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Presumed early reprint (probably unauthorised), with 1873 stated on the dedication page. Hard cover, 12 mo, in blue publishers' cloth with title and author's name blocked in gold to the spine, pattern printed end papers, frontispiece plus 9 of the twelve listed full page illustrations. Quality of type and illustrations suggest anastatic printing, i.e. pirated copy. (7) (1-334 pp.) (1). This edition does not specifically appear in Arthur B. Evans's bibliography of Verne's works online, but the wording is consistent with the first English translation from the original French by N. D'Anvers, the pen name of Nancy Bell, and her dedication page appears among the prelims, dated 1873. Other later editions were translated by others. Originally serialized in France during 1872 and 1873.**Condition: Good. Light marks to boards, very slight fraying at tail of spine. Pages quite toned. Hinges in order, and otherwise clean with no writing. Defect on one page, possibly from time of printing - it looks like a narrow strip of the back of the illustrated page opposite has been transferred to p165 (affecting text, which is still legible). **This adventure story has the main character, Jasper Hobson of the Hudson's Bay Company, traveling from Fort Reliance deep into the Arctic Circle with a mission from his employers to establish a northerly post at Fort Bathurst. There is much description of the native wildlife on their long excursion to the edge of the Arctic Ocean. But strange, otherworldly events begin happening -- a volcano and earthquake, strange tidal variations, an unexplained eclipse begins And then the party finds itself drifting into peril upon an iceberg...**The work of the French print artist, Henri Théophile Hildibrand (1824-1897) does much to bring the story to life. A good reading copy. Evans, "Jules Verne's English Translations" p.115.
Ref: SCIFI 8955
$50.00