Journals of Expeditions of Discovery in Central Australia…
Journals of Expeditions of Discovery in Central Australia, and overland from Adelaide to King George's Sound, in the years 1840-1.

London: T. & W. Boone, 1845.

Two volumes, octavo, with 22 plates including frontispieces; in original decorated green cloth.

A highly important and detailed account of inland Australian exploration by Edward John Eyre, containing significant descriptions of Australian geography and Aboriginal life and customs. 'Eyre's Journals are quite scarce and are essential to a collection of exploration books' (Wantrup). The text is illustrated with plates after the colonial artists George Hamilton, S.T. Gill, and J. Neill.

A highly important and detailed account of inland Australian exploration by Edward John Eyre, containing significant descriptions of Australian geography and Aboriginal life and customs. 'Eyre's Journals are quite scarce and are essential to a collection of exploration books' (Wantrup). The text is illustrated with plates after the colonial artists George Hamilton, S.T. Gill, and J. Neill.

In 1840 Eyre determined to seek an overland route from Adelaide to Swan River. For several months he attempted to cross the salt lakes to the north, but turned back at Mount Hopeless. Disheartened, he nonetheless took a much smaller party to attempt the difficult westward crossing to King George Sound, planning to traverse some eight hundred and fifty miles of desert. After many hardships, including the murder of one of his party, only Eyre and Wylie, a native of the King George Sound tribe, reached Albany on 7 July 1841. As might be expected, this 'account of Eyre's explorations contains also much valuable information about the aborigines' (Ferguson). Within a few months of his arrival Eyre was appointed magistrate and protector of Aborigines at Moorundie, on the River Murray, and had notable success in the position.

This set is a later issue bound from remaindered sheets and published without the two loose folding maps.

Ferguson, 4031; Wantrup, 133a.

Condition Report: Some foxing and water-staining of the plates yet a good set in original decorated green cloth, a few scattered stains affecting the front boards.

Ref: #3907240

Condition Report