Incomplete hand-corrected galley proof for the classic 1911 work The Cruise of the Snark, totaling 75 sheets, 9.25 x 11.75, with periodic pencil corrections in London's hand. Overall, the proof includes pages 11–21, 92–108, 113–120, and 122–164, with numerous printed photo illustrations pinned and loosely laid in throughout, most of which are annotated in another hand. In the first few pages London makes some subtle revisions, including a few word changes such as "sprung" to "sprang," "quartermaster" to "engineer," and "steward" to "cook." On page 15, he inserts a line, "We slacked the mainsail off with no more result." On page 128 he adds another full sentence, “To say the least, they were not enthusiastic, though never did Nakata show the white feather in the face of danger.” London makes various other minor changes throughout the text.
The longest handwritten passage from London comes on page 164, inserted as the penultimate paragraph of the book: “In passing, I may mention that among the other afflictions that jointly compelled the abandonment of the voyage, was one that is variously called the healthy man's disease, European Leprosy, and Biblical Leprosy. Unlike True Leprosy, nothing is known of this mysterious malady. No doctor has ever claimed a cure for a case of it, though spontaneous cures are recorded. It comes, they know not how. It is, they know not what. It goes, they know not why. Without the use of drugs, merely by living in the wholesome California climate, my silvery skin vanished. The only hope the doctors had held out to me was a spontaneous cure, and such a cure was mine.” The proof also bears various editorial notations in the margins, and several publisher’s slips pinned throughout. Also includes 32 sheets of page proofs of the book’s layout with illustrations included, comprising page numbers 182–245. In overall good to very good condition, with scattered dampstaining (some pages stuck together), splits, tears, and creases. Chronicling London’s 1907 voyage through the South Pacific, The Cruise of the Snark proved to be a popular account that provided insight into a little-known part of the world. This remarkable manuscript proof reveals London’s creative process in finishing the book, and represents a significant milestone in his nonfiction work. A truly extraordinary literary piece.
