A Voyage Up The Yangtse Kiang.
[South Australia]. [ 1929]. Stock ID #215642 Unpublished typescript for an illustrated address given to the Royal South Australian Yacht Club in September 1929 by Robert Lockhart Jack (1878-1964) with annotations in his hand. When referring to this item please quote stockid 215642.
Typescript manuscript, 11 pages foolscap, 33.8 x 21 cms, inked manuscript corrections and annotations in Jack's hand, some age toning (most noticeable on the first leaf) and small chips from the inner margin (no loss to the text), old folds, pin holes to the upper corner, good condition.
In January 1900, at the age of 22, Jack travelled with his father, Robert Logan Jack (1845-1921), pioneer geologist and the first Government Geologist for Queensland, to select and acquire mines in the Western Chinese province of Szechuan, on behalf of an Anglo-Belgian Company. Chengtu (Chengdu), the capital, served as a starting point for research trips to record the deposits of mineral resources on the Chinese-Tibetan border on behalf of English companies. Jack's lively and detailed description of the methods and incidents of the 1400 mile (2250 km) journey on the Yangtze offer fascinating insights into life and customs along the great river at that time, as well as (mindful of his audience) very detailed descriptions of sailing vessels. With the start of the Boxer Rebellion the expedition was cancelled immediately and, as a precaution, their return journey was along the shortest route: still some 700 kms (450 miles) of mountainous and uncharted terrain; south along the Chinese-Tibetan border, where they reached British territory again on October 20th and the town of Bhamo in Upper Burma a day later.
Robert Lockhart Jack began his career working in Europe, South Africa and China becoming assistant government geologist of South Australia from 1912. He led an expedition to the Everhard and Musgrave Ranges in 1914. He joined BHP in 1931 and became chief geologist, retiring in 1948.
Price: $2,250.00 AU