421 



'' message" succeeds. Then comes the compiler's iatrocluctiou, cousist- 

 ing of some meditations on the value of geographical knowledge, and 

 a statement, from some person unknown, of the commerce of the 

 Missouri. The running-heads of the pages to p. 153 read, ":N^ew 

 Travels among the Indians." This part of the book is meant to pass 

 for Lewis and Clarke's narrative ; the anonymous compiler audaciously 

 opens with the now familiar " On the 11th of May, 1801, we embarked 

 from St. Louis," &c. ; but it is in no sense what it purports to be. 

 Where the materials came from, I cannot make out ; they were not in 

 Jefl'erson's message and documents, and do not appear to be from Gass, 

 and I do not know what other sources of supply were available at that 

 date. But, at any rate, it is not Lewis and Clarke, though some private 

 letters of the latter, doubtless authentic, are introduced (pp. 23-35). 

 A fine snake story is brought in (pp. 39-40) : the reptile " was in bulk 

 half as large as a middle-sized man." From p. 119 to p. 153 is an account 

 of the Knisteneaux and Chepewyan Indians, from the pen of A. 

 Mackenzie. Then comes the " Statistical View," pp. 151-178 ; this is a 

 mutilated compilation of parts of Captain Lewis's paper, furnished to 

 the President. Similarly, the " Historical Sketches," which follow, pp. 

 179-201, are a mutilated abridgment of Dr.- Sibley's paper. Pages 204- 

 228 consist of an account of the origin of the Indians, by "an ingenious 

 traveller." This part of the book likewise has no connection whatever 

 with Lewis and Clarke. Thence to p. 292 are Mr. Dunbar's and Dr. Hun- 

 ter's " Observations" on the Washita, &c. The volume closes with 

 some anecdotes, one of which is the story of " Master Neddy," copied 

 from William Buchan's " Domestic Medicine," and not having the most 

 remote connection with anything that precedes. Yet this is the book 

 which, with its several offspring, doubtless many thousand worthy 

 American citizens and loyal British subjects have read for " Lewis and 

 Clarke" — and, indeed, it Is a very readable book. 



We have next to notice two Baltimore editions of the apocrvpha, pub- 

 lished by Fisher. None of the regular editors of Lewis and Clarke 

 a'lude to these books, nor are they represented in Field's bibliography. 

 I have before me two editions, of 1812 and 1813; their titles are as fol- 

 lows : — 



[1812.] An I Interesting Account \ of the | Voyages and Travels | of \ Cap- 

 tains Lewis and GlarJc, \ in the years 1804, 1805, and 1806. | Giving a 

 faithful description of the river Missouri and \ its source— of the various 

 tribes of Indians through \ ichich theyimssed — | manners and customs — 

 soil— climate \ — commerce — gold and silver mines — animal and vege- \ 

 table productions interspersed tcith very enter- \ taining anecdotes, and a 

 variety of other useful and \ pleasing information remarkably calculated 

 to de- I light and instruct the readers — to which ts added a | complete 

 dictionary of the Indian tongue. \ By William Fisher, Esq. \ — | Balti- 

 more. I Printed by Anthony Miltenberger, For the purchasers. \ 1812. 

 One vol., Vlmo, 2 portraits, pp. v-xv, 16-326. 



(1813.] An I Interesting Account \ of the \ Voyages and Travels \ of \ Cap- 

 tains Lewis and Clarke, | in the years 1804-5, cfi 6. | Givi?ig a faithful 

 description of the river Missouri and \ its source — of the various tribes of 

 Indians through \ which they passed — manners and customs— soil | — cli- 

 mate — commerce — gold and silver \ mines — anhnal and vegetable \ pro- 

 ductions. I Interspersed \ With very entertaining anecdotes, and a variety 



