Fankwei; or, The San Jacinto in the Seas of India, China, and Japan

New York: Harper & Brothers, 1859. VERY SCARCE. William Maxwell Wood (1809-1880) was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He graduated from the Medical School at the University of Maryland and was appointed Assistant Surgeon in the Navy in 1829. Between 1830-1834, he served with the West Indies and Home Squadrons, as well as with the Army during the Seminole Wars. He resumed sea duty aboard the USS Independence in 1836, sailing to St. Petersburg, Russia, and the South Atlantic. In 1844, he became Fleet Surgeon with the Pacific Squadron, and upon completion of his tour in 1846 became involved in the US war with Mexico. He is remembered in U.S. Naval history for his daring journey through Mexico in 1846,where he eluded detection and capture as a U.S. spy and provided intelligence leading to the possession of California by the Pacific Squadron. During the Civil War, Wood was Fleet Surgeon of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron aboard the USS Minnesota. After the war, he was appointed the First Surgeon General of the U.S. Navy in 1871, with the equivalent rank of Commodore. Wood was instrumental in increasing the stature of the naval surgeon, championing a bill eventually passed by Congress increasing the rank and compensation of physicians in the Navy. Wood was a writer of books and essays focusing on his travels, life at sea in the US Navy, Naval battles, and ideas for improving the US Navy. Fankwei is the story of his time as surgeon aboard the U.S ship San Jacinto beginning in 1855 at the relatively old age of 46, being the oldest crew member after the captain. This interesting narrative describes their adventures on the seas to India, China, and Japan. It includes stops in Mauritius, Ceylon, Siam, Japan, Singapore, Macau, and Shanghae. This certainly provides an interesting time capsule of changing place names! Octavo. Rose cloth-covered publisher's binding with gilt title to spine and blind-stamped symbols to front and rear covers and decorative motif to spine. Covers and spine show significant wear from handling. Minor bumping at edges of covers and spine. Spine is slightly cocked. Small split at top of rear joint. Gift inscription on title page. Some foxing to pages, but pages are generally clean and clear. 545 pages. TRAVEXP/062625.