Queensland

A Naturalist in Cannibal Land – 1913 – Arthur Stewart Meek

Meek (1871-1943) was born into a Natural History family. Before he was twenty he was at Coomooboolaroo Station in Queensland collecting for the great Lionel Rothschild for his zoo at Tring. He then travelled New Guinea and the Solomons for both Tring and the Natural History Museum. This is a second impression in very good condition.

This is the book on his travels. Amongst his great finds were the holotyoe and paratype of the Woodlark venomous snake, rare there are still only twelve specimens known. In 1906 he discovered (and shot) the first specimen of the Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing Butterfly … the largest in the world.

Many species are named after him … a crested pigeon, lorikeet, pygmy-parrot, crow, dwarf kingfisher etc and several butterflies and moths.

Meek a fearless Natural Historian who made his mark in New Guinea and the Solomons

$160.00

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Jardine’s Journal – Narrative of the Overland Expedition of the Messrs. Jardine from Rockhampton to Cape York – First Facsimile Issue 1994

Originally published by J.W. Buxton, Brisbane in 1867. Compiled from the Journals of the Brothers, and edited by Frederick Byerley, Engineer of Roads, Northern Division of Queensland.

This is the first and preferred Corkwood Press (Bundaberg) facsimile of 1994 of the near impossible to get 1867 Brisbane original. Very good condition … Manfred Cross’s copy

Includes a facsimile of the map published with that original account.

Voyager Background Note

In 1863 it was decided by Governor Bowen that a settlement should be established at the tip of Cape York at Albany. He selected John Jardine a magistrate at Rockhampton for the task who in turn thought that his sons Frank (22) and Alexander (20) could make their way overland with a mob of cattle. They put together a party and set off in May 1864. There were ten in all including six aborigines. They all convened at Carpentaria Downs the property of J.G. McDonald beyond here the country was basically unknown. It was not until October that they finally set off with a mob of 250 head and 42 horses. They were well armed. They moved North West along the Einasleigh River and were soon followed by native aborigines in war paint but were not attacked – at this point. They reached Parallel Creek and found evidence of cannibalism in an abandoned fire. The landscape softened from large granite boulders to flat sandy beds. They reached 120 miles and decided to rest a few days and it was observed that the forage was good and the cattle and horses improved. They moved on and crossed and later named the Byerley Creek. A fire demolished their camp and much of their supplies were lost. They made on to Staaten River (named by the Dutch during their early marine explorations) and then on to find the Mitchell River having been lost a number of times. On 20th November 1864 the first fight with the aborigines took place on a river bank and several aborigines were wounded or killed but none of the Jardine party. A number of encounters followed and they decided to move on North. Eventually they found the Mitchell which was the site of their bloodiest encounter with up to 30 aborigines killed or wounded before they retreated. As they moved into December storms rolled in and the journey became difficult – they had to resort to killing their cattle as supplies ran out. They moved quickly noting beautiful grazing country in the region of the Archer River. On 11th January 1865 they reached the Batavia River where several of their horses died from eating poisonous plants. They pushed on as hard as they could and sent a scouting party out on 30th January 1865 to find their destination estimated to be 25 miles distant but were unsuccessful. The terrain was difficult steep hills and gullies crossed by narrow deep creeks overgrown by dense tropical vegetation. It was not until 1st March 1865 that the party heard the yelling of scouts sent out from the settlement to find them – just in time. Their journal records that a camp was made at Vallack Point and “there the weary cattle and horses at last found rest, while their drivers were able to indulge in the luxuries of regular feeding and uninterrupted sleep”

$80.00

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Cape River Gold Field – Report of William Rands – 1891

William Rands was Assistant Geologist to Robert Logan Jack. This is his report to the Queensland Parliament on the Cape River Gold Field.

18 foolscap pages of the usual intense observation and detail exhibited by the Queensland geological team of the period. Covers Union Reef, General Grant Reef, Hayward Reef, The Big reef, The Just-In-Time Reef, Hughes Leader, The Mystery Reef (no Mystery!), Springs reef, Mount Remarkable, Morning Star, Martin’s, Bell-Gay, Victoria, and Governor Blackall Reefs and many many more. Crushing reports with yield from Ellen Boss, Treasure and Albion as complied by Commissioner Gill.
An appendix provides a short geological description of rocks and thin section slides of 43 samples taken in the area. The thin section slides being prepared by Clarke of Charters Towers.

The report contain a folding coloured page showing 8 geological sections the first across Mr Davenport and the cape River. And a very nice coloured Geological Sketch Map of part of the Kennedy District by William Rands (50cms by 25 cms) … note our image on the Voyager website is partly truncated because of the limitations of our scanner.

Quality Cape River Report with fine example of the Map

$90.00

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Tropical Diseases – Patrick Manson

A pristine copy of Manson’s “Manual of the Diseases of Warm Climates”.

A superb facsimile of the 1898 original but in a deluxe binding from the Classics of Medicine Series. Published 1984, 608 pages after preliminaries. Superb full leather with elaborate gilt work to front, back and spine. All edges richly gilt. Illustrated as per the original. Gift condition.

Sir Patrick Manson (1844-1922) was a Scottish physician who made important discoveries in parasitology and was the founder of the filed of tropical medicine. He discovered that filariasis in humans in transmitted by mosquitoes – his discovery directly invoked the mosquito-malaria theory

Tropical Diseases in Luxury Binding … postage included

$70.00

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Report on British New Guinea, from data and notes by the late Sir peter scratchley, Her Majesty’s special commissioner – 1886

Mr. G. Seymour Fort, private secretary to the late Sir Peter Scratchley, presents a report on British New Guinea, from data and notes by the late Sir Peter Scratchley, her majesty’s special commissioner. A very important document regarding exploration to determine the best approach to problems resulting from annexation, natives, superstition, murder, rape, missionaries, financing and administration.

The report examines, in great detail; administration and appointment of officers as necessary with the key perspective being the current position of the country, its general characteristics and, somewhat importantly, complaints of the natives against white men and of white men against natives that would require swift resolution. The examination of pressing issues continues including the killing of white men, industry and judicial proceedings, missionaries, minerals, natural products, rainfall, rivers and, a key examination of the special nature of New Guinea’s relationship with Queensland.

A key piece of colonial New Guinea’s history – Scratchley established a Colony.

$290.00

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R. Hamlyn-Harris (Ed.) – “Memoirs of the Queensland Museum – Vol. V” – 1916

R. Hamlyn-Harris presents the fifth volume of Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, issued in Brisbane, 10th July, 1916.

This work concerns itself with a staggeringly large number of exhibits, pieces and explorations of the Queensland Museum to that date, from fish poisoning and poisons employed among the Aborigines of Queensland to a check-list of Cephalochordates, Selachians, and fish of Queensland. Accompanied by 25 excellent plates, with additional illustrations to accompany each article.

This scarce and important publication contains articles to delight anyone with an interest in natural history, anthropology or Queensland itself.

$60.00

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A Naturalist in Cannibal Land – 1913 – Arthur Stewart Meek

Jardine’s Journal – Narrative of the Overland Expedition of the Messrs. Jardine from Rockhampton to Cape York – First Facsimile Issue 1994

Cape River Gold Field – Report of William Rands – 1891

Tropical Diseases – Patrick Manson

Report on British New Guinea, from data and notes by the late Sir peter scratchley, Her Majesty’s special commissioner – 1886

R. Hamlyn-Harris (Ed.) – “Memoirs of the Queensland Museum – Vol. V” – 1916

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