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, in Search of Sir John Franklin, During the Years 1852-53-54 with Notes on the Natural History by Sir John Richardson, Professor Owen, Thomas Bell, J. W. Salter, and Lovell Reeve.

By Captain Sir Edward Belcher

Association Copy

London, Lovell Reeve, 1855, First Edition. 2 Volumes. 8vo; [xx], 383pp.; [vii], 419pp, complete with 36 plates including 12 fine color lithographed plates, frontis in each volume, 4 maps and charts including 3 fold-out, wood engravings, tables, Index; 24pp. of publisher’s advertisements. Half title page in each volume. Publisher’s dark blue textured and embossed decorative cloth with bright gilt memorial on covers; coral colored clay end pages. Spine with bright gilt titles and expert professional restoration at spine tops — A very good set and complete set.

With a tipped in signature by Belcher and a very nice association copy as this set bears the book plate of Sir John Booth Richardson, son of Sir John Richardson who was a member of this expedition and contributed significantly to the Natural History section of this publication.

Belcher describes his passage through Wellington Channel and the discovery of Exmouth and North Cornwall Islands and the channel leading to Jones Sound. He also describes his meeting and rescue of Commander Robert McClure of the HMS Investigator on northern Banks Island. His decision to abandon four ships frozen in the ice in Wellington Channel in 1854 led to his court-martial, although he was later acquitted. Belcher became an admiral in 1872. This was the last British government sponsored expedition to search for Sir John Franklin, the rest being private. The narrative describes the expedition in detail including the weather, snow conditions, food, ice, scurvy, optical phenomena, natural history, hunting, fishing, etc. The Appendices include an account of the fishes by John Richardson, fossils by T. W. Salter and Sir R. Owen, shells by l. Reeve, Crustacea by T. Bell. This important expedition to the Arctic was the first to use photography although none were published in the book. —Abbey Travel 645. Hill p. 21. National Maritime Museum Catalogue I, 921. Sabin 4389. TPL 3409. Arctic Bibliography 1241.