Cox, Ross. Adventures on the Columbia River, including A Narrative of a Residence of Six Years on the Western Side of the Rocky Mountains, among various Tribes of Indians hitherto unknown: together with A Journey across the American Continent. New-York: J. & J. Harper, 1832. First American Edition. [4314]
Original green cloth rebacked in green with "Cox's Columbia River" in gilt to spine, 9 1/2 x 6 inches, boards are soiled, old stains to paste-downs. Begins with the 2 pp. adverts: [2], tp (verso blank), (v.)-xv., (25)-335 pp., complete. Foxing throughout, one leaf with closed cut in the margin, pages remain untrimmed at fore and bottom edges. Good. Hardcover.
Howes C822 with note, "The narratives of Cox, Alexander Ross and Franchere are chief sources for fur trading history in the early Oregon country."
"Ross Cox, fur trader (b. 1793). B. at Dublin, he joined Astor's northwest coast fur enterprise in 1811 and left New York aboard the Beaver, reaching Astoria, Oregon, May 12, 1812. Cox joined a party for the interior June 29, got lost and was rescued by the Spokane Indians, made a fur trading trip to the Flathead Indians, and brought furs to Astoria by June 11, 1813. When the North West Company bought out the Astor enterprise, Cox transferred his allegiance. He made several trading trips and became a valuable man to the company. In 1817 he journeyed with fur men overland to Fort William, on Lake Superior, and thence to Montreal, returning to Dublin. His book, The Columbia River is a worthy trade narrative." - Jerome Pelier, in Thrapp, Encyclopedia of Frontier Biography.
Streeter 3702: "Cox's narrative gives an excellent firsthand account of the fur trade and of the Indian tribes in Montana, Idaho, and eastern Washington with whom the fur traders dealt and sometimes fought. While Cox was making this journey the tension between Hudson's Bay and Northwest Companies had become very acute and he gives a good account of their rivalry." [Note on the London edition of 1831].
