Journals of Expeditions of Discovery into Central Australia, and Overland from Adelaide to King George's Sound, In the Years 1840-1; Sent by the Colonists of South Australia.Including the Manners and Customs of the Aborigines. [Rare1st ed with BOTH maps]

Eyre, Edward John

Published by T & W Boone, London, 1845

About this Item

1st edition, octavo, 2 vols, Vol I: pp. xx, 448; Vol II: pp. vi, 512, 22 litho. plates including frontispieces, two folding maps, both hand-coloured in outline, some light tanning to both maps mainly along folds, prev. owner's inscription dated "Feb 1881" to f.f.e.p. both vols, pagination misprint pp. 449 vol II, occasional minor spotting to margins and slight foxing to last few pages both vols, book-plate of Irish Engineer, John Harris Hazlett Swiney, edges sl. rubbed, corners sl. bumped, orig. T & W Boone green blind-stamped cloth bds., with publisher's gilt emus to lower spines. A near fine set of the true first edition. Ferguson 4031. RARE first edition, the superior issue with both maps including the extremely rare large folding map by John Arrowsmith, 340mm x 940mm (not found in most copies) showing the extent of the horseshoe of salt lakes which Edward Eyre believed he saw as he travelled north of Spencer Gulf and the Flinders Ranges. The map also shows his exploration route examining the country for a viable stock route from Adelaide to King George's Sound (Western Australia). Eyre reached Albany in June 1841 with the Aboriginal man Wylie his sole companion. This was the first East-West expedition of Australia. Edward Eyre's account offers rich and insightful descriptions of Aboriginal life and customs. Of the 22 plates (some lithographed from the work of prominent colonial artists George Hamilton, J. Neil and E. Gill, 14 depict Aboriginal scenes, portraits and artefacts. Seller Inventory # 93712

Bibliographic Details

Title: Journals of Expeditions of Discovery into ...

Publisher: T & W Boone, London

Publication Date: 1845

Binding: Cloth Boards

Edition: 1st edition.