Simpson was head of the Hudson Bay Company and the dominant figure in the American fur trade in the nineteenth century. The narrative documents Simpson's journey from England, across Canada, down the Western coast to San Francisco, Monterey, Santa Barbara, and on to Hawaii. The account of his time in Hawaii is important for its account of business and political conditions in Honolulu. The second volume includes Simpson's journey across Siberia and Russia to St. Petersburg.

First edition; 2 vols, 8vo; frontispiece portrait, large folding map, light spotting to verso of endpapers, titles and portrait; original blind-stamped purple cloth gilt, spines and edges faded to olive, else a very good fresh set; [xii], 438; vii, 469, 24 (adverts) pp.

Forbes, II, 1670; Hill p 274; Lada-Mocarski, 129; Sabin 81344; Streeter 3710; Wagner-Camp 140:1.