This important folding map by Gallatin was noted by Wheat, Cohen, and Howes as the best map of the West of its time. It shows the California explorations by Jedidiah Strong Smith, with many place names and notes, and calls the Great Basin the Sandy Desert. In addition to expanding knowledge about the extent and distribution of Indian tribes of North America, Gallatin's map (often referred to as the second Gallatin) clearly reflects the influence of J. C. Fremont's explorations, with geographical references made to Pyramid Lake, The Great Interior Basin or California Deserts, South Pass, and Fremont Peak. Jedediah S. Smith's routes across California are still shown by dashed lines, but are not named. The Southwest, California and the Northwest are shown as being populated by numerous named Indian tribes with boundaries delineated, but the areas are left uncolored. Gallatin updated this map to include the important observations of Horacio Hale, ethnologist for the Wilkes' Exploring Expedition, for tribes of the Pacific Northwest, and other observations from the Emory and Albert government explorations of the Southwest. Revisions to the ranges of the northern Great Plains tribes are also made with expansion of the Sioux and contraction of the Blackfeet, plus the addition of Arrapahoes and reinstatement of the Pawnees. Some of the revisions were made with a stamp, instead printing with the lithographic plate. Furthermore, within the major groups, many tribal names are added for the first time. Wheat devotes two text pages to this map, principally quoting from Gallatin. The map is clean and bright with strong original hand coloring and dark impression. Short binding trim tear, otherwise fine. (A)

Gallatin was born in Geneva, Switzerland in 1761. After graduating from the University of Geneva he immigrated to Boston in 1780 and served in the Revolutionary Army. He later served as Secretary of the Treasury under Presidents Jefferson and James Madison. He held numerous official positions including as commissioner to the Treaty of Ghent, as the United States Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to France, the Minister Plenipotentiary to Great Britain, and president of the National Bank of New York. He died in Astoria, N.Y. in 1849.

This important and historically significant map is bound in as the frontis to the original "Transactions of the American Ethnological Society, Vol. II", New York: Bartlett and Welford, 1848. First edition, octavo, clxxxviii, 298, 151 pp. illustrated with 5 folding maps (including Gallatin's large color map) and numerous in-text figures. Rebound in half brown leather and pebbled plum-colored boards with gilt spine titles, four raised bands, and tan floral endpapers. The other maps include "Map of the Valleys of the Rio Grande and Rio Gila," by E. G. Squier (A+); "Fortified Hill, Butler County, Ohio" (A+); "Map of a Section of Twelve Miles of the Scioto Valley, with its Ancient Monuments" (A+); and "Ethnographical Map of Oregon from Hale's Ethnology" (B+).

References: Wheat (TMW) #417.

Condition: B+

Complete with all illustrations and maps. Binding exhibiting wear at the extremities and some splitting to leather along the front hinge. Binding otherwise appears to be tight. Old bookplate on front pastedown "Library of the Supreme Council, 33rd S. J., USA" and small ink stamp on title page and bottom margin of page xxxiii. Light occasional foxing to text pages and plates. Maps are graded in text. A few stray pencil notes are found on the title page. Overall, a very good copy of a very scarce report and map.