GEOLOGY AND INDUSTRIAL RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA...

Baltimore: Published by Wm. Minifie & Co., 1851.. xxxiv,127,[1],37pp. plus three large folding maps, nine folding plates, and one leaf of ads at the end. Original blindstamped brown cloth, expertly rebacked with original gilt backstrip laid down, corners neatly mended. Early ownership signature on front pastedown, different early ownership signature on titlepage. Scattered foxing and staining. Good. The second (and best) edition, following the government document edition of the previous year. An important discussion of the geology of gold in California, based on Tyson's four- month trip during the summer and early fall of 1849, including a fine map (truncated) of the Sacramento Valley, a smaller one of the author's travel routes, and one of his path through the Sierra Nevada. Wheat notes that this was "probably the earliest work of a true scientific research to emerge from the Gold Rush." Tyson describes visits to Sacramento, Mormon Island, Coloma, Jackson, and the Cosumnes and Mokelumne Rivers. The Senate ordered 5,000 copies printed, of which 1,000 were for Tyson's use. Tyson added a new titlepage, an errata page, index, contents page, and an extensive introduction to this edition. HOWES T455. WHEAT GOLD REGIONS 179. KURUTZ 643a. (Inventory #: WRCAM58756)