The Diaries and Letters of Henry H. Spalding and Asa Bowen Smith relating to the Nez Perce Mission, 1838-1842
first edition
1958 · Glendale
by Drury, Clifford M. [Editor]
Glendale: The Arthur H. Clark Co., 1958 First edition. One of 1285 copies. Introductions and notes by Clifford Merrill Drury. 379pp. Illustrations, maps, portraits. Blue cloth, gilt. Slightest of rubbing to spine ends. A very fine copy. "Drury had been researching and writing about the Protestant missionaries of the Pacific Northwest for twenty-five years when he brought this manuscript to Clark in the late 1950's. Though the promotional brochure on this title states that this is 'his magnum opus,' we would publish thirteen books for Drury, eight of them dealing directly with the Oregon Mission. This first publication included the diaries of two important members of that mission. Spalding, of course, opened the missionary field with Whitman in 1836. Smith traveled with the 1838 reinforcement. These two diaries combine to present a vivid picture of the Nez Perce and the missionary effort at Lapwai and elsewhere" (Clark). [Clark and Brunet I: 66; Clark and Brunet II: 75; Mattes: 30, 39]. . (Inventory #: 7920)