This is a collection of 21 letters written by Bossu, a French army officer, to the Marquis de L'Estrade, telling of his extensive travels from 1751 to 1762 throughout the vast Louisiana Territory. He traveled as far north as Fort Chartres (Illinois) and as far east as the French post at Mobile, Alabama. His account provides a vivid description of the manners and customs, commerce and government of the various Indian tribes of the region; the Natches, Arkanzas, Foxes, Missouris, Osages, Illinois, Sioux and Chocktaws. He also recounts Montcalm's capture of Fort Oswego (Chouaguen), Fort Ontario and New Fort Oswego, on Lake Ontario in 1756. For his too critical comments of the ministry, Bossu was imprisoned and his book banned for a while in France. Thus the book is quite scarce. Four engraved vignettes of Native Americans by Ch. Beurlier after Gabriel St. Aubin. First edition, 12mo, 2 vols. in 1, 244-264 pp. Original full calf binding, gilt title and decoration on spine.

References: Streeter Collection 1518; Sabin 6465.

Condition: A

Handwritten inscriptions on endpapers. Corners worn, spine starting to split.