Author: O'Reilly, Bernard.
Title: Greenland, the adjacent seas, and the North-west Passage to the Pacific Ocean. Illustrated in a voyage to Davis's Strait, during the summer of 1817. With charts and numerous plates, from drawings of the author taken on the spot.
Description: London, Printed for Baldwin, Craddock, and Joy, 1818. VI,[2],293,[2] pp. [8] line engravings, incl. 3 maps (frontispiece & 2 folded maps) & 13 aquatints. 19th century boards. 4to. - Modern spine & endpapers. - Text and plates in near fine condition with all fly-leaves present (frontispiece with some ser. foxing).Rare first English edition (the first American edition was issued with 'only' three plates) based on the observations made by O'Reilly while he was a surgeon on a whaling ship. Including chapters on a.o. whaling, arctic zoology, the ancient history of Greenland, the manners and customs of the natives, and an historical account of the search for the north-west passage. Unfortunately, the work was criticized for inaccuracy and it is frequently noted that this work is plagiarized from lectures by Sir Charles L. M. von Giescke. - The work includes charming plates of Greenland's natives, Arctic wildlife (polar-bears, whales, birds), hunting scenes, etc. # Sabin 57576; Arctic Bib. 12852; Lande, S1719; Gagnon II, 1550; National Maritime Museum I,816.

Keywords: Ethnography North Pole Travel Polar Exploration Etnografie Noordpool Reizen Poolreizen