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300pp. plus five engraved plates (including frontispiece). Without the original folding map (which is seldom present), but with a facsimile laid in. Modern calf, ruled in gilt, morocco label. Early ownership inscription on titlepage. Moderate tanning, scattered foxing. Leaf G6 with an internal tear (but with no loss of paper or text), leaf L torn in lower outer corner (with no loss of text). About very good overall. First edition of the so-called "Apocrypha edition" of Lewis and Clark. This copy contains plates with two variant captions. The plate usually entitled "Mahas Queen" (showing a tribe member with apparently female characteristics) is here entitled "Mahas King," and the plate usually entitled "Ottoes Chief" is here entitled "Ottoes Queen." This is the first copy we have seen with these differently-titled plates. The LITERATURE OF THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION suggests that they are proof plates, and locates them only in facsimile in a copy at the Bancroft Library. 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 it was the account sanctioned by the government and containing all the information gathered during the journey. Despite its hodgepodge nature, it provided most of the world with its first detailed account of the Lewis and Clark expedition. It further contains five plates, purporting to be of western Indians. One of these is knocked off from the frontispiece of Bartram's TRAVELS.; the others have no earlier appearance that we can trace. The present copy lacks the incredibly rare folding map, which Wheat notes as "the earliest published map with legends stemming from Lewis and Clark." Howes calls this the "counterfeit" edition, and Sabin states that, according to Paltsits, it is "the earliest edition of an unauthorized 'counterfeit' account." Robert Becker (in Wagner-Camp) incorrectly cites the London map as accompanying this edition. This first Philadelphia edition is quite rare, and is almost invariably found in terrible condition, almost always without the map. LITERATURE OF THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION 4a.1. WAGNER-CAMP 8:1. PILLING, PROOF-SHEETS 2282. SABIN 96499. STREETER SALE 3122. HOWES L321, "aa." SHAW & SHOEMAKER 17911. REESE, BEST OF THE WEST 37 (note). Seller Inventory # WRCAM39193B
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