Narrative of an Expedition to the Source of St. Peter's River, Lake Winnepeek, Lake of the Woods, &c. &c. Performed in the Year 1823 . under the Command of Stephen H. Long, Major U.S.T.E.

KEATING, William H. (1799-1840).

Published by London: Geo B. Whittaker, 1825.

About this Item

2 volumes. 8vo.,(8 6/8 x 5 4/8 inches). Half-title. Engraved frontispiece, seven plates, including two of shells with contemporary hand-colour, and one large folding map hand-coloured in outline ". of the Country embracing the Route of the Expedition of 1823 commanded by Major S.H. Long", and three folding letterpress tables (some minor and occasional spotting). Early 20th-century half ochre morocco gilt, uncut by Morrell (extremities a bit scuffed). Provenance: with the 20th-century bookplates of Henry Dutton Thrall on the front paste-down of each volume. First English edition, first published in Philadelphia in 1824. "In the spring of 1823 Keating was recruited as geologist and mineralogist for an expedition formed by the War Department and commanded by Major Stephen Long. The territory to be explored included the valleys of the Minnesota and Red rivers and the country between the Red River and Lake Superior (now known as Minnesota and lower Manitoba). The party included Samuel Seymour, an artist; J. Edward Calhoun, a topographer; and Thomas Say, an entomologist. After a six-month, 4,500-mile journey, Keating returned to Philadelphia in October 1823 and prepared the expedition's notes for publication. They appeared in the fall of 1824 as Narrative of an Expedition to the Source of St. Peter's River. This publication was widely read, and it was reprinted in London and translated into German. Although the geological observations were criticized as superficial because of the rapidity with which the party traveled, the descriptions of the Native Americans met by the group are of considerable interest" (DNB). "The work is almost a cyclopaedia of material, relating to the Indians of the explored territory. Nothing escaped the attention, or record of the gentlemen who accompanied the expedition; and their statement regarding the customs, character, and numbers of the Sioux and Chippeway tribes, are among the most valuable we have of those people" (Field). A comparative vocabulary of the Sauk, Sioux, Chippewa, and Cree tongues is given in an appendix, and one of the plates assigns musical notation for the Dog Dance of the Sioux and the Scalp Dance of the Chippewa. Field 949; Howes K20; Peel 82; Sabin 37137; Wagner-Camp 26b:2.Catalogued by Kate Hunter.

Seller Inventory # 002397

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Narrative of an Expedition to the Source of St. Peter's River, Lake Winnepeek, Lake of the Woods, &c. &c. Performed in the Year 1823 . under the Command of Stephen H. Long, Major U.S.T.E.
• Publisher: London: Geo B. Whittaker, 1825.
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Fine
• Seller catalogs:
  • Western Americana
  • Native Americans