Anson'S Voyage Around The Wprld

‘Anson’s voyage around the world’ by Richard Walter.

The text I have chosen for this essay is Richard Walter’s “Anson’s voyage around the world.” The book a primary source as it is a first hand account of the expedition undertaken by Anson. The book falls into the category of travel narratives, meaning it is a story (a narrative) that was written along the travels of Anson. The book is almost entirely text apart from two maps which are included. One map is a map of South America whilst the other is a map showing the Chinese Sea. Although the book contains two maps, the main medium or form employed is through text. The author introduces the reader to Anson at the latter end of the summer in 1739. As the book is a first hand account, it was written during the voyage to South America, on the ship, the Centurion. At a time of great political strife and tension, war between the English and the Spanish crowns was imminent. The best option of attack, as seen by English Government, was to attack the distant Spanish colonies of South America. The best man to lead the adventure was George Anson. Anson, being a man of such valour and distinction, the recording of his voyage would have been very important for both him, and all the people in England. A man with such distinction surely deserved his own place in the history books, and so therefore the writing of his voyage went without saying. It must also be noted that the book of Anson’s voyage was not written by Anson himself, but rather his own personal Chaplin, Richard Walter. Although not being directly written by Anson, it was closely supervised by him. Walter wrote this through the eyes of Anson, and so under his supervision, he was able to capture the inner workings of Anson’s mind. The intended recipient of the book is not stated in it, but one can assume that at a time of great adventure and discovery,