A Little Darwin runner in Townsville found the above 2008 illustrated catalogue for a fabulous London Bloombury bibliophile auction .
Formerly the property of a "Gentleman", it covered early Australian exploration , English and Continental literature and history , modern first editions , natural history and science, art , heraldry , children's books . Censorship and a Martian also got a mention .
Books on the early days of Australian exploration and European settlement in Botany Bay and exploration of the interior of New South Wales included drawings of Aborigines and an emu .
The narrative of the long open boat voyage to Timor by Captain Bligh after the mutiny on the Bounty included the above illustration on the left ; Africa the subject in a miniature series.
Books about William Dampier and Francis Drake were other explorers listed in the auction.
(Bloomsbury, Books, Exploration.)
