Northmost Australia
by Robert Logan Jack
ISBN 0 85905 222 2 (set), (1998 facsimile edition of the original published in 1921 and 1922), Hard Cover (bound in green Novalite), 162mm x 254mm, total of 1164 pages in two volumes with matching folder of 17 maps, 2150grams
$190.00 + POST
Three Centuries Of Exploration, Discovery, and adventure in and around the Cape York Peninsula,Queensland with a study of the narratives of all explorers by sea and land in the light of modern charting, many original or hitherto unpublished documents, thirty-nine illustration, and sixteen specially prepared maps.
Robert Logan Jack (1845 - 1921) was one of Australia's foremost geologists, arriving from Scotland in 1877 and for over 20 years was the Queensland Government Geologist. In 1899 he was carrying out investigations in China and then ran a consultancy from London, later from Western Australia and finally from Sydney where he wrote Northmost Australia.
The "volumes are a treasure trove of reliable data on a variety of subjects for general readership. They contain adventure tales, including shipwreck, desperate rescues from starvation and frontier violence, selfless heroism on the part of Aborigines and Europeans alike, kidnap and cannibalism, damsels in distress and tales of fortune and folly".
The contents cover early Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, French and English mariners and explorers, pastoralists, prospectors, surveyors and geologists who opened up the Cape.
The originals of these much sought after volumes have been selling for up to $1500.00 in good condition and $500.00 in poor condition.
A companion publication is the classic Robert Logan Jack map collection by Ross Thomas. This is a magnificent large format volume destined to become a great scientific and Australian classic. Details are available from North Queensland Mining Museum Pty Ltd, 2 High Street, Charters Towers, Queensland, 4820.