Ten Days On The Plains

N.Y. : Crocker & Co. , 1872. Book. Very Good. Hardcover. 1st Edition. 68 pages, fold-out map, original brown cloth with a black cloth backstop, lithographed folding map printed on thin paper. Boards rubbed and scraped but neatly conserved, and the corners and backstop repaired. Map with some old marginal tape repairs. Title page lightly foxed, old faint dampstain in the lower gutter, else quite clean. A presentation copy, inscribed on the front pastedown to R.W. Cameron, dated January 1, 1874. Davies and R.W. Cameron are both listed in The Journal of the American Geographical Society of New York, Volume 10. 1878 as being "Fellows." R.W. Cameron is most likely Sir Roderick William Cameron, (July 25, 1825 - October 19, 1900.) He was a Canadian and American businessman noted for co-founding the R. W. Cameron and Company shipping line in New York City. Cameron was prominent in New York and Newport society. In 1892, he was included in Ward McAllister's "Four Hundred", purported to be an index of New York's best families. Davies was a prominent lawyer and assistant district attorney in New York, thus it makes sense Davies and Cameron traveled in the same circles and would have known each other. This copy does not have the photographs as some copies did. Account of a hunting party hosted by Phil Sheridan in September and October 1871 with Buffalo Bill Cody as chief scout. This was no ordinary hunting excursion. "The party of several businessmen was escorted by 100 cavalry men under command of Major Brown. 16 wagons were provided to carry their baggage, supplies and forage including 1 wagon loaded with ice. In addition were 3 four-horse ambulances to carry guns, and other baggage." "However, Cody later described the wagon trains as consisting of 25 wagons with 3 being loaded with ice for the game and wine. The party dined on china, with linen tablecloths and glassware. It was noted that people could spot the camp sites years later by the piles of empty bottles that remained." Although the principle game was intended to be the buffalo, the party shot just about everything that walked or flew. Over 600 buffalos were killed, along with hundreds of elk, antelope and wild turkeys. The start of their journey was Fort McPherson where they headed south en-route to Fort Hays. In all they traveled about 200 miles with no major incidents.Davies a member of the party, wrote the account which was only intended to be given to those members of the party. Less than 50 copies were printed. A few copies included original photos which were to be given to the main party members.A true western rarity in the 1st edition. A great picture of an exciting event on the plains in the early 1870s. This is an easy read and an important account which would only be equaled or surpassed by the Grand Duke Alexis hunt the following year hosted by Sheridan and accompanied by Custer. Graff 1013, "Sheridan and his guests left Chicago September 20th and the party separated there October 5th, 1871." Howes D97, "Best account of General Sheridan's great buffalo hunt of 1871." "Printed in a few copies the circulation of which was restricted to members of the expedition, this work has long been regarded as one of the genuinely rare nuggets of frontier Americana"-Eberstadt. O'Keefe 692. .