THE VOYAGE OF THE JEANNETTE-DeLong/2 Vol/1884/Arctic Exploration/HB/Illustrated

Description: A MASSIVE 2 VOLUME ACCOUNT OF 19th CENTURY POLAR EXPLORATIONTHE VOYAGE OF THE JEANNETTE: THE SHIP AND ICE JOURNALS OF GEORGE W. DE LONGEdited by his wife Emma De Long1884 edition in 2 decorated volumes with many illustrations and maps, VG condition.Description: Emma De Long, editor THE VOYAGE OF THE JEANNETTE: The Ship and Ice Journals of George W. De Long, Lieutenant-Commander, U.S.N., and Commander of the Polar Expedition of 1879-1881. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1884, Each volume 6.5 x 9.5 in., V1: 440 pp, V2: 471 pp (numbered 441-911). Many maps and illustrations. Condition: Hardbound in heavy brown cloth with gilt and blindstamped designs on covers and spines of both volumes. Volume 1 has a faint dampstain throughout on the outside edge (see photos). Circumpolar map in text is in good condition. Map in back pocket is present but flaking apart with some loss of paper. Otherwise unmarked, very tightly bound, clean and complete. Volume 2 has some scuffing and staining on front cover, but is clean, very tightly bound, and complete inside. Several maps have separated at the folds, but are otherwise present as called for. Covers of both volumes are otherwise quite clean and unworn. With stated faults, this is still a very handsome set, in VG condition. Information: A stirring contemporary account by the leader of one of the most noted and tragic expeditions to the polar seas in the 1800s. In 1879, backed by James Gordon Bennett Jr.—owner of the New York Herald—and under the auspices of the United States Navy, Lieutenant Commander De Long sailed from San Francisco on the ship USS Jeannette with a plan to find a way to the North Pole via the Bering Strait. As well as collecting scientific data and animal specimens, De Long discovered three islands and claimed them for the United States in the summer of 1881. The government did not endorse this claim, and the islands are under Russian jurisdiction. The ship became trapped in the ice pack in the Chukchi Sea northeast of Wrangel Island in September 1879. It drifted in the ice pack in a northwesterly direction until it was crushed in the shifting ice and sank on June 12, 1881, in the East Siberian Sea. De Long and his crew then traversed the ice pack to try to reach Siberia pulling three small boats. After reaching open water on September 11 they became separated and one boat, commanded by Executive Officer Charles W. Chipp, was lost; no trace of it was ever found. De Long's own boat reached land, but only two men sent ahead for aid survived. The third boat, under the command of Chief Engineer George W. Melville, reached the Lena Delta and its crew were rescued. Melville later found and brought to the U.S. the ships log books which now sit in the U.S. National Archives. De Long died of starvation near Matvay Hut, Yakutia. Melville returned a few months later and found the bodies of De Long and his boat crew. Overall, the doomed voyage took the lives of 20 expedition members, as well as additional men lost during the search operations. De Long's death – and that of the other men – was assumed to have occurred at or about the end of October. By direction of the United States government, the remains of De Long and his companions were brought home and interred with honour in his native city.[ Biographical Note: George Washington De Long (1844–1881) was a United States Navy officer and explorer who led the ill-fated Jeannette expedition of 1879–1881, in search of the Open Polar Sea. VISIT MY EBAY STORE FOR OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST(Click This Link)All reasonable offers will be considered. Please inquire about discounts for purchases of multiple items. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE Shipping: Free media rate shipping in US. Higher international postage as appropriate (See the Shipping and Payment tab on this listing for an estimate and contact us before bidding if you have questions). We make every attempt to describe items clearly and completely. Please read our listings carefully, inspect posted images of the item, and let us know if you have any questions before you bid. All buyers must pay according to Ebay policies. If you have any questions about this, please email me. International bidders should contact me for a quote on shipping before bidding. Whenever possible, international shipping will be via Ebay Standard International Delivery. Import duties, taxes and charges are not included in the item price or shipping charges. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding/buying.

Price: 315 USD

Location: Riverside, Rhode Island

End Time: 2024-12-02T17:14:42.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD