Headley Isaac Strain (3 results)

Soft cover. Condition: Good. 27pp extract, printed in double columns, illustrated with 13 characteristic Harper engravings, salvaged from damaged issues of Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Volume XVII, Nos. 101 and 102, October & November, 1858. Lieutenant Strain, who would later command the U. S. Navy Darien Exploring Expedition, traveled across the South American continent from Valparaiso, Chili, to the capital city of Santiago, and across Argentina along the Paraguay river. According to editor J. T. Headley's note introducing the first article, "It was the design of Lieutenant Strain to write out the details of an expedition to explore the Paraguay, and publish it consecutively with this. The two were then, with the Darien Expedition, to be put in a book form. His sudden and unexpected death having prevented the completion of this plan, his papers were placed in my hands for publication." Headley had previously published an account of the Darien Expedition in the May, 1855, Harper's. Illustrations include the birlocha, a Chilian ox cart, the departure from Santiago, the Pass of Uspallata, the Devisa, the San Luis return of the Videttes, dance of the Viejas, the Pampa coach, a Pampa fortress, and other scenes of general interest. Housed in protective mylar report cover.

Soft cover. Condition: Good. 62pp extract, printed in double columns, illustrated with 21 characteristic Harper's engravings, including a map of the route, 3 internal pages were damaged and are here presented in reproduction, salvaged from a damaged issue of Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Volume X, Nos. 58 - 60, March / April / May, 1855. The ill-fated U. S. Navy expedition to scout a possible canal route across the Isthmus of Darien. Strain and his party of 27 wandered circuitously, split into two parties, and were plagued by deteriorating equipment, unreliable native guides, malnourishment, flesh-embedding parasites, and infectious tropical diseases. Six of the 27 died by starvation. This item includes Strain's account of the full party, along with the account of Mr. Kettlewell, who was among the party of Midshipman Truxton after Strain and several others broke off from the main party, and also Strain's narrative of the break-off party. Illustrations include a camp scene, the council, the canyon, huts on fire, fording the river, a cocoa grove, fishing, building a raft, Lombard and Parks at prayer, the burial scene of Holmes, Holmes' grave, arrival at Yavisa, a view of Pine Mountain, the funeral of Parks, Strain's last argument, a scene of the rescue, and the ship bound for Panama. Housed in protective mylar report cover. From Headley's foreword, "Having from the first become deeply interested in the Darien Exploring Expedition, and afterward doubly so in the fate of Lieutenant Strain, I was very anxious to know its history. Subsequent acquaintance with Lieutenant Strain, ripening into a warm friendship, enabled me to gratify this desire. With that grew the wish to make the facts public. At my request, therefore, Lieutenant Strain gave to me his private report to the Secretary of the Navy, whose permission to use it was cheerfully granted, also the journals kept by both parties, together with the book of sketches made by the draughtsman. Interesting interviews with Lieutenant Maury and civil engineer Mr. Avery, have enabled me to add many details not incorporated either in the report or the journals." Housed in protective mylar report cover. Very scarce.

Pp. 108. With one map (foxed). Original printed wrappers, spine slightly chipped. Private stamp on front cover and title. A Swedish translation of "A trip on the Panama Railroad - Darian Exploring Expedition, under command of Lieut. Issac C. Strain" which originally seems to have been published as an article (?).