Observations on the Inhabitants, Climate, Soil, Rivers, Productions de BARTRAM, John and KALM, Peter - 1751

1751. BARTRAM, John and KALM, Peter. Observations on the Inhabitants, Climate, Soil, Rivers, Productions, Animals, and Other Matters Worthy of Notice. Made by Mr. John Bartram, in His Travels from Pensilvania, to Onandago, Oswego and Lake Ontario, in Canada. To Which is Annex'd, A Curious Account of the Cataracts at Niagara. By Mr. Peter Kalm, A Swedish Gentleman Who Travelled There. London: Printed for J. Whiston and B. White, 1751. 94pp. plus folding plan of Fort Oswego. Later 3/4 morocco and marbled boards, boards and spine gilt, T.e.g., housed in custom red morocco-backed cloth slipcase with cloth chemise. Internally very clean. A very good copy. HOWES B-222, "b." Church 977. Field 92. Lande S148. Reese, Struggle for North America 12. Streeter Sale 869. Siebert Sale 152. Wroth, an American Bookshelf 1755, pp.101-105,149-51. Larson 321. TPL 186. Meisel III, p.345. Sabin 3868. The journal of the eminent American naturalist, John Bartram, kept during his trip from July 3 to Aug. 19, 1743, through Pennsylvania and into the Indian country of New York as far as Oswego and Lake George, in the company of cartographer Lewis Evans and interpreter Conrad Weiser, to hold a conference with the Iroquois Indians. The journal contains descriptions of the country and detailed observations of Native American life. There is also a plan of an Iroquois long house on the folding plan of Fort Oswego. Besides this journal, the text includes a letter from Bartram to the Swedish naturalist and traveller, Peter Kalm, describing Niagara. Bartram's international fame rested on his extensive correspondence with leading European scientists, and it was through his contact with the British naturalist, Peter Collinson, that this journal came to be published, sent to press by Collinson without Bartram's knowledge. Bartram was surprised and somewhat annoyed with his British friend when he was sent a copy of the book, since he had wanted to expand on his original diary before publication. A rare and important work.