JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE IN BAFFIN'S BAY AND BARROW STRAITS, IN THE YEARS 1850-1851, performed by H. M. Ships "Lady Franklin" and "Sophia", under the command of Mr. William Penny, in search of the missing crews of H. M. Ships Erebus and Terror: with a narrative of sledge excursions on the ice of Wellington Channel; and observations on the natural history and physical features of the countries and frozen seas visited.

First edition. Two volumes. 8vo. Publisher's original blue blind-stamped cloth with titles in gilt to the spines. Page edges untrimmed. Two page publisher's advertisements to the rear of volume one. Illustrated with four colour lithographic plates, two black and white lithographic plates, two folding coloured maps and numerous wood-engravings in text. A very good set, the bindings square and firm with a little chipping to the spine ends, a small puncture mark to the centre of the spine of volume one and some minor rubbing to the extremities. The contents, with some occasional toning and the odd spot of light foxing, are otherwise in very good order and clean throughout. The folding maps with a touch of light foxing are otherwise in excellent condition.

The first edition of Peter Cormac Sutherland's (1822-1900) account of his time spent as the surgeon-naturalist on Captain William Penny's Franklin search expedition of 1850-51. With the financial support of Lady Franklin, Penny took charge of two brigs, 'The Lady Franklin' and 'Sophia', sailing them from Aberdeen through the Davis Strait to the west coast of Greenland, and then on through Baffin Bay and Lancaster Sound to Cornwallis Island, where the party wintered at Assistance Harbour, joined by Sir John Ross. From here, the expedition conducted boat and sledge journeys in Barrow Strait and around Wellington Channel on the shores of Devon, Beechey and Cornwallis Islands. One of the earlier Franklin searches, Penny's expedition was notably successful in comparison to others, discovering the fate of several crew members, whose remains were found buried at the winter base station. In the present work, Sutherland provides an extensive narrative of the expedition, describing the seas, landscapes and weather encountered, interactions with the Inuit, zoological, botanical, geological and meteorological observations, and the reports of the traveling parties and sledge excursions. An attractive set, uncommon in the original publisher's cloth. (Arctic Bibliography 17231; Sabin 93693).