The Last of the Arctic Voyages, being a Narrative of the Expedition in H.M.S. Assistance Under the Command of Captain Sir Edward Belcher, DB in Search of Sir John Franklin, During the Years 1852-53-35 with Notes on the Natural History

2 volumes. xx+383 pages with hand colored frontispiece, 3 maps in pockets, plates (many colored); vii+419+[23 ad] pages with color frontispiece and plates (some colored). Small quarto (10 1/2" x 6 3/4") bound in original publisher's pictorial brown cloth with blind-stamped cover with gilt pictorial in gilt. Notes on the Natural History by John Richardson. (Abbey, Travel 645; Arctic Bibliography 1241; Books on Ice 5.8a; Hill 106; Sabin 4389; TPL 3409) First edition.

Belcher's five-ship 1852-54 expedition in search of Franklin would be the last official British attempt. On the HMS Assistance, Belcher successfully navigated through the Wellington Channel, but beset by ice was unable to return to Lancaster Sound and was forced to abandon the ship. This account of the expedition also includes several essays on the natural history of the region by Richardson, Owen, Bell, Salter and Reeve.

Condition:

Minor wear, re-backed with parts of original back-strips laid down; minor foxing, short separations at folds to the largest map; inked stamps on title pages, Edinger bookplates else a good set, internally very good.