An important map by the American cartographer John Melish, engraved by Benjamin Tanner, and published by Mathew Carey & Son for C. V. Lavoisne's atlas. It provides a detailed view of the Missouri River and the headwaters of the Columbia River based on information from Lewis and Clark's expedition. The new state of Missouri is shown with a straight western border. Michigan Territory includes the eastern part of present-day Wisconsin, which is still a part of the North West Territory. The large Arkansas Territory takes in most of present-day Oklahoma. Texas is a part of Mexico. One of the most interesting features of the map is the river system in the West, near the Highest Peak, where the headwaters of several major rivers all originate within a few miles of one another - Red River of California (Colorado), Multnomah (Willamette), Rio del Norte (Rio Grande), Arkansaw (Arkansas), and the Platte.

References: Wheat (TMW) #338.

Condition: B

Light toning and staining with a centerfold separation at bottom that extends 6" into the image closed on verso with archival tape. Damp stains occupy the top corners of the map image, and there are a few tiny chips along the edges of the sheet that just enter the neatline.