Wandering Sketches of People and Things in South America, Polynesia, California, and Other Places Visited, During a Cruise on Board of the U. S. Ships Levant, Portsmouth, and Savannah

Philadelphia: Carey and Hart, 1849. Wood was a naval surgeon who later accompanied the Far East Squadron to China and Japan (and wrote another book about it.) Hill notes that on this voyage, after stops in the Pacific and Hawaii, Wood was traveling in Mexico when the Mexican War broke out, and escaped via Vera Cruz. The intelligence gathered by Wood in Mexico was instrumental in the U.S. seizure of California by Commodore Sloat. - Hill 1910. Howes W-646. Scattered light foxing throughout else very good condition in half calf over marbled boards. Backstrip with raised bands, spine label and gilt decoration. All edges marbled.. 18 cm. x-386 pp.