Exploration

Sailor and Beachcomber – Safroni-Middleton – First Edition 1915

“Confessions of a Life at Sea, In Australia and amid the Islands of the Pacific”. Published by Grant Richards, London a first edition 1915.

Thick octavo, 304 pages private library stamp at front and rear of Thomas Kinmore of Cork, Ireland. Nicely illustrated with 23 images from photographs. Pretty good condition.

An unusual book starting with “I run away to sea” but finds himself stranded in Brisbane and then off to the bush before leaving for the South Sea Islands. The usual chapter on cannibalism with much time spent in Samoa and Fiji, then Tahiti (and the usual chapter on morals) and the Marquesan Queens and back to Samoa before returning to Australia. Lost in the bush and on to the Gold Fields and Coolgardie. References to the Bounty and of course R.L.S. And quite a bit of violin playing – see his biography below.

Written in an interesting somewhat casual style but packed with observation if not sometimes a bit puffed up.

The author George Arnold Haynes Safroni-Middleton (1873-1950), also known as Count Safroni, was a British Composer, violinist, harpist, writer and astronomer. Born in Kent he studied violin with Pablo de Sarasate and later played with the orchestra at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Sydney. He toured Australia and explored Borneo, Papua New Guinea and Malaysia (and also obviously the Pacific). He composed “Imperial Echoes” in 1913 which for many years was the theme of “Radio Newsreel” on the BBC. Quite an odd chap.

In Australian and (mainly) in the Pacific – entertaining

$80.00

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Kamet Conquered (One of the Decisive Climbs in the History of Mountaineering) – Frank S. Smythe

This is the Uniform edition published by Hodder and Stoughton. London in 1947. First published in 1932. Thick octavo 371 pages with complete dust jacket. Some ageing on a couple of pages from a relevant inserted newspaper article … we have left it there as it adds to the interest. End paper maps, 36 photographic images and two maps in the text. A pretty good copy of an excellent account. Foreword by the formidable Francis Younghusband

In 1931 Frank Smythe and his team were the first to climb Kamet in the Himalayas in Northern India. It was the first of 70 plus peaks over 25,000 feet to be climbed. At this time the Tibetan authorities would not allow access to Everest. A brilliant mountaineer, Smythe gained a reputation as a special writer and packed his books with excellent photography. He died when only 49 after suffering food poisoning and malaria whilst in Delhi.

Kamet conquered at last … and not a bad place to smoke your pipe!

$50.00

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In the Heart of the Canadian Rockies – James Outram 1906

A superb copy, second printing 1906 published by Macmillan, New York one year after the first.

Octavo, 466 pages with the stunning pictorial covers a fresh as you will see. Nicely illustrated with 46 images mainly views of the dramatic scenery. Three maps two full page in the text and one large folding map at the rear in very good condition.

The writer, James Outram, apologises for his efforts. He need not as this beautiful book takes one through the Canadian Rockies without losing your attention or interest.

Chapters cover Banff; Mt Assiniboine; Lake Louise; a tragedy at Mt Lefroy; the Valley of the Ten Peaks; Field and Mt Stephen; the Yoho Valley and the Ottertail Group; the Upper Bow and the sources of the North Saskatchewan; Mt Forbes, Mt Bryce and further North. Useful appendices include the Selkirks; an accident on the glaciers of Mt Gordon; a record of “First Ascents” and “Hints on Outfits” – very stylish.

The maps are of the neighbourhood of Laggan and Field; the Yoho Valley and the large folding map is of the broader area encompassing the Canadian Rockies. The latter map is too big for our scanner so we will try and get and image online soon.

The Northern Rockies Beautifully Presented

$140.00

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The Amazon Provinces of Peru – H Guillaume F.R.G.S. – First Edition1888

Title continues … As a Field for European Emigration. A Statistical and Geographical Review of The Country and its Resources, including the Gold and Silver Mines together with a mass of useful and Valuable Information.

The author was the Consul-General of Peru in England when he produced this book …. based in Southampton.

