1838 GREY George River Glenelg NW Australia

Exceedingly rare original copperplate engraved map with original hand coloured outlines of the tracks taken by Grey on his first expedition from Hanover Bay to supposedly the Swan River settlement. Instead he explored and named the Glenelg River, the MacDonald Range, the Stephen Range and Mount Lyell. Grey began his first expedition in December 1837, after he and his party of eight arrived on the Beagle at Hanover Bay on the north-west coast. The expedition was supposed to proceed south following the coast to the Swan River settlement. However problems beset the expedition from the outset, and for five months the party meandered inland at a very slow pace. Meetings with local Aborigines proved hostile, and Grey was badly wounded by a spear. Eventually, due to diminished provisions and exhaustion, the party returned to Hanover Bay and were rescued by the Beagle. Despite falling well short of their goal, the expedition yielded significant results Grey discovered the Glenelg River, the Macdonald Range, the Stephen Range, the Gairdner River and Mount Lyell. Grey also achieved the distinction of becoming the first white man to see a Wandjina painting when he discovered the ones reproduced here in a rock shelter on the Glenelg River in the rugged north-western Kimberley region ‘looking over some bushes, at the sandstone rocks which were above us, I suddenly saw from one of them a most extraordinary large figure peering down upon me. Upon examination, this proved to be a drawing at the entrance to cave, which, on entering, I found to contain, besides, many remarkable paintings’. Realising the significance of the discovery, he went to considerable lengths to sketch, measure and describe the figures. John Arrowsmith was born in 1790 and came to London about 1810.He helped his cousins Aaron and Samuel and his uncle Aaron in their business.He started on his own account in 1823 working from 33 East Street, Red Lion Square and also from 35 Essex Street, Strand.Later, on the death of his cousin Samuel in 1839, he moved into the family house in 10 Soho Square.He retired from a fully active participation in the firm about 1861 but continued to revise some of his earlier work.His address was Hereford Square, Kensington, from which address he issued a map of Australia in 1862.In all, including revisions, he produced well over four hundred maps.He operated in a similar manner to his uncle, compiling maps for Hansard and the royal Geographical Societys Journal, and occasionally for other publisher, eg Burrs American Atlas (1839) and Greys Journal (1841).He reissued some revised versions of his uncles large maps but in the main he concentrated his efforts on perfecting his London Atlas, first published in 1834 which he constantly revised and improved as edition succeeded edition.This was in the normal atlas size.Also like his uncle his interest was largely on foreign discovery and he produced many fine and up-to-date maps particularly of Australia and South Africa, incorporating the latest information.He was one of the founder members of the Royal Geographical Society and received in 1863 a gold medal for his services to geography.He was also an agent by appointment for the sale of Ordnance maps.He died at his house in Hereford Square in 1873 aged 83 years leaving unpublished some fine maps of the Australian Colonies and other countries, his stock of maps, plates and manuscripts being sold at public auction in 1874.