Lot 2028
1830 (Oct. 9) Fort Vancouver (present day Washington) to London, England, folded letter postmarked stepped box "DEAL SHIP LETTER", manuscript "1N7", reverse with red "E 18 AP 1831" datestamp; edge wear, Fine. This was originally a 7-page letter datelined "Fort Vancouver, Columbia River October 9th 1830" but the first four pages, which were written on a second sheet and included the dateline, are no longer present.
Estimate 1,000 - 1,500
AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE AND EARLY TRANSCONTINENTAL FUR TRADE COVER FROM NEW CALEDONIA BY A WELL-TRAVELED SECOND MATE.
The letter was carried from the Columbia River District of Rupertsland which is now part of Washington state, by canoe brigade express via the Columbia and Peace Rivers, over the Rocky Mountains and via the Saskatchewan River, the Manitoba Lakes and various rivers to York Factory on Hudson's Bay. From there it was carried by Hudson's Bay company ship to England where is was received as a ship letter at Deal and rated 1/7 Stg collect to London.
The letter was written by Robert Young, second mate of the Hudson's Bay Co. supply ship "Dryad". In it Young describes his voyage from the Falkland Islands to Fort Vancouver. The missing pages told of the early part of the voyage via the Magellan Strait and Easter Island, picking up on page five with the Sandwich Islands, and mentioning some exploration of the Columbia District.
Fort Vancouver was the primary Hudson's Bay Co. fort on the west coast of America at the time.
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| Realized $2,100 |
