HAWKSHAW, John.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

Reminiscences of South America: from Two and a Half Years' Residence in Venezuela. First edition, presentation copy, inscribed by the author "To Master Richard Milne-Redhead", a botanist and Fellow of the Linnean Society. Hawkshaw's narrative ranges from Atlantic crossings and hazardous coastal voyages to journeys into the Venezuelan interior, describing tropical forests, earthquakes, and encounters with wildlife, while also reflecting on local society and politics.A leading figure in engineering, Hawkshaw (1811-1891) oversaw the construction of the Severn Tunnel, designed London's Cannon Street and Charing Cross stations, and advised on the Suez Canal. He travelled to Venezuela in 1832, when, at the age of 21, he took charge of the Bolívar Mining Association's operations at Aroa. He sailed via Barbados to La Guaira and managed a large workforce at the mines, improving transport routes and developing access to the coast. During his residence he undertook wider journeys and recorded observations on the country's geology and environment, which formed the basis of the present work. He returned to England after his health deteriorated and went on to a distinguished engineering career.The recipient, Richard Milne-Redhead (1828-1900), was a boy at the time he received the present copy and later became a widely travelled plant collector and established a noted garden at Holden Clough.

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