Narrative of the Arctic Land Expedition to the Mouth of the Great Fish River, and Along the Shores of the Arctic Ocean, in the Years 1833, 1834, and 1835 BACK, George Books,Travel & Exploration

8vo. Quarter calf with gilt spine lettering and marbled paper over boards. x, (2pp), 663pp. Tissue-guarded frontispiece, 15 heavy stock plates, large foldout map at rear. Overall very good. Modern rebind is tight and attractive and near fine, while preliminary leaves are a bit age toned, with text block clean and bright; plates all moderately age darkened. Handsome first edition of the noted Arctic exploration narrative. Back (1796-1878) was a Royal Navy officer and talented artist/naturalist who served in John Franklin's first Arctic exploration in 1818. His 1833 expedition began in hopes of finding explorer John Ross, who had vanished during his 1829 Arctic expedition, but when he surfaced Back reverted to exploring other unknown Arctic regions such as the Great Fish River (now the Back River) and charting long stretches of sea coast. In this copy the plate titled "Western View from near Mount Barrow" (listed on page 422 of the "Directions for placing the Plates" leaf) has been bound as the frontispiece. The foldout map at rear is quite attractive and does show several small, archival, expert edge mends. ARCTIC BIBLIOGRAPHY 851. SABIN 2613. STREETER 3704.