FRANKLIN, JOHN.

2 volumes. Published by authority of the right honourable the Earl Bathurst. London, John Murray, Albermarle-Street 1824 (year in first volume erronously given as MCMCCCCXXIV). Third edition. xix+370; iv+399 pages. Large folded map of 'The Discoveries & Route of the Northern Land Expedition' opposite title page of first volume (approx. 85x53cm). One hand-coloured folded map opposite of titlepage in second volume: 'The Connected Discoveries of Captains Parry & Franklin' (according to instructions to binder originally to be placed in front of first volume, but seen misplaced in the third edition). Two foldable maps in the rear of second volume. One plan in second volume (page 46). Bound in two recent volumes of red half calf with six compartments and title, author, year and small vignettes in gilt to spines. Small hole to fold of the large map - only affecting the inland portion of the map, so not the mapped coastline. One map in second volume with two very small holes; one at the frame of the print affecting the longitudal scale and one to the inland, not affecting charted areas. Light foxing, creasing and folds to maps. A couple of pages with discolouration, most likely from old water stain. Otherwise only the occasional small, closed tear and three small nicks (page 177/vol. I & 217-220/vol. II).

* In our time undoubtedly most widely known for disappearing with two ships and crew during what became 'Franklins Lost Expedition' (starting out in 1845 as The Northwest Passage Expedition) in search of The Northwest Passage between the Bering Strait and the Atlantic, Sir John Franklin (1786-1847) had a long career at sea behind him starting as a young boy. The merchant fleet took him to sea at the age of 12, but it became the Navy he dedicated his life to. During the early years he saw one battle followed by another: Copenhagen (1801), The South China Sea (1804), Trafalgar (1805) and so on. In 1818 Franklin partook in an expedition to Svalbard (Spitzbergen) as commander of one of the ships and the following years he led the Coppermine expedition, one of several mapping expeditions sent out by The Royal Navy in an attempt at discovering The Northwest Passage and thereby the shortcut route to the lucrative markets of Asia. The expedition started out from the Coppermine River and worked it's way east along the polar sea. The men were challenged not only by the hardships a northern climate has to offer, but also by shortage of food, bad planning, murder, possible cannibalism and a less welcoming attitude from the local helpers and ended up not fulfilling it's objective. Only half the crew made it back alive after famously eating lichen - and perhaps even their own shoes if we shall believe Franklin's nickname 'The man who ate his boots' - to survive. Franklin went on to command the Mackenzie River expedition in 1825, being governor of van Diemen's Land (present day Tasmania) for six years and lastly being appointed leader of the Northwest Passage Expedition.