George Horatio Derby, better known as a brilliant humorist, was a trained topographer and produced several maps of major importance.

Important California Gold Rush map made from the original sketch by Lt. Derby in the office of the 10th Military Dept. It is historically important, not only for its depiction of Gen. Riley's route, but because it names, for the first time, certain actual mining camps in the middle Sierra foothills; Mormon Island (misspelled Mormont), Coloma (mislabeled Colluma), Curtis, Sullivan's, Corons, Jamestown, Woods and Sonora. The entire route of the Riley party is noted, with the dates of their visits to the various camps, and covers the region from Monterrey Bay, north to Sacramento and east to the gold diggings.

References: Wheat (Gold) #79; Wagner-Camp-Becker 179 b: 1 & 2.

Condition: B

Fine impression on sound paper. Issued folding, now backed with archival tissue. Closed tear into Pacific with binding trim resulting is small loss of lower left border, replaced in facsimile. Otherwise the map is fine.