The Northwest Coast; or, Three Years' Residence in Washington Territory. By James G. Swan.  With Numerous Illustrations.  1st Edition published in 1857 by Harper & Brothers of New York.

 "The intention of this volume is to give a general and concise account of that portion of the Northwest Coast lying between the Straits of Fuca and the Columbia River ."--Introduction. 

"This account by a renegade Bostonian, who lived among the Indians at Willapa Bay, is particularly valuable because it shows us a man who was both a sensitive observer and participant in the white settlers' invasion of the Indians' lands.  As the earliest book about Washington Territory, The Northwest Coast, according to Murray Morgan, 'sets a standard few other works about the area have met. A self-taught scientist, runaway husband, promoter, teacher, essayist, townboomer, probate judge and alcoholic, Swan wrote with robust humor about the period in which the territory was created."--Pacific Northwest review of the 1972 University of Washington Press edition.

Condition: Publisher's original binding is sound. Sunning to spine and fading to lettering on spine. Small ding to top of spine and a crease about halfway down. Board tips rubbed. Period yellow endpapers are whole with NO splitting over the hinges. Former owner's name in antique ink on front free endpaper. Fold-out map present and whole as pictured above. Scattered light foxing. Some chipping and creasing fore edge of last 8 pages as pictured above. Engraved plates and vignettes. 8" x 5" with 435 pages.