THREE EXPEDITIONS INTO THE INTERIOR OF EASTERN AUSTRALIA; with descriptions of the recently explored region of Australia Felix, and of the present colony of New South Wales. by MITCHELL. Major T. L.: - 1839

SECOND EDITION 1839, 2 volumes, complete set "carefully revised". 8vo, approximately 220 x 135 mm, 8½ x 5½ inches, complete with 51 lithographed plates and a large folding map, VOLUME I: pages: [2], xxi, [3], 1-355, rebound without the 8 pages of Opinions of the Press which preceded the frontispiece, hand coloured frontispiece, title page with large vignette, and 20 plates including 1 map, plus large folding map hand coloured in outline in pocket at rear, the map is revised and has differences in the annotations on the map. VOLUME II: pages: [2], ix, [3], 1-415, frontispiece, title page with large vignette, and 29 plates, 3 folding, 4 hand coloured including a cockatoo, 1 map with hand coloured outlines, 2 folding hand coloured plates, 1 a geological sketch, the other showing a section of 2 caverns, illustrations in the text, bound in 19th century half dark green calf over marbled sides, raised bands with gilt decoration, gilt lettered maroon morocco labels, edges speckled red, pale brown endpapers, no adverts in either volume. A touch of rubbing to head and tail of spines and corners, most plates very lightly browned in the margins, 1 plate very faintly browned all over, some very small neat archival tape repairs to blank side of folding map. Volume I: 2 signatures on blank side of frontispiece, 1 dated 1941, no show-through, 1 plate slightly shaved at lower edge with loss of imprint; Volume II: 4 ink signatures to blank side of frontispiece, one dated 1848, the 4th 1941, no show-through, small pale damp stain to lower margin of 16 plates, 2 just affecting lower edge of image, no loss. A very good complete set. Thomas Livingstone Mitchell (1792-1855) was sent out to New South Wales as deputy surveyor-general in 1827 becoming Surveyor-General in 1828, holding the office until his death. His first journey in 1831-32 was in search of the Kindur river, surveying the area between the Castlereagh and Gwydir Rivers, the second explored the course of the river Darling in 1835, and the third in 1836 was an expedition to the rivers Darling and Murray in the course of which he made a detour to the south to discover the rich lands of western Victoria which he named Australia Felix. The lithograph plates which are all drawn by the author show aborigines, scenery, a few animals and birds, minerals and geology. The text describes his travels, scenery, natural history, geology, and encounters with aborigines. Ferguson, Bibliography of Australia, Volume III, page 46, No. 2811; The Hill Collection of Pacific Voyages, Volume II, page 200; Wantrup, Australian Rare Books, page 381, No. 125 and pages 199-201. MORE IMAGES ATTACHED TO THIS LISTING, ALL ZOOMABLE. FURTHER IMAGES ON REQUEST. POSTAGE AT COST.