[ALASKA]. RAY, P. H. (1842-1911). Report of the International Polar Expedition to Point Barrow, Alaska in Response to the Resolution of the House of Representatives of Dec. 11, 1884. Washington, D. C.: Government Printing Office, 1885. 4to. colored frontispiece, folding map, twenty plates including several of Eskimos and two hand-colored, of birds, numerous plans and in-text drawings. Index. (iv), 695 pp. Publisher's full dark brown ruled cloth, title lettered in gilt on spine (spine faded with title tarnished, front board with some dampstaining and bumping, hinges just starting, text a bit toned, some faint dampstaining to lower edge of text block (not apparently affecting text), a few gutters overopened). Very good. FIRST EDITION, CONTRIBUTOR AND ALASKA EXPLORER AND SCIENTIST, WILLIAM HEALEY DALL'S (1845-1927), PERSONAL COPY WITH HIS BOOKPLATE ON THE FP (Dall made several expeditions and scientific explorations of the Alaska territory and contributed his report on Molluscs to this book). Dall made substantial contributions to ornithology, vertebrate and invertebrate zoology, physical and cultural anthropology, oceanography and paleontology. In addition he carried out meteorological observations in Alaska for the Smithsonian Institution. “The narrative of the International Polar Expedition 1882-1883. The expedition sailed from San Francisco July 18, 1881, spent August 21-25 at Plover Bay on Chukotsk Peninsula, and reached Cape Smythe, September 8. A scientific station was maintained at Uglaamie (Utkiavi) eleven and a half miles southwest of Point Barrow, … The narrative summarizes the sea voyages and land operations with notes on ground temperatures to depth of 35 feet and use of permafrost for refrigeration, describes the destruction of the whaler “North Star" by ice floes June 1882, includes diary of an exploration by sledge to a point about 100 miles southward of Uglaamie, describes dog sledges and their use, also methods of building snow houses."—Arctic Bibliography 14292. A wonderful association copy.