"The Red River Settlement: Its Rise, Progress, And Present State, With Some Account Of The Native Races And Its General History to the Present Day," by Alexander Ross, published by Smith, Elder & Co., London, 1856, 416 pages, cloth hardcover, 8" by 5.25". Lithographed frontispiece of Upper Fort Garry. First edition, in original blind-stamped navy cloth with gilt titling on spine. Rare and important account of the Western Canadian and American fur trade by the Scottish-born Ross, who for 15 years was in the employ of the Pacific Fur Company, the North West Company, and Hudson's Bay, leaving in 1825 and settling at Red River Settlement in Manitoba. Lively and impartial history and account of activities in the settlement, with observations on agricultural and social life, the fur trade, native races, and emigration, as well as a detailed description of the buffalo hunt. In excellent overall condition considering its age, aside from light age toning to the title page (which, rather improbably, bears the stamp of Assumption Convent in Grahamstown, South Africa) - otherwise the interior is bright and remarkably fresh and free of foxing, the binding is solid and tight, and the boards are clean and unfaded and with only a small spot of puckering to back board, and the gilt titling on spine bright and vivid - about as nice a collectible first edition copy of a very old book as you could ask for.