May 1st 1806 A Map of North America Engraved for Priscilla Wakefield's Excursions. Published by W. Darton & J. Harvey London. Wood Framed Size: 22 1/2" x 21". Map of North America created to illustrate fictitious travels into the Canadian northwest, offering a snapshot of cartographic knowledge just before the discoveries of Lewis and Clark. While Wakefield's "excursion" was fictitious, the details of the map reflect a fine understanding of the the region on the eve of Lewis & Clark's reports. The depiction of the Oregon or Columbia River and the watershed on either side of the Rocky Mountains is very much current for the period, with the many branches of the Missouri River draining the Rocky Mountains and interesting conjecture. The R. Morte or Longue River according to Lahanton is placed remarkably close to Santa Fe, New Mexico. In all, a charming map, published just after the Louisiana Purchase. Priscilla Wakefield was a writer of Children's books. Her experience of the British Empire's territories was, in the main, derived from the work of others but her use of interesting characters, exciting travel scenarios, the epistolary form to enhance the narrative and fold-out maps added interest to the information she presented.