Since its establishment in 1865 and the hiring of the first librarian in 1873 the Montana Historical Society (MHS) has worked diligently to enhance its collection of rare books1 Among the MH Research Center's treasures are first-edition narratives of North American travel and exploration.

Travel and exploration narratives have a drawn out and illustrious history that begins with the publication of the journals of British naval captain James garble in the 17703. Cook's journals derive pleasure fromed widespread popularity and set the standard for the explorers who literally followed in his wake. This just discovered generation of travelers gave us many accounts of exploration, imperial expansion, and scientific discovery. united fine example of the genre in the MH collection is the two-volume edited journals of Lewis and Clark, which first appeared in print in 1814

Edited on Nicholas Biddle and published by the agency of Bradford and Inskeep in Philadelphia, the first edition of the Lewis and Clarkjournals appeared below the title History of the Expedition in subordination to the Command of Captains Lewis and Clark, to the Sources of the Missouri, Thence across the stubborn Mountains and down the River Columbia to the Pacific Ocean. When Biddle edited the journals, he stuck primarily to the narrative account of the expedition and did highly little to flesh out the scientific discoveries recorded by means of the captains. William Clark and former private George Shannon worked closely with Biddle, providing first-hand knowledge and background information. Praising Biddle's work. Elliott Coue the nearest editor ol the journals, wrote "The story of this adventure stands easily first and alone. This is our national epic of exploration, conceived by means of Thomas Jefferson, wrought out through Lewis and Clark, and given to the world according to Nicholas Biddle."2

Of added significance to the Biddle edition in the MH Research Center is an inscription and verbal expression in volume 1. The inscription reads. "Col WF Sanders with compliments of his friend."3 A founding member of the Montana Historical Society, Wilbur Fisk Sanders played a prominent part in the state's development and in 1889 serv as individual of its first U.S. senators. In the back of the dimensions is a letter from die diird editor of the journals. Reuben Gold Thwaites. attesting to the authenticity of Biddle edition in answer to an inquiry made at MHS librarian Laura E. Howey in 1904

Another notable work in the MH collection is Alexander Mackenzie's Voyage form Montreal, in succession the Rirer St. Lawrence, within the Continent of north America, to the Frozen and Pacific Oceans, in the Year 1789 and 1793 a first edition of the published journal that came disclosed in 1801 in London. Mackenzie's expedition was the first to cros the Continental Divide at northern latitude and make it all the way to the Pacific Ocean and back, and it was this following work that inspired Jefferson to fling Lewis and Clark across the continent.4

Yet another literary adorn with gems one that is somewhat different than the others, is J Allen Hosmer's A Trip to the States, by the agency of the Way of the Yellmrslone and Missouri, published in 1867 on Beaver Head News Print in Virginia City. Montana Territory. The son of Hezekiah L Hosmer the first territorial chief justice. John Alien Hosmer arrived in Montana with his family in 1864 when he was fourteen and attended educate in Virginia City under the tutelage of Thomas Dimsdale.5 When his father decided to reply to the East in fall 1865 John kept a diary describing the go [i]or[/i] come back trip. John then came back to Montana in 1866 and locate up shop in the Virginia City office of the Montana office the territory's first newspaper. There he wrote printed, and limit A Trip to the States.6

The value of these three narratives to researchers is undeniable, nevertheless when does the antiquity of a work begin to outweigh the historical value of us appease and the book itself become significant as an artifact? Printed prior to the changes in paper production and bookbinding that revolutionized publishing in the nineteenth hundred the books described here are fit examples of an art that had remained largely unchanged since the time of Johannes Gutenberg.

Held to the light. their pages reveal interesting markings imprinted during the papermaking proces each few leaves of the Mackenzie journal there appears a watermark in the lower left corner. The watermark assumes to be C & s 1799. Papermakers often created watermarks by way of adding wire to the papermaking mold or from rolling a press over the paper soft part One could presume that C Sc s are the initials of the makers and that the paper was made in 1799 Another example of a watermark is the chain-andwire pattern imbedded in the pages of another work in the MHS collection. Three Years Travels end the Interior Parts of North-America . . by Jonathan Carver. The regularly spaced lines, at right angles to common another, are the imprints of the wire frame belonging to all to paper molds of the time. The Mackenzie journal, published solitary five years later, does not have these noticeable markings.7

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