Narrative of a Journey to the Shores of The Polar Sea, In the Years 1819, 20, 21, and 22. [with] Narrative of a Second Expedition to the Shores of the Polar Sea, in the Years 1825, 1826, and 1827.

FRANKLIN, Captain John.

$6,500.00

Item Number: 147522

London: John Murray, Ablemarle-Street, 1823.

First editions of the official narratives of Franklin‘s first and second voyages to the Polar Sea. Quarto, two volumes uniformly bound in full period-style speckled calf with morocco gilt-lettered labels and elaborate gilt tooling to the spine, gilt turn-ins. First Narrative: First edition, first issue with the Errata slip, illustrated with 30 plates 11 of which are finely hand colored and 4 folding maps. Second Expedition: First edition illustrated with 31 plates and 6 folding maps, 1 with hand color outline. Sabin 25624 and 26228. Arctic Bibliography 5194 and 5198. In near fine condition. A superb set of this classic of travel literature in a stunning binding.

Franklin’s expedition intended to survey the “western shore of the great inland sea… [then] strike out onto the tundra to the headwaters of the Coppermine River,” covering “5,000 miles by foot and canoe” (Berton, 64-5). Franklin and his party suffered a series of misfortunes that let to “starvation, the loss of essential boats, a murder and an execution, probable cannibalism, and a final diet of lichen and boot leather,” along with the death of eleven men. This extraordinary account of that disaster-laded expedition is illustrated with 30 plates, including 11 hand-colored plates that were “engraved by Finden, from drawings by Lieutenants Hood and Back. The appendix on natural history is very important…. [and] the views of Arctic scenery are of extreme beauty” (Hill, 112). “The work is an invaluable one for the history of the discovery of the regions… and for the interesting descriptions and details of the many tribes of Indians and Esquimaux met with” (Stevens 1706). The extensive appendices, not included in later editions, include notes on the Aurora Borealis, tables on latitude and longitude, temperatures, and detailed geological, astronomical and botanical and zoological sections. "[The first] journey was made to the mouth of the Coppermine River, largely overland and with the aid of canoes. The coast east of the mouth was surveyed. It is one of the most terrible journeys on record, many of the party dying from cold, hunger, or murder. The distance travelled was some 5,500 miles, and Franklin's narrative at once became a classic of travel literature. Franklin's second overland expedition made its departure from Fort Franklin on the Great Bear Lake. He traced the North American coast from the Mackenzie River to longitude 149deg 37' W., while John Richardson's party explored the coast between the mouths of the Mackenzie and the Coppermine. The two expeditions together added 1,200 miles of coast line to the knowledge of the American continent, and Franklin received several honours and became a popular hero. The views of the Arctic scenery in this work are noted for their beauty" (Hill Collection of Pacific Voyages 635, 636).