Narrative of an Expedition to the Shores of the Arctic Sea in 1846 and 1847

By John Rae

Canadiana House, 1970. Reprint of the original (1850), no date listed, last page at bottom lists "Marchant Singer & Co, Printers, Ingram-Court, Fenchurch-Street". [viii], 247pp., (1pp), two folding maps by John Arrowsmith and Appendix. Black titles on spine and cover ; gray cloth covered hardboards, terra cotta print color. Near Fine+ condition.

The first edition or Rae’s narrative is rare and very expensive. The reprints are very scarce and especially in this excellent condition. Rae’s expedition, an effort authorized by the Hudson’s Bay Company, was to explore the arctic coastline from Repulse Bay west to Thomas Simpson’s easternmost point. He explored both sides of Committee Bay and established that Boothia was a peninsula and not an island. John Rae survived and thrived in the arctic regions because he lived like the natives, unlike the over-manned expeditions by pompous British explorers with their over-burdened sledges of supplies. This is a very well produced reprint and also a very good read.