Brussels: Societe Belge de Librairie, 1840. 2 volumes in one, large 8vo. Numerous double-page maps. Contemporary deluxe? quarter calf, spine gilt-stamped and lettered; lower joint touched up, small split to front joint near foot, light rubbing to extremes; some occasional dampstaining; College St. Michel rubberstamp on title; Gonzaga University Library deaccession stamp; Pierre-Jean De Smet (1801-1873), possibly his copy?; St. Ignatius Mission, Montana, early notation on title-page; early notations on last map verso, Belgium map hand-outlined in red (possibly a route taken);

From the Jesuit library of St. Ignatius Mission, Montana, possibly De Smet's copy.

The St. Ignatius Mission, established in 1854 by Jesuit priest Pierre-Jean De Smet, is located in present-day Lake County, Montana, on the Flathead Indian Reservation. Originally founded near Lake Pend d'Oreille in Idaho in 1844-45, the mission was relocated due to unfavorable conditions. Named after Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, the mission aimed to convert and educate Native Americans, particularly the Salish people, while incorporating elements of their belief systems. The site grew into a community with a church and school, becoming one of Montana's earliest settlements.

Pierre-Jean De Smet, a Belgian-born Jesuit missionary, was born in Dendermonde (modern Belgium) in 1801. He entered the Jesuit novitiate in Maryland in 1821 and later moved to Missouri, where he was ordained as a priest in 1827. Inspired by his desire to work with Native American tribes, De Smet became a prominent figure in missionary work and peace negotiations across North America. He founded several missions, including St. Joseph’s Mission in Iowa and both St. Mary’s Mission and St. Ignatius Mission in Montana, responding to calls from tribes like the Salish for Christian instruction. De Smet frequently returned to Europe, including Brussels, to raise funds and recruit workers for his missions, which is likely how this book came into the possession of St. Ignatius Mission.