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"Excursion through the Slave States" by G.W. Featherstonhaugh — 1844

"Excursion through the Slave States" by G.W. Featherstonhaugh — 1844

$345.00

Full title: Excursion through the Slave States, from Washington on the Potomac to the Frontier of Mexico; with Sketches of Popular Manners and Geological Notices.

By George William Featherstonhaugh. Published by Harper & brothers, New York, 1844. First American Edition.168pp.

George William Featherstonhaugh was a British-American geologist and geographer who surveyed portions of the Louisiana Purchase for the US government.

He left Baltimore in August 1834 and travelled through the Virginia mountains and across Tennessee, then to Louisville and overland to St. Louis, then across Indiana and Illinois. From St. Louis he went overland to Arkansas. He went a few miles into Texas before heading to New Orleans and back via Mobile, Montgomery, Macon, Augusta, and north to Richmond.

This is one of the first descriptions by a European of travel in the American South at that time. 

As was common in this time, the table of contents includes details on what is contained in each chapter. Enlarge those photos and read the detail to get an idea of the breadth of material covered.

Ours is in good condition, though table of contents page was wrinkled when it was printed. (This only affects this one sheet.) As shown, there are a few small marks in the margins.

I've included photos of two small things that I thought were amusing: The ad for "popular novels in the cheap form." And the other, the comment about the reason that the state of Pennsylvania wasn't paying its debts.

 

 

Size: 6" x 9.5"

Shipping: $10. Please allow one week for shipping.

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