The Fur Hunters of the Far West; A Narrative of Adventures in the Oregon and Rocky Mountains

London: Smith, Elder, 1855. First Edition. Hardcover. Very good. First edition in original publisher's cloth of one of the most important books on the early history Pacific Northwest and the fur trade. Two octavo volumes, pp. xv, 333; viii, 262 + 16 pp publishers' catalog dated September 1855. With lithographed frontispiece in each volume, folding map in Volume I. A very good set in original orange cloth with blind-stamped decoration, gilt lettering on spines. Spines a bit faded (but easily legible), with some minor soiling at the heads, rear hinges starting, occasional light foxing (a bit more on map), but generally sound and clean. Ross (1783-1856) joined Astor's Pacific Fur Company in 1810 and was present at the building of Fort Astoria the following year. When the post was sold to the North West Company in 1813, Ross entered their employ and was a member of the expedition that established Fort Nez Percés in 1818, remaining in charge of the post until the amalgamation of the North West and Hudson's Bay Companies in 1821. He describes his experiences as leader of the Snake Country Expedition of 1824 and gives the only detailed account of the operations of the North West Company in the Snake River country under the administration of Donald Mackenzie. The work concludes with an excellent account of Ross's return to the Red River Settlement in 1825 with Governor George Simpson to take possession of a grant of 100 acres allotted him by Gov. Simpson. It is also rich in data about the Indians Ross encountered, and the Appendix to Volume I is a "Vocabulary of the Languages Spoken by the Nez Percés and other Tribes Inhabiting the Country About the Great Forks of Columbia River." The "Map of the Oregon" covers the area from north of Vancouver Island, to Mount Shasta. Field 1326; Graff 3578; Hill p 260; Howes R-449; Sabin 73327; Streeter Sale 3719; Wagner-Camp 269, Tweney 67.