Texas and the Gulf of Mexico; or Yachting in the New World (2 Vols.)

London: John Murray, 1844. Decorative Cloth. Very Good +. A tight, very nicely-preserved example of the 1844 1st edition, complete in 2 octavo volumes. Both volumes clean and VG+ in the publisher's original dark-green cloth, with blindstamped bordering and illustrations of the yacht itself ("The Dolphin") along the front panels. Bright, unrubbed gilt-titling at the spines, in addition to decorative blindstamped compartments. Internally, no writing whatsoever and only occasional, very mild spotting. Very light chipping and mild wear as well to the spine ends. The endsheets have been professionally and tastefully renewed, otherwise the set is in its completely original state. Lovely frontispiece etchings ("The City of Galveston" and "The City of Houston"), plus 8 additional illustrations/portraits (collated and complete). Mrs. Houston sailed from England in 1843 for the West Indies, New Orleans and Texas. She was an astute observer who recorded the lives of the local inhabitants, including Indians. Aside from being a very important yachting book, this is a also a desirable piece of Americana, and is described at length in Jenkins's "Basic Texas Books". Of her writing he says: "Her narrative is so light and breezy that it is easy to shrug it off as superficial; in fact, she gives us some exceptional insights into Texas of the 1840s". This work is generally regarded as the first printed account of a trans-Atlantic yacht voyage and is quite scarce, not listed in either Toy or Morris and Howland. (Jenkins 97, Howes H-692). The titles of the 8 additional plates appearing throughout the text; "Funchal, Madeira"; "Nancy, the Black Woman"; "Dolphin Yacht in the Mississippi"; "Portrait of General Santa Anna"; "New Orleans black dandy"; "President Houston"; "Havana Harbour"; and "Plaza des Armas, Havana (Inventory #: 24525)