A Successful Exploration Through The Interior of Australia, From Melbourne To The Gulf Of Carpenteria. From The Journals And Letters Of William John Wills. Edited by his father, William Wills.

First edition of Willis’s account of his exploration of Central Australia.

William Wills migrated to Australia in 1852 and in 1860 was given the position of astronomer and surveyor in the expedition led by R.O. Burke to explore central Australia. They reached the Gulf of Carpentaria but died on the return journey. Willis’s diary was edited for publication by his father.

First edition. Portrait frontispiece and folding map. 8vo. Modern green cloth, spine gilt, with the sought after brightly coloured endpapers, patterned in blue, green, red, pink and gold. xii, 396, 32 ads. pp. London.

Jonathon Wantrup, Australian Rare Books, states in regards the bright endpapers; “no such copy should be passed by“.