HORN'S OVERLAND GUIDE, FROM THE U.S. INDIAN SUB-AGENCY, COUNCIL BLUFFS, ON THE MISSOURI RIVER, TO THE CITY OF SACRAMENTO, IN CALIFORNIA; CONTAINING A TABLE OF DISTANCES, AND SHOWING ALL THE RIVERS, CREEKS, LAKES, SPRINGS, MOUNTAINS, HILLS, CAMPING PLACES, AND OTHER PROMINENT OBJECTS; WITH REMARKS ON THE COUNTRY, ROADS, TIMBERS, GRASSES, CURIOSITIES, ETC.; THE ENTIRE ROUTE HAVING BEEN TRACKED BY A ROAD-MEASURER, AND THE DISTANCES FROM PLACE TO PLACE, AND FROM THE MISSOURI RIVER, ACCURATELY ASCERTAINED. WITH A COMPLETE AND ACCURATE MAP

New York: J.H. Colton, 1852. Second Issue. Hardcover, in half-leather slipcase. Very Good Plus and Map Very Good in Near Fine Slipcase. 16mo. dark cloth, stamped in blind, with gilt title to front board. (83, [1] pp. plus 18pp. publisher's advertisements at rear. Pages 77-78 bound in reverse, as has been observed in other copies).
The gilt title, stamped to front board ("Horn's Overland Guide to California") shows some fading in the letter "N" (HORN'S) and the "A" in California. Gilt title to front board is straight (not slanted).

A tideline from an long-ago spill extends along the bottom edge of the text block, often arching upward, throughout the entire book, gradually decreasing in size and intensity. Some spotting to otherwise fairly bright pages, but none to obscure. Stitching tight. Book itself on front pastedown, bears the well-known and oft-used 19th-century ditty, written in pencil by previous owner, transcribed here as best as this cataloguer's knowledge of Klingon-like script can make out:

"Richard Packards (?)
Book bought in
ag (? For August?) 1857 (?)

When i have 
Died and in my
grave and all my
bones are Rotten pray
look at this and
think of me when
I am quite forgotten"


Large folding map (12.99 in. x 20.08 in. / 51 cm. x 33 cm.). Occasionally spotting. Map now removed and protected in archival mylar. Map (dated 1852) in very good condition, a bit crinkled, and shows some small tears at a fold.The Overland Route hand-marked in red, forking off to Salt Lake City, California and Oregon.

All housed in hard-shell, green, cloth-covered tri-fold protector, and this, within a lovely, half-bound dark green half-morocco slipcase, over marbled boards, ruled in gilt. Five raised bands, decorated with gilt bead roll, to slipcase spine. Four of the six compartments double-framed in gilt, with a gilt design within, and maroon-colored dot to the center of each design, the other three (from top to bottom) showing in gilt, respectively, a shortened title, author's last name, and at very bottom, the publication year (1852).

The first edition of this important guide and map was issued in several page lengths, 78 pp. and 83 pp., of which this is the second issue. As with the first issue, this copy dated 1852 , On page 5, under the section titled "Certificates", there are several testimonials -- one from J.M. Shepherd, former editor of the "Iowa Democrat", who "traveled the whole of the Overland Route in company with H.B. Horn, Esq...", and a second testimonial from three travelers (H.S. Ferguson, Ohio; J.A. Johnson, Illinois; and Walter C. Wright, Missouri) who twice traversed the Overland Route. All recommend Horn's Guide, seemingly without reservation. The Council Bluffs Ferry notice appears on p.84.

Hosea Horn was an attorney from Bloomington (what is now Muscatine), Iowa. Entirely self-educated, he wrote a form book for justices of the peace and constables, as well as a History of Davis County Iowa, published in the (1864) Annals of Iowa (Wagner-Camp 214).

In the Preface, Hosea Horn writes: "...Many works, purporting to be Guides, have been offered to the public, and as many have proven worthless...But a small portion of the road traveled by the Author of this work is embraced in any other Guide, he having traveled all the cut-offs. The distances, etc., of the other routes are given, nevertheless, in the Appendix. The distance from place to place is accurately shown, and each camping place particularly pointed out, so that the emigrant may know as well in the morning at what point he must camp, as he does in the evening; thus saving many a mile's drive over a bad road in the dark..."

Horne's Guide has been called the "best hand-book for the central route available at the time" (Howes H-641). Our copy Includes "Opinons of The Press" (p. 5), a 14-page section (pp. 69-83) of "Business Advertisements", and concludes with an 18 pp. "Catalogue of Maps, Charts, Books, Etc., Published by J.H. Colton.

The text consists of a lengthy list of "Notable Places, Objects and Remarks," and follows the trail in a detailed, step-by-step fashion, with mileage charts, distances between places, etc.