"The present book, which includes the personal journal of Sparrowhawk's commanding officer, Commander Edmund A. Porcher, RN, and excellent colour reproductions of fifty-three of the watercolour sketches he made to illustrate it, adds detail and a sense of immediacy to the literature on the north-western frontier of North America. One of the strengths of this book is the care with which the editor has studied the literature and archives in order to place the journal in context. There is a full introductory essay. In addition, the editor has lavishly annotated Procher's text to clarify obscure words and passages, identify people and localities, and direct the reader to other accounts of the incidents mentioned." (The International History Review)


"The book is of special value to any reader interested in the Royal Navy, imperial history, or artistic aspects of life and the natural world in the mid-Victorian period. . . . The journal provides a rare and comprehensive firsthand account of a ship and its crew with details of the Royal Navy's role in imperial functions as well as the crew's, particularly the officers', role in the social and political life of distant colonies. Perhaps the book's most fascinating feature is the series of illustrations drawn by Porcher himself. Blessed with a keen and observant eye, extensive scientific knowledge, and a talent for drawing and illustration . . . he made extensive drawings of the natural features of the region, the native peoples, and European settlements." (Pacific Northwest Quarterly)