Pike, Zebulon M.:

$37,500 · Offered by William Reese Company

AN ACCOUNT OF EXPEDITIONS TO THE SOURCES OF THE MISSISSIPPI, AND THROUGH THE WESTERN PARTS OF LOUISIANA, TO THE SOURCES OF THE ARKANSAW, KANS, LA PLATTE, AND PIERRE JAUN, RIVERS...DURING THE YEARS ... Howes' "best issue" of one of the most important of all American travel narratives: the first edition of the report of the first United States government expedition to the Southwest, including an account of Pike's exploration of the headwaters of the Arkansas and Red rivers, the sources of the Mississippi River, and the Spanish settlements in New Mexico. This copy is in its original binding with the atlas bound separately and is very unusual thus. Pike's narrative stands with those of Lewis and Clark and Long as among the most important early books on western exploration and as a cornerstone of Western Americana. "In 1805, Pike was given the difficult assignment of conducting a reconnaissance of the upper Mississippi region. He was ordered to explore the headwaters of that river, to purchase sites from the Indians for further military posts, and to bring a few influential chiefs back to St. Louis for talks. The trip was only moderately successful as a mission to the tribes, but Pike was able to convey important geographical information to President Jefferson and other Washington officials. On Pike's second expedition, 1806-1807, he was assigned to explore the head-waters of the Arkansas River, then proceed south and descend the Red River from its source....Pike and his men were

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