OREGON; OR A SHORT HISTORY OF A LONG JOURNEY FROM THE ATLANTIC OCEAN TO THE REGION OF THE PACIFIC, BY LAND; DRAWN UP FROM THE NOTES AND ORAL INFORMATION OF JOHN B. WYETH, ONE OF THE PARTY WHO LEFT MR. NATHANIEL J. WYETH, JULY 28th, 1832, FOUR DAYS' MARCH BEYOND THE RIDGE OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, AND THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS RETURNED TO NEW ENGLAND

Cambridge, Ma.: Printed for John B. Wyeth, 1833.. [4],87pp. With the one-line erratum slip tipped in following the title-leaf. Half title. Gathered signatures, stitched. Without the rare original wrappers, though with wrapper remnants along the spine. Lightly tanned and spotted. Very good. Untrimmed. In a cloth chemise and half morocco and cloth slipcase, spine gilt. A famed high spot of Western Americana. This important and rare record is a milestone in the history of the exploration and settlement of the West, being an account of the first overland expedition across America. John B. Wyeth witnessed the events described, as a member of the group of emigrants led by his cousin, Nathaniel Wyeth. Departing from Cambridge, Massachusetts in March 1832, the party travelled overland (via New Orleans and St. Louis) to Oregon and the Rockies in search of riches in the fur trade: they successfully crossed the Rockies and got to within 400 miles of the Pacific. The inspiration for the venture seems to have been "Hall J. Kelley's pamphlets on the colonization of Oregon....From Kelley's accounts it appears that Nathaniel Wyeth, Dr. Jacob Wyeth, and several other members of the company had originally enrolled in Kelley's emigrating society" (Wagner-Camp). According to Sabin and Wagner-Camp the narrative was edited and possibly written by Dr. Benjamin Waterhouse.

This copy includes the one-line erratum slip, tipped in following the title leaf, not found in most copies. The work is rare in any form, rated a "c" by Howes, "obtainable only with great difficulty." GRAFF 476. HOWES W717, "c." SABIN 105649. SMITH 11236. STREETER SALE 2091. TWENEY 88. WAGNER-CAMP 47. REESE, BEST OF THE WEST 62. (Inventory #: WRCAM57618)