Bradley

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(Rawls, Edward H) Palmer, Bradley WBiblio.com

Moisie River

1938rif. 260500Boston: Privately Printed by Geo. H. Ellis Co 1938. First edition one of only 30 copies this copy numbered in ink "Seven. Illustrated with 28 photographs on 14 plates and 5 hand-colored plates after old prints and a photograph; with folding map tipped in on rear pastedown. 1 vols. 8vo. Original dark blue grained leatherette title gilt on upper cover. A fine fresh copy. First edition one of only 30 copies this copy numbered in ink "Seven". Illustrated with 28 photographs on 14 plates and 5 hand-colored plates after old prints and a photograph; with folding map tipped in on rear pastedown. 1 vols. 8vo. In his Foreword the author states: "These sketches were written for the members of the Moisie Salmon Club. The sole purpose was to give information to them of the waters and conditions of the Moisie River and its branches above the places customarily fished by them.". The Moisie is one of a network of navigable rivers running about 110 miles northward from the St. Lawrence in eastern Quebec; old and well worn portage paths testify to the antiquity of the route along which for hundreds of years Indians have hunted and fished. For salmon and sea trout it is one of the richest areas known. It is not surprising that the Moisie Salmon Club was founded to reap the benefits of this bounty; what is surprising is that so much care attention and expense has been lavished on a book limited to only 30 copies. The text consists primarily of the author's descriptions of areas north of the more usual fishing sites based on his explorations as a sportsman with guides. In addition to five colored plates which tend to establish the romantic mood of the region there are 28 superb reproductions of sepia photographs printed on special photographic-type paper to convey both the look and the actual feel of the originals. The book's 78 pages conclude with an Index and inside the back cover is mounted a folding map of the area described. The book is rare not in Wetzel or Heller not seen by Bruns and the only copy we know of to appear at auction - a worn copy - brought $1870 at the Netz sale in New York in 1986. This copy bears the ownership signature of E.H. Rawls on the front flyleaf: pages 12 to 19 comprise Edward H. Rawls' own account of his 1929 trip to the East Branch Chute and Cran Serré of the Moisie River where he was the first to take salmon on a light rod above the falls in defiance of "the old story retold until believed by everyone that salmon would rise ot the fly above the rapids". Palmer notes that Rawls' exploits prompted the club to build the Webster trail and develop the upper river. A choice association copy. Not in Wetzel or Heller; Bruns: "Not seen"; Bibliotheca Salmo Salar 151 Privately Printed by Geo. H. Ellis Co unknown