8vo (231 x 145 mm). 5 engraved maps (2 folding), 1p. errata at end. (Slight spotting throughout, a few short tears to maps just crossing borders, some minor creasing.) Original orange pebbled cloth, printed paper label to spine, uncut (spine sunned, some soiling, a touch of wear to corners, minor wormholing to lower cover endsheets). Provenance: Dudley Bell Priester (1923-2017), Mississippi River collector and bibliographer (bookplate, sold Bloomsbury, 20 November 2009, lot 113).

FIRST EDITION, describing the discovery of "what later proved to be the real source of the Mississippi" (Howes). "Most of this narrative is occupied with interesting incidents of Indian life and character, extracts from manuscript journals of the fur-traders, and traditions of the aborigines," including "an analysis and vocabulary of the Chippewa language" as well as "official reports of the author, to the government, on the number, disposition, and characteristics of the Indian tribes he visited, and with biographical sketches of their principal chiefs" (Field). Bradford 4848; Field 1367; Graff 3698; Howes S-187, Sabin 77863; Wagner-Camp 50a:1.