Backhouse, James. A NARRATIVE OF A VISIT TO THE AUSTRALIAN COLONIES, by James Backhouse. Illustrated by three maps, fifteen etchings, and several wood-cuts. London: Hamilton, Adams, and Co. Paternoster Row, York: John L. Linney, Low Ousegate. MDCCCXLIII. Demy 8vo, First Edition; pp. xviii, 560, cxliv(appendices); 3 folding maps by James Wyld (The World, Tasmania, & New South Wales), 15 etched plates (including folding plate of chain gang) & 7 wood-cut text illustrations; uncut in the original green blind-stamped cloth (spine very slightly faded; a little mild foxing to plates, mostly to margins, but an exceptionally clean and crisp copy of a book usually found in indifferent condition); scarce, rare in such condition. London; Hamilton, Adams, and Co.; 1843. ***Ferguson 3558. This work is of major importance containing much detailed and valuable information on the state of the colonies at the time. Backhouse was a quaker missionary who arrived in Hobart with George Washington Walker in 1832, spent three years in Van Diemen's Land, and later visited nearly all the scattered Australian settlements. During their travels he made natural history observations and collected a valuable herbarium which was sent to Kew Gardens. Backhouse's medical knowledge also proved very valuable, and he gave much assistance to the sick and wounded in the colonies. In Van Diemen's Land they were granted access by Governor Arthur to all the penal establishments and aboriginal settlements and was encouraged to make observations and suggest improvements. In New South Wales they were encouraged by Governor Bourke to make similar observations and visited and described the penal settlements of Norfolk Island, Moreton Bay and Port Macquarie and the Aboriginal station at Wellington Valley. In 1837 they also visited Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, all still then in their infancy, promoting temperance and protection of the Aborigines. The extensive appendices include remarks on Judicial Oaths, Indigenous Vegetable Productions of Tasmania, Chain Gangs, Penal Discipline; a letter from a convict; addresses to the prisoner and free populations of the colonies; letters to Governor Bourke on the Aborigines; details of Quaker meetings, etc. #6208 Click HERE to order A$1750.00