MANNERING, George Edward. With Axe and Rope in the New Zealand Alps. London, 1891. 1ST EDITION, ALSs FROM MANNERING LAID IN

8vo (236 x 156 mm). Half-title, 24pp. publisher's advertisements at end. Engraved portrait frontispiece, 17 plates, color-printed folding map. (Minor pale foxing.) Publisher's gilt-decorated maroon cloth (spine sunned, slight wear to extremities). FIRST EDITION, CECIL SLINGSBY'S COPY, with letters from Mannering and Harper laid in (see below). Mannering was co-founder of the New Zealand Alpine Club with Arthur P. Harper. Mannering's work describes his five attempts at the summit of Mount Cook. His fifth attempt brought him within 140 feet of the top before he was forced to turn around due to failing light. Cecil Slingsby was one of the best climbers of his generation, attempting climbs in Britain, the Alps, and Norway. A SUPERB ASSOCIATION COPY.[Laid in:] 2 Autographed Letters Signed to Cecil Slingsby from Mannering and Arthur P. Harper. Comprising: MANNERING, George Edward. ALS, Christchurch, New Zealand, March 13 1892. 5 pages, bifolium. Mannering discusses mountaineering: "I sentan 'Alpine Note' - my first. We had a fearful lesson for neglecting to use the rope & line had a escape from sudden death, falling 80 feet down a steep ice face & being saved by landing on his swag." -- HARPER, Arthur P. ALS, Christchurch, New Zealand, September 6, 1893. 4 pages, 8vo, bifolium, with envelope. Harper writes Slingsby about mountaineering and his participation in an upcoming government expedition with Douglas. He congratulates Slingsby on the birth of his son: "I must congratulate youon the arrival of the future mountaineer - if he is not a good climber with such a pater godfathers well - there'll never be a mountaineer again."

Provenance: Inscribed to Cecil Slingsby