[California Gold Rush]. J. A. & D. F. Read, illustrators. Journey to the Gold Diggins by Jeremiah Saddlebags. New York: Stringer and Townsend, [1849]. First American edition, simultaneous with Cincinnati. Oblong twelvemo. 63 pages. With pictorial title and 112 illustrations. Half morocco over cloth boards with gilt spine titles. Corners quite rubbed with boards exposed. Some loss to spine ends and extremities. New endpapers, lacking original wrappers. Preliminary has stain to top corner. Some light toning and foxing throughout, particularly to rear of text. A better than very good copy of this scarce title.

"Of the American comic books on the subject of the gold rush, the best known, although it is scarce, is this." This is the story of an "Argonaut who risked the hard journey to the gold fields, found that it was all a good deal more difficult than he had thought, avoided death by a hair's breadth time and again, and came home poorer than he went. It is the best of the American comic books on this theme" (Cowan). Cowan, p. 523. Howes R-92. Kurutz 524b. Murrell 170. Randall 404. Sabin 68157.