last of the Arctic voyages; being a narrative of the expedition in h.m.s. assistance, under thE command of sir edward belcher, c.b., in search of Sir John Franklin during the years 1852–53–54, with notes on the natural history

The voyages in question were those undertaken during the long search for Sir John Franklin’s missing Arctic Expedition to find the North West Passage. This one, under the command of Captain Sir Edward Belcher, sought to draw a line under this great nineteenth century mystery, although the results were not conclusive. This extensive work provides a shivering insight into conditions on the expedition, which, at the time, was seen as a pinnacle of modernity and the author takes great pride that not one man was lost in the search. With contributions from a variety of expedition members, the volume contains substantial information on the natural history of the region.