Palmer, Joel

Journal of Travels over the Rocky Mountains, to the Mouth of the Columbia River; made during the Years 1845 and 1846: containing Minute Descriptions of the Valleys of the Williamette, Umpqua, and Clamet; a General Description of Oregon Territory ... a List of Necessary Outfits for Emigrants; and a Table of Distances from Camp to Camp on the Route. Cincinnati: J. A. & U. P. James, 1847



8vo (8 1/4 x 4 3/4 in.; 207 x 121 mm, uncut). Lower margin of title-page lightly soiled and frayed. Publisher's printed front salmon wrapper laid down on later plain salmon wrappers; soiled. Half brown morocco slipcase, chemise.

Field, Indian Bibliography 1165; Graff 3172; Sabin 5:358; Streeter sale 5:3146; Wagner-Camp 136:2

First edition, second issue. The "Most reliable of the early guides to Oregon." Palmer's Journal provides "a simple narrative of each day's happenings during his own first journey in 1845, taking especial care to indicate the route, each night's camping places, and all possible cut-offs, springs, grassy oases, and whatever else might conduce to the well-being of the emigrant and his beasts. The great care taken by the author, with this very practical end in view, results in his volume being the most complete description of the Oregon Trail that we now possess" (R. G. Thwaites, in the introduction to the Early Western Travels reprint). The overland migration of 1845 more than doubled the population of the Oregon Territory.