Item #15212 Narrative of the Surveying Voyages of His Majesty's Ships Adventure and Beagle, between the years 1826 and 1836, describing their examination of the southern shores of South America and the Beagle's Circumnavigation of the Globe. Charles DARWIN, Phillip Parker, KING, Robert FITZROY.

Narrative of the Surveying Voyages of His Majesty's Ships Adventure and Beagle, between the years 1826 and 1836, describing their examination of the southern shores of South America and the Beagle's Circumnavigation of the Globe.

London: Henry Colburn, 1839. Three volumes and the separately bound appendix to volume 2. 8vo. xxviii, (4), "597" [= 601]; xiv, (2), 694, (2); viii, 352; xiv, "615" [= 638] pp. With 8 folded engraved charts and maps loose. First edition. First issue. With 44 lithographed plates, most with tissue guards, 4 charts and maps inserted, 8 charts and maps loose in cover pockets, text woodcuts. Original cloth; upper back skillfully repaired, fore edge waterstain to vol. 2 frontispiece, plate unaffected, otherwise interiors especially clean. Overall an excellent set. Item #15212

First edition, first issue recording the historic voyage of the Beagle, including Darwin's Journal which forms the third volume of the Narrative. This set is of great rarity; it contains Darwin's first published book, the beginning of a whole new conception of the origin and evolution of the various species of life on earth.

Captain Robert Fitzroy (1805-1865) commanded the five-year expedition, during which time the Beagle visited Brazil, Argentina, Tierra del Fuego, Chili, Peru, the Galapagos Islands, New Zealand, Australia, and other countries and islands on the way. Darwin's account of the voyage is one of the most important records of natural history exploration ever written, and provided a foundation for the entire structure of modern biology.

Price: $85,000.00