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GASS, Patrick (1771-1870). A Journal of the Voyages and Travels of a Corps of Discovery, under the Command of Capt. Lewis and Capt. Clarke... 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: Printed by Zadok Cramer for David M'Keehan, 1807.
12° (168 x 103 mm). Half-title [A3] bound as page [ix]. (Some light browning and staining, paper flaw on Y2 affecting a few letters.) Contemporary marbled calf, flat spine gilt with brown morocco lettering-piece gilt (some light wear). Provenance: Charles Fisher (early letterpress bookplate on pastedown).
“WE HAVE ENCOURAGED OUR MEN TO KEEP JOURNALS, AND SEVEN OF THEM DO SO, TO WHOM IN THIS RESPECT WE GIVE EVERY ASSISTANCE IN OUR POWER" (Lewis, letter to Jefferson 7 April 1805).
FIRST EDITION of the first full account by a Lewis and Clark participant. Born in Pennsylvania, Patrick Gass "became one of the best-known members of the expedition for several reasons: his key role as sergeant brought his name up frequently in the journals of Lewis and Clark; his account was the first to be published; he was the first to have a biography written about him; and finally, he outlived the other members of the Corps of Discovery by decades" (Wagner-Camp-Becker 6:1). "Although [Gass's Journal] lacked the insight, reflection, and depth of geographic, ethnographic, diplomatic, and scientific observations penned by Lewis and Clark, it and Jefferson's Message from the President were the only accounts available for seven years to describe the expedition's adventures" (Beckham, p. 89). Beckham The Literature of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, pp. 89-90, 3.1; Graff 1516; Howes G-77; Sabin 26741; Shaw 12646; Smith 3465.
12° (168 x 103 mm). Half-title [A3] bound as page [ix]. (Some light browning and staining, paper flaw on Y2 affecting a few letters.) Contemporary marbled calf, flat spine gilt with brown morocco lettering-piece gilt (some light wear). Provenance: Charles Fisher (early letterpress bookplate on pastedown).
“WE HAVE ENCOURAGED OUR MEN TO KEEP JOURNALS, AND SEVEN OF THEM DO SO, TO WHOM IN THIS RESPECT WE GIVE EVERY ASSISTANCE IN OUR POWER" (Lewis, letter to Jefferson 7 April 1805).
FIRST EDITION of the first full account by a Lewis and Clark participant. Born in Pennsylvania, Patrick Gass "became one of the best-known members of the expedition for several reasons: his key role as sergeant brought his name up frequently in the journals of Lewis and Clark; his account was the first to be published; he was the first to have a biography written about him; and finally, he outlived the other members of the Corps of Discovery by decades" (Wagner-Camp-Becker 6:1). "Although [Gass's Journal] lacked the insight, reflection, and depth of geographic, ethnographic, diplomatic, and scientific observations penned by Lewis and Clark, it and Jefferson's Message from the President were the only accounts available for seven years to describe the expedition's adventures" (Beckham, p. 89). Beckham The Literature of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, pp. 89-90, 3.1; Graff 1516; Howes G-77; Sabin 26741; Shaw 12646; Smith 3465.