SCENERY OF THE PLAINS, MOUNTAINS AND MINES: OR A DIARY KEPT UPON THE OVERLAND ROUTE TO CALIFORNIA, BY WAY OF THE GREAT SALT LAKE : TRAVELS IN THE CITIES, MINES, AND AGRICULTURAL DISTRICTS - EMBRACING THE RETURN BY THE PACIFIC OCEAN AND CENTRAL AMERICA, IN THE YEARS 1850, '51, '52 AND '53

Ogdensburgh, New York: Published by J. C. Sprague, Book - Seller, 1855., 1855. First edition. First edition. 8vo, Original blind stamped brown cloth, titles stamped on the spine, vi, 7 - 324 pp., preface. An important overland narrative. Superbly written account of the author's trek from Council Bluffs to the Gold Fields of California. Descriptions of the Platte, Fort Laramie, Salt Lake Valley, and the Nevada deserts. Langworthy's account of the overland trip, occupies the first 180 pages of the book, the remainder is devoted to his description of California and his return trip, by way of Nicaragua. The author makes the following statement about Mormon government on pages 96 & 97: "The Government (if Government it can be called,) is a kind of Military-ecclesiastical despotism. Their Chief, at present, is Brigham Young, the successor of Joe Smith. His powers, as a ruler of the Mormons, not being derived from the people, but like that of Mahomet, directly from God himself. He is a priest, prophet, and virtually a king, his word being the end of the law in all cases. He holds in his hands the power of life and death over all persons in the valley, whether citizens or Mormons." Wear to top front corner, light wear to spine ends, spine titles are dulled but readable, entire text is foxed, else a solid very good copy of an important overland narrative.