HEARNE, Samuel. A Journey from Prince of Wales's Fort in Hudson's Bay, to the Northern Ocean. Undertaken by order of the Hudson's Bay Company… In the Years 1769...1772. L: for A. Strahan and T. Cadell, 1795. FIRST EDITION.
4to (295 x 235 mm). 5 engraved folding maps (one with hand-colored routes laid-in), 4 engraved folding plates. (Some foxing and browning primarily to plates.) Later half red morocco, marbled boards (some light wear, text block separated along upper hinge, lower hinge starting). Provenance: Eric L. Harvie (bookplate); collector's bookplate, a few pencil marks.
FIRST EDITION of Hearne's description of his discoveries on behalf of the Hudson's Bay Company. Hearne was the first European to travel overland to the Arctic Ocean, investigating potential copper mines North of Churchill. Appointed governor of Prince of Wales's Fort in 1775, Hearne was forced to surrender to La Perouse in 1782 and return to England. La Perouse saved Hearne's manuscript and returned it to the British for publication. Arctic Bibliography 95998; Hill 791; Sabin 31181 (incorrect plate count); Streeter Sale 3652; Staton & Tremaine/TPL 445.