Publisher's Synopsis
John Bradbury's adventures in the wilds of North America brings to life the rugged landscapes bordering the Missouri and Mississippi rivers as they were many years ago.
In this astounding history of the United States, Bradbury traverses what is now the Deep South of the USA, plus the area west of Illinois known at the time as simply 'The Western Territories'. His recollections are authentic and written plainly, offering readers a look at how the young nation was at the time, both in terms of its rural landscape and the settlers.
Rather than be divided by chapter or event, Bradbury's travels are written as a single, long escapade. Recalling three years of his life in lands barely before charted, it is with a spirit of adventure that the author depicts the fur trade which at the time was among the most bustling and prosperous in the United States.
Many of the settlers or explorers traversing the USA at the time were either illiterate or barely literate. As such, John Bradbury's ability to write cogently speaks of his value as an educated man venturing to the vast frontiers of North America; although a naturalist by profession, he joined the Pacific Fur Company. Through this employ, Bradbury was able to traverse the Missouri river and write about his experiences, while also sending seeds of exotic and undocumented plants to his son.
Perhaps the single most notable incident included in these memoirs is a first-hand account of the 1811 New Madrid earthquake. As one of the few surviving written accounts of the disaster, Bradbury's memoir is possessed of a unique historical value. This edition includes the concluding appendix, which is a newspaper article about Bradbury printed in the Missouri Gazette at the time.
