages from Drake’s 1577 circumnavigation to Cook’s celebrated 1768 expedition. Along the way, listeners encounter vivid descriptions of uncharted islands, hostile weather, and encounters with peoples whose worlds were as foreign to the sailors as the seas were to them.

Interwoven with detailed maps and contemporary prints, the narrative shows how each journey reshaped European understanding of the globe. The editor’s introductions connect the daring exploits to the political climate of the Restoration and Georgian eras, highlighting the Crown’s patronage and the shifting balance between conquest and scientific curiosity. This listening experience offers a window into the age of sail, where every log entry captures both the peril of the ocean and the awe of discovery.