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The Travels of Jedediah Smith

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Historians and enthusiasts of U.S. exploration are very fortunate that these journals of Jedediah Smith have survived so that we have a better understanding as to past events and life as it was so long ago. The book begins with a short but enlightening autobiography from Smith himself on how and why he entered the fur trade. The following chapter is the finale of his epic 1826-1827 ramble across the Great Basin from California where he and his two men nearly perished. The focus of the book is on his second California expedition to California in 1827-1828, then up to Oregon and Washington. While the second expedition was disastrous in the loss of ten men to the Mohave Indians along the Colorado River and fifteen men lost to the Umpqua Indians in Oregon, it was monumental in exploration and cartography for the United States. Sandwiched between these two massacres were confrontations with Mexican officials. Also included are letters from HBC Chief Trader McLeod on his journey with Smith back to the Umpqua River in order to recover what was stolen from Smith and his party by these marauding Indians. A very historic book because of the journals and Sullivan's thorough editing. The precursor to these journals would be the book "The Southwest Expedition of Jedediah S. Smith: His Personal Account of the Journey to California, 1826-1827", edited by George R. Brooks.

This is a good book if you are interested in a brief synopsis or precis of the Lewis and Clark Journals. The Introduction is informative and accurate. There is a note on the text detailing the editing process, and the constraints the author was confined to. All in all, it is a good, quick summary of the journals. It should be noted that the first entry is for May 13, 1804, so any earlier history of the expedition is ommitted. Additionally, the entries end on September 24, 1806. Basically stated, for the price it is a good value. If you are interested in a beginning primer on the expedition of Lewis and Clark, you cannot go wrong by starting here.