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[THE STEAMER “JEANNETTE"]. MELVILLE, George W. (1841-1912). In the Lena Delta. A Narrative of the Search For Lieut. - Commander DeLong and His Companions, Followed By an Account of the Greely Relief Expedition and a Proposed Method of Reaching the North Pole. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1884. 8vo. Complete with 15 illustrations, 4 large double-page maps. xiii + [1pp] + 497pp. Appendix; list of Houghton Mifflin publications at rear [8 pp]. Publisher's brown pictorial cloth with green clay end papers, bright gilt titling on spine. Frontispiece of Melville with original tissue guard (minor rubbing, text lightly toned). A Near Fine copy with tight hinges and no foxing, folds or tears; an exceptionally clean copy of this rare and important narrative. EARLY PRINTING (“THIRD THOUSAND"), PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED BY MELVILLE ON THE SECOND BLANK: “To My Good Friend Mr. Sten [?] Esq - With the Compliments of the Author. Geo. Melville Rear Admiral U. S. N. Retired Philadelphia Oct 14.09 / “Put not your trust in Princes" “nor the Sons of Men." If you would retain this book - do not lend it - G.W.M." Melville was Chief Engineer aboard the “Jeannette" which was lost in 1881, and was one of the few survivors after the crew separated into two parties. This well-written narrative gives Melville's detailed first person account of the tragic voyage of the “Jeanette" and the crew's struggles to survive under unimaginable harsh conditions and circumstances. The narrative also provides a detailed description of the country, natives, and conditions. Melville also participated in, and gives an account of, the 1884 expedition to relieve Adolphus Greely and the men of the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition along with his concept for a method of reaching the North Pole. Arctic Bibliography 11239.