[Poem on 'Captain Gardiner's Patagonian Mission'.] Printed brochure with poem titled 'The Last Hour: A Scene in Patagonia.'

For the context see Gardiner's entry in the Oxford DNB. Gardiner's disastrous last mission to Patagonia ended with his death on 6 September 1851, as the last of the seven missionaries to starve to death on Picton Island. No other copy of the present item has been traced, either on OCLC WorldCat or on COPAC. 4pp, 16mo. Bifolium. Well printed. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, and folded several times. At the end of the poem is the author's pseudonym, the Greek letter delta, with the date 'May 10, 1852.' Monologue in blank verse by 'Captain Allan [sic] Gardiner', who is 'seen lying near a boat, in the latest stage of exhaustion'. The poem begins: 'Once more I am myself again. Once more | As calm, as free from pain, as clear in mind | As in the days of health, I gaze around | And ask, What hope?' The poem is preceded by the following note by the 'Editor': 'We had designed to ask especial attention to the touching narrative of Captain Gardiner's Patagonian Mission, and to have given expression to our sentiments upon that great undertaking. If it had prospered, we should have heard nothing but commendation of the motives which planned and the indomitable fortitude which achieved so perilous an expedition: it failed, and therefore it is subjected to obloquy. Such is the state of the world in its estimate of human action, and such it has been from the days of Nelson - when he disobeyed orders at Copenhagen, and would probably have been shot if success had not been his apology - to the present hour. We give insertion with much pleasure to the following touching lines.' Four footnotes in small print, one of them very long, with reference to 'Captain Morshead's report'.