This is the large edition of the influential map which details John Charles Fremont's epic exploration of the American West. Fremont and his traveling companion and topographer, George Carl Preuss, launched the expedition from the frontier settlement of Westport at the juncture of the Kansas and Missouri Rivers. There Fremont first met Kit Carson who signed on as guide to the expedition. Traveling across the Rocky Mountains at South Pass to the Columbia River in Oregon Territory, they then continued south along the Sierra Nevada nearly to the "Pueblo del los Angeles", northeast to Lake Utah and finally east to the Arkansas River. Fremont's map and report had a profound influence on emigration to the Far West as his westward route eventually became the Oregon Trail. Wheat, who called this "an important step forward from the earlier western maps" devoted seven text pages to its description. The map was drawn by Charles Preuss "whose skill in sketching topography...has probably never been surpassed in this country." There is much to study and appreciate in this rare map, but we return to Wheat for this short praise: "To Fremont and his magnificent map of his Second Expedition all praise. This is an altogether memorable document in the cartographic history of the West, and for it alone Fremont would deserve to be remembered in history."

Included is an untitled folding map (23 x 9") showing their route between Mountain Lake (Lake Tahoe) in the Sierra's and Nueva Helvetica. Fremont's party enjoyed a two-week respite as the guest of John Sutter near the famous Sutter's Mill. Also contains an untitled folding map of the Bear River in Utah (8 x 16.5"), and a single page map of The Great Salt - Lake which is an early map of the area including the front of the Wasatch Mountains.

This is the Senate issue. Octavo, rebacked with most of original spine backstrip over original brown cloth boards. 693 pages, 22 plates and 4 maps. The body of the book contains Fremont's two reports, titled "A Report on an Exploration of the Country Lying Between the Missouri River and the Rocky Mountains" and "A Report of the Exploring Expedition to Oregon and North California, in the Years 1843-'44." This example includes a contemporary ink inscription to James Whitcomb, Governor of Indiana (1843-48) by Jesse David Bright, Lieutenant Governor of Indiana (1843-45) and U.S. Senator (1845-62).

References: Howes #F-370; Sabin #25845; Wagner-Camp #115.1; Wheat (TMW) #497.

Condition: B

The folding map is evenly toned with scattered foxing and numerous repairs to fold separations on verso using mostly old tape along with several archival repairs along the joint. Text and plates range from good to very good with variable light toning, foxing and occasional dampstains. Rebacked with original boards, which have light wear and bumped corners. This is an inscribed private example that later was sent to Indiana Asbury University. Ex-library with the usual markings, including one stamp on one of the plates.