1841-1846 Voyage au Pole Sud et dans l'Océanie sur les Corvettes l'Astrolable et la Zélé

Description

First Edition, Folding Maps, Illustrated, Pleasing Copy, Rebound

The first "petit edition" of this ten volume set, being the fourth impression. In the original French.

The full account of the extraordinary voyage was published in thirty two volumes over ten years [1841-1855], this ten volume edition contains the complete history of the voyages of the Astrolabe and the Zélé.

Rebound in an attractive quarter calf over facsimile boards in 1996 by Law Bindery, Melbourne. 

These volumes recount Dumont d'Urville's second and last expedition in the Astrolabe and the Zélé to the Antarctic and the Pacific, to Australia and New Zealand of 1837. This is regarded as one of the most successful expedition of the Great French scientific voyages. 

With the aim to explore the South Polar regions and the various islands in the Pacific. The expedition reached the ice pack of the South Polar Region in January of 1838 but was unable to penetrate it.

These ten volumes include those published during Dumont d'Urville's lifetime; after he died in 1842, the work was continued by M. Dumoulin, who added chapters on anthropology, botany, geology, zoology, physics, and more. 

Dealing with: the strait of Magellan; the first Antarctic reconnaissance [Shetland Islands, Orkneys Islands, and the Antarctic Peninsula]; Chile, Juan Fernandez, the Gambier Islands, and the arrival in the Marquesas; Tahiti, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji; New Hebrides, Solomon Islands, Caroline Islands, Guam, the Philippines; New Guinea, Australia, Sulawesi, Batavia, Borneo; Singapore, Borneo, Sulu Islands,; Indonesia, Tasmania, Antarctica, return to Tasmania; Timor, and the return voyage to France. 

With an index to all ten volumes to volume ten. 

Illustrated with a folding map per volume which present minor marginal closed tears. Lacking the Antarctic map to volume eight. No map issued for volume ten. Printers' error with a duplicate map of the Gambier Island to volume seven instead of a map of New Guinea.

From the library of Eric Kenneth Prentice Back. Kenn Back was a British meteorologist with the British Antarctic survey for many years.  He spent eight winters in the Antarctic and is a descendent of Captain George Back. In addition, he served as base commander at Halley, Faraday and Rothera stations.  His library collection was built over decades and highlights his love of polar exploration.