Travels through the interior parts of North-America in the years 1766, 1767, and 1768.

Date:

1778.

Author:

Carver, Jonathan, 1710-1780.

Collecting Area:

Rare Books

Publisher:

Printed for the author, and sold by J. Walter

Abstract:

This book was an immediate success when first published in 1778, and a second edition published in Dublin followed the next year; over thirty editions and versions have been published since in several languages. A very important book in the history of the exploration of the American West as Carver was the first English-speaking explorer to venture west of the upper Mississippi River. He anticipated the idea of a continental divide as he was the first to mention a large mountain range to the west (presumably the Rocky Mountains) that blocks the westward passage and serves as a continental divide. Further, the name 'Oregon' appears in print here for the first time, both in the text, and on one of the maps. Carver penetrated farther into the West than any other English explorer before the Revolution and stimulated curiosity concerning routes to the Pacific, later satisfied by Mackenzie and Lewis and Clark. The book proved and remained immensely popular. The profits did not come soon enough for him, however. He died in poverty on January 31, 1780 in London. In the 20th century, the reliability of Carver's narrative has been debated by scholars; examination of Carver's manuscript journal establishes that it differs in important respects from the published version. More recent research points to the conclusion that while Carver actually made the tour he describes, he suppressed the fact that he performed it as a hired agent of Royal Governor Major Robert Rogers, rather than on his own responsibility. E.G. Bourne, in a 1906 essay published in the American Historical Review, summarized his view of Carver's book: "Scholars are in general agreement that much of the work in this volume is an abridgement or adaptation of historical writings by Charlevoix, Adair, and La Hontan. Entire chapters read as near verbatim text from one or more of these other authors."

Physical Description:

10 preliminary leaves, 543, [1] pages plates 24 cm

Notes:

"Errata": page [544].

Subjects:

Indians of North America Northwestern States, Indiens d'Amérique États-Unis (Nord-Ouest) Ouvrages avant 1800, Indians of North America, and Travel

Genres/Forms:

Maps, Engravings, Engravings. lcgft, Maps. lcgft, and Errata lists. rbpri

Geographic Terms:

Northwestern States Description and travel, Mississippi River Description and travel, Minnesota Description and travel, États-Unis (Nord-Ouest) Descriptions et voyages Ouvrages avant 1800, Mississippi (Fleuve) Descriptions et voyages Ouvrages avant 1800, Minnesota Descriptions et voyages Ouvrages avant 1800, États-Unis Descriptions et voyages Ouvrages avant 1800, Canada Descriptions et voyages Ouvrages avant 1800, Minnesota, Mississippi River, and United States Northwestern States