Lanman, Charles

A Summer in the Wilderness; Embracing a Canoe Voyage Up the Mississippi and around Lake Superior

Hardcover, New York: D. Appleton & Company, 1847. First Edition. Very Good-. Duodecimo, pp. 208, 3 pages of publisher's ads in the front, 8 pages of publisher's ads in rear. Bound in publisher's dark brown cloth with gold spine titles. Bookplate of previous owner on front pastedown. Spine bumped on both ends and rubbed on head. Corners rubbed with some loss of cloth, bottom corners bumped. Scattered light age spotting to endpapers and first few pages and last few pages. Light dampstaining to top of some pages. Charles Lanman (1819-1895) was an American author, artist, and explorer. Washington Irving called him "the picturesque explorer of the United States." In the summer of 1846 the author started in St. Louis and traveled up the Mississippi to Lake Superior and Michigan. Much of the area was wilderness in 1846 and his account is rich with details about the Native Americans he encountered and their legends. He writes about the Illinois, Winnebagoe, Sioux, and Chippeway Indians and spends many pages relating their legends. In Chapter IV he writes about the city of Nauvoo, Illinois which was owned by the Mormons and was famous at the time. According to the author the population of Nauvoo was 25,000, but had fallen to 500 when he was there. Joseph Smith died in 1844 and violence forced the Mormons to move to Salt Lake just before Lanman arrived. Lanman hunted and fished on his journey and describes hunts after bear, wolf, and grouse as well as fishing for trout, white fish, and catfish. Lanman loved nature and describes the beautiful country he traveled through. A detailed piece of mid nineteenth century Americana. ; 12mo 7" - 7½" tall; 208 pages. [Item #77526]

Price: $300.00