1853. · London
by Hooper, William H.
London: John Murray, 1853.. xv,[1],417pp. plus folding map and six plates. Half title. Later blue morocco, front board embossed in gilt, original cloth labels. Contemporary ownership inscription on half title. Text block broken in several places, leaves and gatherings detached. Tanning and dampstaining. Fair. A scarce Franklin search narrative, with an excellent provenance, having been owned by Arctic explorer Frederick A. Cook, whose ownership inscription is on the half title. Frederick A. Cook claimed to have reached the North Pole in 1908, the year before Peary's (also doubtful) expedition, but his assertion was widely discredited and his reputation never recovered. Regardless, he was an accomplished Arctic explorer who took a particular interest in ethnography, whether he actually reached the North Pole or not. His copy of Hooper's work is clearly well-read, and may have been a close companion on one of his journeys. In the first part of the book Hooper describes his experiences in Chukchi land and of the inhabitants. The second section describes the extraordinary voyage and journey, made firstly in the H.M.S. Plover's open whale boats beginning in July 1849. "Lieutenant Hooper participated in the search for Sir John Franklin...passing through the Bering Strait and turning eastward....The principal interest of this work lies in the author's description of the Chukchi land and of its population (whom he calls Tuski) gathered during his 10 months' stay in the northeastern extremity of Asia bordering on the Bering Strait" - Lada-Mocarski. Important for his observations on the native peoples in the area. An excellent association copy of an uncommon work on the Franklin search, in keeping with its former owner's interests by providing much ethnographic detail on the indigenous people encountered by Hooper. LADA-MOCARSKI 140. TPL 3176. PILLING, PROOF-SHEETS 1848. FIELD 713.
(Inventory #: WRCAM54187)