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ROSS, Alexander [1783-1856].. The Fur Hunters Of The Far West; A Narrative Of Adventures In The Oregon And Rocky Mountains.

2 Volumes. 8vo. pp. xv, 333, [1 leaf]; viii, 262. folding lithographed map & 2 lithographed frontis. (both being the same view of Fort Nez Percés: the frontis. portrait of the author is not present). later half calf, gilt backs, top edge gilt (extremities bit rubbed, hint of foxing to frontis. & titles). First Edition. A sequel to the author's Adventures of the First Settlers on the Oregon or Columbia River (1849) and an essential source for the history of the fur trade of the Pacific Northwest during the period of intense commercial rivalry between the North West and Hudson's Bay Companies. Ross joined Jacob 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. His narrative also relates his experiences as leader of the Snake Country Expedition of 1824 and presents 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 account of Ross's return to the Red River Settlement in 1825 with Governor George Simpson. The appendix contains a vocabulary of the Nez Percé language. Field 1326. Gagnon I 3061. Graff 3578. Howes R-449. Lande 1421. Peel 318. Sabin 73327. Smith 8785. Strathern & Edwards 476. Streeter VI 3719. TPL 1235. Wagner-Camp 269. Story p. 725. Winsor VIII p. 75.

$2000 USD