vi, [2], [xi]-xvi, 251 + 24 ad pp. Edited (with notes) by Richard F. Burton. Woodcut frontispiece & text illustrations; folding map. (12mo) 18.2x10.8 cm (7¼x4¾"), original cloth, spine lettered in gilt.
Marcy's popular work edited and with notes by the famed British traveler, explorer and linguist Richard F. Burton. "After half a lifetime spent on the western plains and in the Rocky Mountains, Captain Marcy was well qualified to advise the prospective emigrant, and he ably summarized his experiences in this book. By 1859, the routes of overland travel had been well established, and Marcy set out twenty-eight of them, including one to the Pike's Peak gold region which had recently been discovered. The book was then brought up to date in 1863 with a new edition, published in London by Trubner, and edited by Richard Burton, who had just returned from a visit to Salt Lake City" - Wagner-Camp. The folding map, "Itineraries described in Capt. Marcy's Prairie Traveller. Edited by Capt. R. Burton 1863," with a scale about 300 miles to an inch, was drawn by W.R. Ravenstein, F.R.G.S. It measures 14x19.5 cm (5½x7¾"). There is a small inset at lower left: "The Gold Region near Pikes Peak." Warren Heckrotte comments on the issue of the book and its advertisements, in this case dated August 1882, and on Burton's editing: "Howes calls for 16 pp of advt.; this is the first or at least an early issue. Graff and W-C note 24 pp of advt, but only Graff notes date of advt. Maggs, Cat 1397, '06, calls this 'remainder issue.' Also W-C says plates are same as in 1859 edition, which is not so. Those that are there are the same, but it has far fewer. Burton displays some measure of British snobbishness in his editing."
Provenance: Hawley, 3/95
References: Wagner-Camp 335:4; Cowan p.414; Graff 2677; Howes M279; Penzer p.69-70; Sabin 44515.
Condition:
Spine head a little frayed with small chips, foot a bit rubbed, gilt dull; still very good to nearly fine, much nicer than usually found.