Carver, Jonathan:

TRAVELS THROUGH THE INTERIOR PARTS OF NORTH- AMERICA, IN THE YEARS 1766, 1767, AND 1768.

      London: Printed for the author, . 1778 - [20],xvi,543,[1]pp. plus two folding maps and four plates. Recent three- quarter calf and marbled boards in antique style. Minor worming to top left front corner of textblock, neatly repaired, not affecting text or map. First two leaves dampstained. Some foxing and offsetting. A good, solid copy. Carver went farther west than any British explorer before the Revolution. He was seeking a transcontinental waterway, but mainly explored tributaries of the Mississippi. His book, however, is often given credit for being a catalyst for further exploration, influencing Mackenzie and Lewis and Clark. "A Plan of Captain Carver's Travels in the Interior Parts of North America" shows the headwaters of the Mississippi, lakes Michigan and Superior, and the land as far west as the Dakotas. The text contains the first mention of the word, "Oregon." Includes material relating to the languages of a number of Indian tribes. A cornerstone early western travel narrative.