REPORT OF AN EXPEDITION DOWN THE ZUNI AND COLORADO RIVERS

Washington: Robert Armstrong, Public Printer, 1853., 1853. First edition. First edition. 8vo. Original full calf, 198 pp.+ 24 tinted plates+ 53 black & white plates. Large folding topographical map of the Zuni and Colorado Rivers in fine condition. Senate Executive Doc No. 59, 32d Congress, 2d Session, 1853. Includes an index to the 11 Volumes of Senate Executive Documents bound into the front of this volume. The Sitgreaves Expedition Down the Zuni and Colorado Rivers in 1851 was a combined American scientific and military mission to explore the Zuni River, the Little Colorado River and the Colorado River in 1851. Setting out from northern New Mexico, the expedition traveled west across Arizona and then south along the Colorado to Fort Yuma in California. "The expedition consisted of Sitgreaves, Lt. J.G. Parke, Dr. S.W. Woodhouse, R.H. Kern, with Major H.L. Kendrick in command of the escort and Antoine Leroux as guide. The group left Santo Domingo, New Mexico, on August 1, 1851, stopped at Zuni in September, and arrived in San Diego on November 30. Carl Wheat discusses the route of the Sitgreaves expedition and highly praises the map, calling it "a monumental achievement....generally correct and....exceedingly well done."---Wagner-Camp 230:1. Original full calf lightly soiled and corners are rubbed, small 1" split at foot of front hinge, red & black morocco spine labels with titles stamped in gilt, some foxing to the front and rear first few leaves else a very good, internally clean, tight & sound copy with the 79 plates and the important map in exceptionally fine condition. This is an unusually nice copy in original calf binding.