[LEWIS, MERIWETHER & CLARK, WILLIAM]
History of the Expedition under the Command of Captains Lewis and Clark, to the Sources of the Missouri, thence across the Rocky Mountains and down the River Columbia to the Pacific Ocean. Performed during the years 1804-5-6. Philadelphia: Published by Bradford and Inskeep; and Abm. H. Inskeep, New York, J. Maxwell, Printer, 1814. First edition, retaining the large folding map. Two volumes. Later red morocco, rebacked and recased preserving backstrips. 8 1/4 x 5 inches (21.5 x 13 cm); xxviii, 470 pp.; ix, 522 pp., with 5 maps inserted into the text and the large folding map A map of Lewis and Clark's track, across the western portion of North America from the Mississippi to the Pacific Ocean at front, both volumes retain original blanks. The folding map paper-backed and with some old restorations, this resulting in a very slight vertical overlap, a 1 1/2 inch tear where mounted, a clean split along one fold and a short split at another, some light spotting and the left margin slightly trimmed. The title pages with perforated library markings ("Carnegie Library Atlanta") and ink discard stamps, these repeated at p. 49 in volume 1. Volume 2 with the perforated marking at p. 39, the discard stamp at p. 49, and a second library stamp at p. 115. The text and other maps generally clean but with some toning. The bindings darkened along spines and board extremities, rebacked with backstrips preserved as noted.
The cornerstone of any collection of Western Americana, the first edition of Lewis & Clark's narrative is "the definitive account of the most important exploration of the North American Continent" (Wagner-Camp). The expedition was funded by Congress after the Louisiana Purchase so that trading alliances could be formed with Native Americans. However, the great benefit of the overland expedition, which departed from St. Louis in 1804 and was returned in 1806 after having reached the Pacific Ocean, was the vast knowledge gained about the topography of the western portion of the continent. The publication of this work was delayed for several years as both Lewis and Clark received high commissions in the Louisiana Territory - Lewis was named Territorial Governor and Clark Superintendent of Indian Affairs. In 1809, Thomas Jefferson, president at the time of the expedition, urged that the work be completed but Lewis died mysteriously on his journey to Washington to do just that. In tribute, Jefferson wrote the Life of Captain Lewis which appears at the front of the first volume. Clark employed editor Nicholas Biddle to help edit the unfinished work which he succeeded in doing by 1811, but as he had secured a seat in the legislature could not oversee its printing and the project was completed by Paul Allen, whose name appears on the title pages. According to Church, of the 2000 copies printed at least 583 were lost or destroyed and not all copies were issued with the large folding map. Originally drawn by Clark, the map is widely considered the best depiction of the West in its day. Church 1309; Field 928; Graff 2477; Grolier/American 30; PMM 272; Streeter Sale 3:1777; Wagner-Camp 13:1; Howes L317; Sabin 40828.