Interesting Account of the Voyages and Travels of Captains Lewis
Item #77562
FISHER, William, comp. An Interesting Account of the Voyages and Travels of Captains Lewis and Clark, in the Years 1804, 1805, and 1806. Citing a Faithful Description of the River Missouri and Its Source-of the Various Tribes of Indians through which They Passed-Manners and Customs-Soil-climate-Commerce-Gold and silver Mines-Animal and Vegetable Productions Interspersed with Very Entertaining Anecdotes, and a Variety of Other Useful and Pleasing Information Remarkably Calculated to Delight and Instruct the Readers.-To Which Is Added a Complete Dictionary of the Indian Tongue. Baltimore: Printed by Anthony Miltenberger, 1812. 325pp. plus two portraits. Orig. full calf, gilt-ruled spine, red leather spine label, housed in custom green morocco-backed slipcase, inner cloth chemise. Endpapers removed, bookplate removed from front pastedown, page 45/46 tape-repaired, old waterstains to exterior leaves, moderate foxing and toning, early ownership signatures, else very good. HOWES F-153a. Wagner-Camp 8:6. Sabin 24509. Rader 1397. Pilling Proof-Sheets 1297. The second American printing of the so-called "Apocrypha edition" of Lewis and Clark, bearing the name of compiler William Fisher on the titlepage. In response to the growing curiosity of the public regarding the findings of Lewis and Clark, and the delay in publication of the "authorized account" of their expedition, this compilation of bits and pieces from already published works appeared (culled from Gass, Clark, Mackenzie, Carver, and Jefferson's MESSAGE... of 1806), misleading the reader into believing that it was the account sanctioned by the government and containing all the information gathered during the journey. Howes calls this the "spurious" edition, while Sabin states it contains material not published in any other edition. The work originally appeared in Philadelphia and London in 1809, followed by German printings in 1811 and 1812. A Philadelphia edition also appeared in 1812.
Price: $4,000.00