Description

“ONE OF THE ESSENTIAL BOOKS FOR AN AMERICANA COLLECTION”: THE EARLIEST PUBLISHED ACCOUNT OF THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION, 1807 FIRST EDITION OF GASS’ JOURNAL, IN ORIGINAL BOARDS

GASS, Patrick. A Journal of the Voyages and Travels of a Corps of Discovery, Under the Command of Capt. Lewis and Capt. Clarke of the Army of the United States, 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: Zadok Cramer, for David M’Keehan, 1807. Tall 12mo, original half brown pigskin, original marbled boards. Housed in a half brown morocco clamshell box.

First edition of the “earliest full firsthand narrative of the Lewis and Clark expedition, preceding the official account by seven years” (Howes), “one of the essential books for an Americana collection” (Streeter).

Gass volunteered as a private for the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1803 (he was promoted to sergeant August 26, 1804). “A most reliable man, Gass accompanied the expedition to the Pacific? keeping a careful and valuable journal. On October 10, 1806, after the return to St. Louis, Lewis gave Gass a certificate stating that, ‘the ample support which he gave me, under every difficulty; the manly firmness which he evinced on every necessary occasion; and the fortitude with which he bore the fatigues and painful sufferings incident to that long voyage, intitles [sic] him to my highest confidence and sincere thanks? [In Washington, Gass] arranged for publication of his journal which appeared seven years before the official Lewis and Clark narrative was published” (Thrapp II:542). The prospectus for Gass’ journal revealed “that around the campfire ‘the several journals [of the expedition members] were brought together, compared, corrected, and the blanks filled up,’ meaning that? subscribers would be reading material corrected and approved by the captains” (Ambrose, Undaunted Courage, 418). Gass was the last survivor of the expedition, dying at age 99 in 1870. Bound with first and final blanks. Graff 1516. Sabin 26741. Wagner-Camp 6:1. Streeter V:3120. Howes G77. Owner signature to title page; library bookplate.

Interior fine; scattered foxing to preliminary leaves. Front joint starting but sound; original boards and spine rubbed, as expected. Scarce.