Schoolcraft, Henry R.; Narrative of an Expedition through the Upper Mississippi to Itasca Lake, the actual source of the river; embracing an Exploratory Trip through the St. Croix and Burntwood (or Broule) Rivers in 1832. New York, 1834. Octavo, pp. vi, 307, 5 maps (2 folded).

The work is complete and in the original pebbled cloth with paper spine label. The binding is tight with light restoration to outer spine margins. The text is clean with an x-lib. stamp and embossed stamp on end sheet and title page. Very minor foxing to some text margins. In very good condition.

Schoolcraft (1793-1864), an American geologist, ethnologist and explorer, undertook some of the earliest government studies of the mining districts of Missouri and Arkansas and explorations to discover the source of the Mississippi River. The above narrative describes one of several trips by Schoolcraft, in the "Old Northwest", and was especially important in that during the journey the party discovered what proved to be the actual source of the Mississippi. The actual purpose of Schoolcraft's mission was to settle continuing troubles between the Chippewa and Sioux Nations, talk to as many Indian leaders as he could, and maintain the peace. He was also provided with a surgeon and instructed to initiate a smallpox vaccination program for the Indians. The text includes numerous observations on the Indians of the area, and a Chippewa vocabulary.