Gass, Patrick

A Journal of the Voyages and Travels of a Corps of Discovery, under the Command of Capt. Lewis and Capt. Clarke … from the Mouth of the River Missouri through the Interior Parts of North America to the Pacific Ocean, during the Years 1804, 1805 & 1806. Pittsburgh: Printed by Zadok Cramer for David M'Keehan, Publisher and Proprietor, 1807

12 mo (6 3/8 x 4 in.; 162 x 103 mm). Fly-title (A5); lacking terminal blank Y6, very light abrasion to lower portion of title-page, title and following 3 leaves with minor repair at inner margin, H6 remargined at bottom, just touching final line of text, light browning and foxing as usual. Antique half calf over marbled boards.

Henry Bryant (?; contemporary signature on title-page). Acquisition: MacManus Company

American Imprints 12646; Graff 1516; Howes G77; Literature of the Lewis & Clark Expedition 3.1; Sabin 26741; Smith 3465; Streeter 5:3120; Wagner-Camp 6:1

First edition of the first full account, by a participant, of the Lewis and Clark expedition, preceding by seven years the official report. Pennsylvania-born Patrick Gass "became one of the best-known members of the expedition for several reasons: his key role as sergeant brought his name up frequently in the journals of Lewis and Clark; his account was the first to be published; he was the first to have a biography written about him; and finally, he outlived the other memebers of the Corps of Discovery by decades" (Wagner-Camp). A very good copy of "one of the essential books for an Americana collection" (Streeter).