Australasia.- Australia.- Stokes (John Lort) Discoveries in Australia; with an Account of the Coasts and Rivers explored and surveyed during the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle in the Years 1837-38-39-40-41-42-43, 2 vol., first edition, 26 engraved or lithographed plates including 11 of natural history, 8 folding engraved maps, 6 in pockets at front, one with route supplied in red, illustrations, errata leaf in vol.1, with advertisement slip for Eyre's Central Australia' tipped into vol.2 but without that of Dutton in vol.1, advertisements tipped to endpapers at beginning and end of each vol.(some varying to those in Wantrup), light foxing and browning, M1 in vol.1 creased, ink signature of ?Willm. Beauchamp Proctor on front pastedowns, first issue binding of original blue ribbed cloth with elaborate grecian borders stamped in blind, spines gilt with kangaroos and emus at foot, rubbed, light stains to upper cover of vol.2, spines faded and worn at head and foot, corners bumped and worn, [Ferguson 4406; Wantrup 89a], 8vo, 1846.

⁂ John Lort Stokes served on H.M.S.Beagle from 1824-41, from midshipman to commander, including the famous voyage of 1831-36 with Charles Darwin on board. This work of 1846 describes the completion of the survey of the coast of Australia including the Torres and Bass Straits and the approaches to Adelaide and the Swan River near Perth. The expedition also discovered new rivers in the Gulf of Carpentaria on the north-west coast.