Scenery of the Plains, Mountains and Mines: or a diary kept upon the overland route to California by Franklin Langworthy 1855

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Title: Scenery of the Plains, Mountains and Mines: or a diary kept upon the overland route to California, by way of the Great Salt Lake: Travels in the cities, mines, and agricultural districts - embracing the return by the Pacific Ocean and Central America, in the years 1850, '51, '52 and '53

Author: Franklin Langworthy

Description: Ex-library. Professionally rebound in black leather covered boards with gilt lettering on spine; pages trimmed. Call number on spine; smallish private ex-libris book plate on front paste-down; library rubber stamps; pocket affixed to rear end-paper. Small hole in title page. vi, 324 pp. 8 x 5 inches.

Langworthy's vivid and detailed daily journal, recounting experiences in a party on an overland journey, heading west, from Illinois to California. The first entry is dated April 1, 1850. The travels take them along the Platte River, through the Black Hills, and on towards the Great Salt Lake. Encounters with Mormons, Indians, buffalo, gold miners, traders, thieves, cholera and other ailments, and many other things fill the pages. The author arrives in Sacramento on October 27th whereupon he stays and resides in California for a couple years. He provides a picture of life and culture in California, including accounts of the Chinese, merchants, saloons, farming and mining, flora and fauna, geology and geography, politics, etc. The smaller portion of the book recounts his return journey, beginning in April 1853 he embarks on a steamship for Central America, travels along the Mexican coast, crosses the isthmus by taking a steamboat across Lake Nicaragua, makes his way to Cuba, and on up to New York City. He makes his way back home by steamboat, railway, and finally by hackney coach.

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: Very Good

Jacket Condition: None

Publisher: J. C. Sprague, Book-Seller

Place: Ogdensburgh

Year: 1855

ISBN: n/a

Language: English

Keywords: travel, Old West, overland journey, Forty-Niners, Gold Rush, pioneers, wagon train,

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