Mr. McKinlay's Explorations. Diary of Mr. J. McKinlay, Leader of the Burke Relief Expedition, being Journal of Explorations in the Interior of Australia
Adelaide, W.C. Cox, Government Printer, 1862 (first edition).
Foolscap folio, drop-title, 56 pages plus 4 large folding maps (respective maximum sheet sizes and printed surface areas are 754 × 545 mm and 739 × 521 mm; 757 × 545 mm and 724 × 520 mm; 756 × 542 mm and 730 × 517 mm; and 758 × 556 mm and 724 × 525 mm).
Recent cloth lettered in gilt on the front cover; maps lightly foxed in a few spots, with a few tiny tears expertly sealed, and a few tiny chips to some top and leading edges; an excellent copy.
South Australian Parliamentary Paper Number 12 of 1862. The earliest printing of McKinlay's journal of his Burke and Wills Relief Expedition, and a rarity. 'The South Australian House of Assembly chose John McKinlay to lead the South Australian relief expedition in August 1861. Setting out from Kapunda with a well-equipped party, he reached Cooper's Creek in October. From his depot at Lake Buchanan he made numerous excursions into the surrounding country and found what he believed to be the grave of one of the Burke party. Coming to the conclusion that all of Burke's men had died, he sent back for instructions. When his instructions arrived he learned that Howitt had already discovered King and that Burke, Wills and Gray were indeed dead. McKinlay proceeded to examine the land to the north of Lake Eyre, discovering much useful pastoral and grazing land. In December he set out for the Gulf of Carpentaria to rendezvous with the Northern Relief Expedition under Commander Norman. His crossing was made difficult by diminished stores and his position was critical in May 1862 when he arrived with his men at the Albert River, where he expected to find relief, only to discover that the "Victoria" had already sailed. Sensibly, he decided to make for the Queensland coastal settlement at Port Denison, 500 miles to the east. After a difficult trip of over three months McKinlay brought all his men into Port Denison by the end of August. When he reached Adelaide in October 1862 McKinlay handed his journal to the South Australian Government. It was printed soon afterwards in the South Australian parliamentary papers. The text of his journal was later published for general distribution in the colonies by two Melbourne publishers' (Wantrup). Only the first public account, published by Baillière in 1863, contained maps ('three large folding maps loose in a back endpocket'), but it is 'virtually unprocurable in fine clean condition owing to the poor quality of the paper used' (Wantrup). This first edition large-format parliamentary paper is far superior in every respect. McLaren 12963; Wantrup (2023), pages 317-18.
Item #140416
Price (AUD):
$4,000.00