A Narrative of a Visit to the Australian Colonies

Hardcover. Original green blind-stamped cloth with spine lettering gilt; gloss yellow endpapers. xvii + 560 + cxlii (appendices). Illustrated with 15 plates of etchings, one folding; several woodcuts in text, and three folding maps at rear. This copy includes the plate facing p, 487 sometimes reported as missing from other copies. Ink name on half-title (1843); spine slightly faded, with nicks and light fraying to head & foot; spine partially detached along one edge; foxing to prelims, rear matter, maps, and plate margins; interior otherwise remarkably bright, and a nice tight copy altogether, with still bright covers lightly rubbed. We presume this is a presentation copy because the ink name on half-title reads, “Mary Backhouse, York, 1843”, whom we presume to be a relation of the author’s, probably his wife. James Backhouse (1794-1869) was a Quaker missionary and naturalist.