Ichthyology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Erebus & Terror,

£3,500 · Offered by Maggs Bros Ltd

The 1839-42 expedition of the Erebus and Terror to the Antarctic under James Clark Ross was one of the first major Antarctic expeditions, and according to Hill, one of the most important of all Pacific voyages. These two publications form a part of the scientific and natural history component of the voyage, among the most important and desirable for any Antarctic collection. They bear a relation to Ross’ own narrative similar to that of the zoology volume of Beechey’s narrative, also edited by the veteran high latitude zoologist, Sir John Richardson. John Clark Ross, commander of this expedition, was the nephew of Rear Admiral Sir John Ross, and one of the most experienced polar explorers produced by England in this period. Beginning with Parry in 1819, he participated in most of the major British high Arctic expeditions over the next two decades. He was thus a natural choice, and in April 1839 he was appointed commander of an expedition fitted out for magnetic and geographical discovery in the Antarctic, aboard the Erebus and Terror, which sailed from England in September 1839. The party crossed the Antarctic Circle on Jan. 1, 1841 and discovered a long range of high land which Ross named Victoria, a volcano which he named Mount Erebus, and a range of ice cliffs which to all appearances permanently barred the way to any closer approach to the pole. The expedition was also able to determine the South Magnetic Pole, and for this discovery Ross was awarded the gold medal of the

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