Beechey, Captain F. W: NARRATIVE OF A VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT, TO CO-OPERATE WITH THE POLAR EXPEDITIONS: Performed in His Majesty's Ship Blossom under the Command of Captain F.W. Beechey, R.N.in the Years 1825, 26, 27, 28. , London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, 1831. Published by Authority of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. In Two Parts.

1st Octavo 8vo Edition; Two volumes, Vol I [iv]-xxvi, [1, directions to the binder], 472pp; Vol II iv, 452pp. Three engraved maps, two of which are folding, and twenty-three engraved plates, many not in place as in directions to binder but all complete, also two copies of one of the plates. Contemporary rebound, cloth, half calf, Each volume with red and black spine labels. Spines stamped and lettered in gilt. All edges marbled. Beechey’s expedition on board the H.M.S. Blossom formed part of a double-pronged assault on the western approaches to the Arctic. Sent by way of Bering’s Strait to explore the northern coast eastward, Beechey was to eventually link up with Franklin’s second expedition, working westward from the Mackenzie River. The two parties came within several hundred miles of each other, one of Beechey’s vessels managing to penetrate as far as Cape Barrow, while Franklin turned back at Return Reef at about 149 degrees west. The narrative contains scientific data, descriptions of Eskimo life and culture, and much of importance relating to Alaska (including the Aleutian, Pribilov and other islands), the Tuamotu Archipelago, the Society Islands, and Tahiti, Hawaii, and the coast of California. There are also valuable accounts of Monterey and San Francisco prior to the American conquest, as well as a lengthy account of the mutiny of the Bounty, as related by its sole survivor, John Adams.Some foxing, small tear title page Vol I, repaired tear to page 472, Vol I. ink stain pp365- 370 Vol II. Very Good (Book ref. 1826)  £1500.00

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