The Private Journal of Captain G. F. Lyon, of H.M.S. Hecla, during the Recent Voyage of Discovery under Captain Parry.

London: John Murray,, 1824. First edition, an important coverage of the native peoples that George Francis Lyon encountered while commanding Hecla on Parry's second expedition in search of the north-west passage; Field notes that "almost the entire volume is devoted to the narration of the peculiarities of the Aborigines of the Arctic regions". Commissioned lieutenant in 1814, George Francis Lyon (1795-1832) accompanied Joseph Ritchie's abortive expedition into southern Libya in 1818 (having replaced Frederick Marryat), publishing a well-received account of his travels in 1821, the same year that he was promoted commander and "appointed to the Hecla under the orders of Captain William Edward Parry in the Fury. The expedition, Parry's second in the search for the north-west passage, sailed on 8 May 1821, entered the Arctic region through Hudson Strait, examined Repulse Bay and the neighbouring coast of Melville peninsula, and wintered at a small island to the eastward of the Frozen Strait. The next summer they went further north and entered Fury and Hecla Strait, but the season being then far advanced they turned back, wintered at Igloolik (lat. 69°21' N, long. 81°44' W), and came home in autumn 1823, as signs of scurvy among the crew made it inadvisable to stay. On 13 November Lyon was promoted captain, and the following year he published The private journal of Captain G. F. Lyon" (ODNB). The next year he led an unsuccessful expedition to Repulse Bay with instructions to continue the survey of the mainland Begun by John Franklin. His Private Journal proved popular and a second edition swiftly followed the next year. Octavo (204 x 127 mm). Contemporary marbled half calf, red spine label, flat spine ruled and tooled in gilt, marbled sides, edges sprinkled brown and white. Engraved frontispiece and 6 plates after the author's sketches, engraved by William Finden, large folding route map, musical score to pp. 134-5. Armorial bookplate of Lord Blayney; either Cadwallader Blayney, 12th Baron (1802-1874) or his father Lieutenant General Andrew Blayney, 11th Baron (1770-1834). Binding rubbed, light wear at extremities, top edge dusty, inner hinges partially split but firm, occasional foxing and browning, largely clean. A very good copy. Arctic Bibliography 10531; Field 961; Hill p. 186; Howgego II L52; Sabin 42853.