Exploration

The Antarctic – Henry King – First Edition 1969

Henry King was the Librarian of the Scott Polar Research Institute between 1955 and 1983, incredible stretch.

So, he definitely had time and the access to material nigh unlimited to produce this all-embracing Antarctic book. There are other attempts, but we think this one the best to that period given the aforementioned advantage the writer had.

Published by Blanford Press, London in 1969. Octavo, 276 pages, a multitude of images from period photographs, many in colour, end paper maps. Top edge stained blue as required by the first. A very good copy.

Henry King form his Library – but what a library.

$35.00

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Fiji and The Fijians (1835-1856) – G.C. Henderson

A first edition on Henderson’s book on Fiji and the Fijians a volume published to elucidate the Journal of Rev Thomas Williams who has spent the period !840-1853 as a Missionary in Fiji. Williams being regraded as the principal authority on the state if society among Fijians when European first came upon them.

Published by Angus and Robertson, Sydney in 1931.

Large octavo, 33 pages nicely illustrated throughout with images from early engravings, early photographs and charts. Very good condition and with the author’s “Compliments”’ stamp on the end paper ad his manuscript note “To dear old Jeff – from the Author”

A very useful Preface sets the scene and purpose for the book. The first chapter proper refers to the “Mitchellian Manuscripts” the Williams Journal and paper held at the Mitchell … and other primary materials held elsewhere including in the UK. Very good chapters on the Discovery of Fiji … the Duff, James cook and often overlooked Bellingshausen among them. The Bellingshausen journals had yet to be translated to English at the date of this book. The work then moves on to a description of the archipelago, centres of interest and the people. Mission work, medical practices and a chapter on Ono-I-Lau first visited by Calvert. Language and literature etc etc.

Well written account regarding an important historical period. A very good copy.

$120.00

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Narrative of the Wreck of HMS Porpoise – Robert Purdie, Surgeon’s Mate of HMS Investigator [A Matthew Flinders Item]

Octavo, xiv, 134 pages, published by Hordern House in 2014. A very good copy. The best dust jacket ever with a facsimile period map on the reverse from Flinder’s Journal Atlas.

Robert Purdie was a young surgeon who was wrecked on HMS Porpoise on a reef off the Queensland coast (to become known as “Wreck Reef’’). This was the vessel originally taking Matthew Flinders back the England having completed his coastal survey of Australia, confirming the entirety of the land mass. Purdie’s account had been published anonymously in The Naval Chronicle in 1807/07. He had been a junior officer on the Investigator and was among those that stayed on the reef whilst Flinders and others rowed back to Sydney to successfully mount a rescue.

The narrative is lively, informative and readable … here well presented with an excellent introduction and notes by Matthew Fishburn.

Matthew Flinders and Wreck Reef by Surgeon’s Mate Purdie.

$30.00

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Red Peak – Ascent of Pik Kommunizma [Now named Ismoil Somoni Peak in Modern Day Tajikistan - 7,495 m]

An unusual mountaineering event form start to finish written by the expedition second Malcolm Slesser seemingly without the authority of leader Sir John Hunt.

First American Edition, published by Coward McCann, New York in 1964. Octavo, 256 pages well illustrated from expedition photographs, charts , diagrams etc. A little ageing but still a very good copy.

The first British / Soviet joint expedition to climb in the Soviet Asia Pamir Mountains [Now Tajlikistan]. And a venture not without drama. No local porters were taken. Things got tense between the groups, two Englishmen died during the ascent of a particularly rugged stage. Hunt and several others gave up and went home. Slesser elected to stay … the frankness with which he describes the flare-ups as they struggled to reach the 25,000 foot peak adds to the drama of this unique climb

Slesser writes frankly about the first British / Soviet joint mountaineering expedition.

$25.00

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Raymond Howgego’s Monumental reference on the Exploration of Australia and Beyond.

Four Massive volumes which we regard complete, as they contain all the factual works [Howgego also produced a book on fictional travel]. Published progressively by Hordern House.

Land and sea exploration from the earliest days to circa 1940. Over four thousand pages in all with surely every event and fact worthy of mention. In pristine condition, weighing over 11 kgs so postage will be circa $80.00 at cost.

Raymond Howgego was teacher of physics before he gave that up to become a full-time traveller and travel writer. Possibly put down more words than any other living person. Seemingly can handle almost all European languages and Arabic and probably a few others. He still has an interest in amateur radio and fixing electronic items … we withhold his call sign, but you can find it if you try.

As new comprehensive definitive history of Exploration.

$580.00

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Uttermost Part of the Earth – A History of Tierra Del Fuego and the Fuegians – E Lucas Bridges.

This is a high quality reissue of “The” classic book on this fascinating part of the world and its equally fascinating inhabitants.

First published in 1948, this issue by Rookery, New York in 2007. Thick Royal octavo, 558 pages, illustrated as the original from period photographs, maps including in the end paper. Nice dust jacket, and extremely clean fine copy.

With a new introduction and epilogue by Natalie Goodall.

The author was born in Tierra Del Fuego in 1874, on the southern coast to his missionary parents. He grew up among the coastal Yaghans and later met and hunted with the wild inland Ona tribe.

The book recounts early history and starts with the arrival of HMS Beagle and then the disastrous expedition of Captain Gardiner. The arrival of his parents and as he grew up the many adventures he had and the very extensive knowledge gained. Cannot be overtaken.

Uttermost Part of the World – quality production of this famous account.

$60.00

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The Antarctic – Henry King – First Edition 1969

Fiji and The Fijians (1835-1856) – G.C. Henderson

Narrative of the Wreck of HMS Porpoise – Robert Purdie, Surgeon’s Mate of HMS Investigator [A Matthew Flinders Item]

Red Peak – Ascent of Pik Kommunizma [Now named Ismoil Somoni Peak in Modern Day Tajikistan - 7,495 m]

Raymond Howgego’s Monumental reference on the Exploration of Australia and Beyond.

Uttermost Part of the Earth – A History of Tierra Del Fuego and the Fuegians – E Lucas Bridges.

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