This book contains all of Bartram's journeys around North America in the late 18th century, through much of what was then Native American territory. In the 1790s when this book was first published, the United States was newly formed and was expanding beyond its original thirteen colonies. However, American settlement into the distant lands beyond the Appalachians was limited and gradual. The vast expanse of land was unknown, and much was inhabited by Native American tribes. Determined to traverse and discover the ...
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This book contains all of Bartram's journeys around North America in the late 18th century, through much of what was then Native American territory. In the 1790s when this book was first published, the United States was newly formed and was expanding beyond its original thirteen colonies. However, American settlement into the distant lands beyond the Appalachians was limited and gradual. The vast expanse of land was unknown, and much was inhabited by Native American tribes. Determined to traverse and discover the lands of North America, William Bartram set out from the city of Philadelphia, making his way toward the south of the continent. Along his way he describes the wilderness terrain, rivers, landscape and peoples he meets. Many of the Native American tribes he encountered were welcoming, viewing Bartram as a strange curiosity. He would join the natives to eat at feasts, observing their lives and customs, learning their dialects and eventually gaining their trust and friendship. Several passages of this book are focused upon the unique plant and animal life which Bartram observed on his journeys. Unusual and dangerous occurrences, such as an alligator attacking his camp at night, are also related to the reader. Frequently, Bartram compares the beautiful landscapes of the Appalachians, Florida and the westerly plains to places of Greek mythology such as the Elysian fields. A classic travelogue of substantial historical value, The Travels of William Bartram is an illustrative history of both the Native American tribes of southern North America, and the virgin landscapes of the continent.
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Add this copy of The Travels of William Bartram to cart. $11.49, good condition, Sold by St. Vinnie's Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Eugene, OR, UNITED STATES, published 2016 by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform.
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The Travels of William Bartram: Naturalist's Edition. By William Bartram, edited with commentary and an annotated index by Francis Harper. (Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1998. Pp. lxi+727, a definitive scholarly work including William Bartram?s original unabridged text and figures, detailed endnotes, an augmented general index, glossary, halftone photos and comprehensive bibliography. ISBN 0-8203-2027-7)
Reprinted from the 1958 Yale edition in affordable paperback format, this scholarly work continues to hold its position as the most comprehensive account of Bartram?s travels in the Southeastern Colonies. Although the typeface has been modernized and the original pagination abandoned, Bartram?s original text and figures appear unadulterated. Harper was fortuitous in his preservation of this magnificent work for future generations and only offers his commentary and annotations at the leave of the focal work. Thus, the reader is easily immersed, without distraction, in the awe inspiring natural beauty that is so eloquently conveyed in Bartram?s account. The powerful influence of this composition on later authors like Wordsworth and Thoreau is also evident. However, the reader must be prepared to read this account of Colonial Natural History exploration with credence given to its context. Bartram?s extensive journey through the Southeastern Colonies and Indian Territories from 1773 through 1777 covered parts of the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Although Bartram was America?s first native-born naturalist, he was a Quaker in the British Colonies of America. Therefore, his travels were funded by a British benefactor, Dr. John Fothergill, for the purpose of finding and collecting new and useful productions of nature. Often the reader may find allusions to the ?Almighty Creator? and other such religious references, and in modern terms the appearance of such passages in an otherwise scientific account may seem oxymoronic. However, ?Travels? appeared at a time nearly coincident with Linnaeus? system of nomenclature which was itself seen as a way of placing order in the creative hand of God and this perception of the world predominated scientific inquiry for many years prior to the appearance of Darwin?s treatise on Natural Selection.
This work also represents the most popularized example of Francis Harper?s scholarly achievements. The detailed annotations provided by Harper are based on years of extensive research and he gives first hand accounts of the places he visited while following in the footsteps of Bartram. The reader may also find the expanded index and glossary useful. Further connection to this historic expedition is provided in the form of halftone photographs taken of noteworthy sites in the 1940s and ?50s and detailed maps of the routes Bartram traveled.
