Life, Adventures, and Travels in California

New York: Cornish, Lamport & Co, 1850. SECOND PICTORIAL EDITION. With frontispiece, engraved title, and 52 full-page wood-engraved illustrations. Decorative dark cloth with pictorial gilt on spine, exterior rubbed and slightly faded, head of spine peeling, marbled edges and endpapers; first and last leaves slightly spotted, text is toned but clean. A nice copy. Second edition of a very enjoyable work on early western travels. In this text, Farnham (1804-1848), an American explorer and author, recounts his travels throughout California and Oregon in the first half of the nineteenth century. The author provides insightful detail about the history of the two states as well as the nature he observed while traversing through the deserts and mountains. This work delves into the Spanish conquest, history and customs of the Native Americans, vegetation, plains, volcanoes, animals, and local inhabitants of both California and Oregon. The wonderful plates illustrate landscapes, people, the natural environment and historical events.

Howes F 49; Graff 1294; Wagner Camp 107:7; Wheat 609; Cowan 83.