DANA, Richard Henry (1815-1882). Two Years Before the Mast. A Personal Narrative of Life at Sea. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1840.

12mo (152 x 100 mm). (Spotting throughout, front free endpaper repaired at corner.) Original printed tan muslin [BAL binding B, no priority] (rebacked, extremities rubbed with some minor losses to muslin at corners, light soiling to covers); morocco-backed case.

FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE, with the tittle over the "i" in the word "in" on copyright page and the unbroken running head on p. 9. FIRST STATE of BAL's binding type B with list of title in the Harper's Family Library ending at number 105. "If not the most widely read book on California, certainly this ranks extremely high on such a list. The author sailed up and down the California coast, trading for hides, from January 1835, until May 1836. He possessed not only extraordinary keen powers of observation but a fine facility for expressing his ideas in writing, which makes this volume an excellent and very readable record of his experiences" (Zamorano Eighty). BAL 4434; Graff 998; Howes D49; Zamorano Eighty, 26.