THRILLING NARRATIVE OF THE ADVENTURES, SUFFERINGS AND STARVATION OF PIKE'S PEAK GOLD SEEKERS ON THE PLAINS OF THE WEST IN THE WINTER AND SPRING OF 1859

Whiteside County, Illinois, no publisher, Circa 1890. This is the very scarce second printing of the rare Daniel Blue booklet originally published in 1860. This edition was done, circa 1890 in Morrison, Illinois although there is no indication of publisher or date in the booklet other than Whiteside County, Il and 1860. This edition has 21 pages versus the 23 of the first edition and does not contain the Chicago imprint of the Evening Journal Steam Print. Bound in the original drab brown wrappers, clean, but well thumbed, staples rusting with several leaves loose, covers creased and a bit dogeared but overall a better than good copy of an unusual item. Only three copies of the 1860 edition are known to exist. Eberstadt 114:89, Graff 333n, Howes B552, Not in Wagner-Camp, unrecorded by Sabin.

The story is well known how the author and his two brothers and two other men set out for the Colorado gold fields. Two hundred miles beyond Fort Riley they lost their pack horse and another member of the party. Eventually, Blue and and his brother resorted to cannibalism. Daniel was the only survivor who was rescued by an Arapaho Indian and lived to write down this harrowing account.

Included with this copy is an old photocopy of the entire pamplet, a copy of the first edition title page from the Edward Eberstadt catalog 114, item #89 and two letters. The first letter in the original mailing envelope post marked Apr 22, 1939, New York is from Charles Eberstadt to George Blue of Kansas City Missouri. Eberstadt is asking whether Mr. Blue might have a copy (or copies) of the 1860 Blue pamphlet since he is a relative of Daniel Blue. Eberstadt's catalog 114 (1939) did have a copy of the rare first edition at the astounding, depression era price of $950.00.

The second letter is dated November, 20, 1939 from Mrs. John W. Brett to George Blue. Apparently the Eberstadt letter to Blue was forwarded to Alexander Brett of Waterville, Washington who then sent it on to other family members, all looking for that elusive copy of the rare 1860 edition. All of this is contained in a plain drop down box. An unusual archive of a elusive pamphlet.