A first edition published by Wyman & Sons, Lincoln’s-Inn Fields, London 1888. Octavo, 309 pages after the preliminaries. The original cloth bindings of this book are usually distressed beyond acceptable as was the case with this one. We decided to have it handsomely bound in full green calf by Roger Perry. Five raised bands to spine with separate red leather title and author labels to compartments 2 and 4. Gilt lines and devices and gilt lines to front and rear boards. New marbled endpapers. A top quality binding. Page edges show some age and internally the odd bit of foxing, photographic frontispiece re-laid. Nicely illustrated with the real photograph of the Peruvian President as a frontispiece and another real photograph of “A party of Ladies and Gentlemen giving a Concert at Lima”. A further four maps and 26 plates some folding.

Contents includes a general description including climate and history and a focus on the Amazon Provinces or Montana, the gold found there and the Cahuapana, Chachapoyas and Moyabamba. The products of the area, fruits, drugs. Dyes, palms orchids etc and some interesting comments on the usefulness of cocaine. A substantial part, over 100 pages devoted to more specific detail on Gold and Silver and other minerals. Political analysis and review of trade between Peru and England.

Whilst only covering 23 pages the “Reports of Scientific Travellers” is interesting including those of Olivier Ordinaire (Not ordinary at all), Professor Orton, J.D. Osmers and A. Wertheman who suffered from being abandoned by his guides on multiple occasions.

Rare South American Account now in a Superior Full Leather Binding

$240.00

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James Mario Matra – Alan Frost

His precarious life magnificently presented by Alan Frost and The Miegunyah Press. A fine edition 1995 first. Large octavo, 264 pages printed on Pageantry text cream paper and limited to 1,000 copies.

Matra sailed with Cook on his first voyage on the Endeavour and famously published the account of that voyage anonymously before the official account. He lost his inheritance in the American war of Independence but was helped out by Joseph Banks. He had grand plans of his own for NSW which did not come to fruition .. he saw out his later years as Consul at Tangier.

Matra the first to report Cook’s Voyage

$60.00

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The Great Frozen North – Jackson – First Edition 1895

The Great Frozen North (Bolshaia Zemelskija Tundra); Narrative of a Winter Journey Across the Tundras and a Sojourn Among the Samoyads.

Edited by Arthur Montefiore from the journals of Frederick George Jackson (1860 – 1938).

Published by Macmillan, London a first edition 1895 in very good condition. Large octavo, 297 pages after preliminaries numerous illustrations from photographs and drawings with three foldout coloured maps showing the route taken. Original blue cloth binding with the lovely gilt deer to front.

In the autumn 1893 Jackson explored Vatgack Island spending a year among the Samoyeds gaining sledging experience with reindeer. He then sledged 3,000 miles along the Arctic coast from Vaygach to the Pachora River and on to Ust Tsilma then west to the Menzen working his way up the coast of the White Sea north to Varanger Fiord. All of which was in preparation for his planned expedition through Franz Josef land the following year sponsored by the RGS. This book has become a fundamental reference to the way of life of the native Samoyed people.

Incidentally, during his later Franz Josef expedition Jackson came across Fridtjof Nansen and Hjalmar Johansen who had been lost for three years and had been trying to get to Spitsbergen and assisted them in a safe journey home aboard the Windward. Jackson received a knighthood of the first class of the Norwegian Royal Order of St Olaf for saving their exploration hero.

Jackson went on to have a distinguished military career rising to the rank of Major. As a youth he spent time in Queensland on a cattle station. In his last year he lived on a houseboat on the Thames. Quite a character.

$260.00

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Sailor and Beachcomber – Safroni-Middleton – First Edition 1915

Kamet Conquered (One of the Decisive Climbs in the History of Mountaineering) – Frank S. Smythe

In the Heart of the Canadian Rockies – James Outram 1906

The Amazon Provinces of Peru – H Guillaume F.R.G.S. – First Edition1888

James Mario Matra – Alan Frost

The Great Frozen North – Jackson – First Edition 1895

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