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SCHLEY, Winfield S. (1839-1911). Two Titles on the Rescue of the Greely Expediton, including: Report of Winfield S. Schley, Commander U. S. Navy, Commanding Greely Relief Expedition of 1884. Washington, D. C.: GPO, 1887. 4to. Illustrated with frontispiece portrait, 32 beautiful photographic and engraved plates, and 3 maps. 75, [1, blank] pp. Publisher's full brown cloth, boards double-ruled in blind, front board lettered in gilt (spine extremities professionally restored, some rubbing to boards, gilt on front board tarnished, several gutters and rear hinge overopened, text a bit toned, some dampstaining to upper edge of endleaves and text, embossed address stamp at upper edge of ffep. and front blank, ownership signature of Magdalen Tasker Polk on fp. and her bookplate on recto of rfep. (Tasker Polk is most likely a descendant of the original Magdalen Tasker Polk, an Irish noblewoman, and a distant relative of President James K. Polk). FIRST EDITION, PRESENTATION COPY, INSCRIBED BY SCHLEY ON THE FRONT BLANK TO A NOTORIOUS AUTHOR: “To A. C. Buell Esq. With the Compliments and kind regards of his friend W. S. Schley Captain U. S. N. / Washington DC Oct. 4th 1888". The recipient was most likely August Caesar Buell (1847-1904), author and biographer, who was later revealed to be a fraudulent biographer. This title contains the detailed report of the expedition of the “Bear," “Thetis," and “Alert," including the personnel, provisions, itineraries, and their journey to Smith Sound and the rescue of Greely and his crew. And: SCHLEY, Winfield S. (1839-1911). The Rescue of Greely. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1885. 8vo. Frontispiece, 5 fold-out maps at rear of text, illustrated with 13 black-and-white photographic images taken during the voyage of the Relief Expedition of 1884. [vii], 277 pp. Publisher's textured navy- blue cloth with bright gilt title on cover and spine (very light wear to extremities, hinges repaired, a few tape repairs to last map in rear.) Prior owner's attractive script signature on the fp (illegible). Near fine. AN UNUSUALLY BRIGHT AND COMPLETE COPY OF THE FIRST EDITION. Contains a brief resumé of the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition, 1881 -1884, and of the first relief expedition 1882; also a detailed account of the ‘Yantic' and 'Proteus' relief expedition 1883 and the ‘Thetis", ‘Bear' and ‘Alert" relief expedition, 1884 which rescued the original seven survivors near Cape Sabine, Smith Sound, and further details on the life of the survivors before the rescue. One of the seven survivors died on the return voyage after rescue. Studiously written as the events occurred in an effort to avoid all criticism of those who took part in them. Arctic Bibliography 15483. Arctic Bibliography 18385.