Through the Golden Gate. A Story of Remarkable Adventure in California and Along the West Coast of America

Published in Japand and written by his 10-year-old daughter, taken from his dairies

16mo.6 ¾ x 5 inches. [2], 79pp. Frontis. Original gray wrappers, black lettering on front cover. Wrappers worn, chipped at corners, two 1-inch closed tears to rear cover, spine ends perished. A very good copy.

Second printing. First published in 1917. This story begins chapter one, "Through the Golden Gate" with Ridgway's arrival in San Francisco in 1870. It goes on to describe disembarking the ship, finding lodging and work in San Francisco, then continuing on to travel up and down the West coast. He includes detailed descriptions of work conditions, payment, food he ate, etc., giving a true example of daily life at the time. In the preface, he claims that the narrative was taken from his diary of thirty years' experience, but was written by his 10-year-old daughter, as he himself has become blind and unable to work. The publication and sale of this book was how he planned to support his family. While the book ends with Ridgway leaving California and heading towards Peru, the book was published in Japan, where he and his family eventually settled. Scarce. [Cowan: p.533, Rocq: 11137].