Cordillera and Pampa, Mountain and Plain: Sketches of a Journey in Chili and the Argentine Provinces in 1849.

ANNOTATED BY A FELLOW TRAVELLER

First edition. 8vo. Publisher's brown, blindstamped cloth, Chilean coat of arms gilt to upper board, rebacked, extremities worn, annotated throughout, newspaper clippings laid down and slips tipped in. [xii], [13]-295, [errata]pp. New York, Horace H. Moore,

Having joined the US Navy at seventeen, Isaac Strain (1821-1857) led an expedition to Brazil in 1843, and five years later worked with the US Boundary Commission in exploring the peninsula of Lower California. In 1849 he departed on another expedition to South America, predominantly through Chile and Argentina. Strain was promoted to lieutenant the year following his return.

 

This is his account of that time and, in addition to the narrative of the expedition, this work also contains a detailed history of Chile, including the revolution. This copy is of interest for having been owned by C. Swan who was not only familiar with these parts of South America (he was there in 1821-22), but according to a note on the front free endpaper, also knew Isaac Strain. His annotations frequently clarify some of the points made in the text, and he cites Wilkes in several comparative instances, and makes a number of testy notes at the omission of dates of travel and distances.

 

Not in Howgego; Palau, 322846; Sabin, 92669.

Stock Code: 244873