FRANKLIN, John.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

Narrative of a Journey to the Shores of the Polar Sea. First edition of "the most classic of books of travel" (ODNB) on Franklin's first attempt to discover the North West Passage and to explore the north-east coast of the Coppermine River. After only three months of preparation, the party set out on the Prince of Wales, a Hudson's Bay Company supply ship. The crew included the surgeon-naturalist John Richardson, besides the midshipmen George Back and Robert Hood. "Although they reached the Arctic Sea by July 1821, the amount of surveying possible was limited, and many problems arose, including failure of provisions, weakness from exposure, starvation, the loss of essential boats, a murder and an execution, and a final diet of lichen and boot leather. Eleven of the party of twenty died" (Books on Ice). Nevertheless, Franklin received a hero's welcome, a promotion, and election to the Royal Society. "He was hailed triumphantly as 'the man who ate his boots'... At a time when Britain was hungry for heroes and tales of noblesse in the face of terrifying danger and hardship, Franklin was perfect. His Narrative was immensely popular and was regarded as something of a classic in travel literature" (ODNB).The book was published in two quarto editions, both in 1823. In the present copy, the map "From Slave Lake to the Arctic Sea" is replaced with "An Outline to Shew the Connected discoveries of Capts. Ross, Parry & Franklin in the years 1818, 19, 20, and 21", as usual.

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