Beschreibung:

Title: Golden Dreams and Waking Realities; Being the Adventures of a Gold-Seeker in California and the Pacific Islands Author: Shaw, William Place: London Publisher: Smith, Elder and Co. Date: 1851 Description: xii, 316 pp. 7¼x4½, 19th century half calf & marbled boards, spine tooled in gilt, raised bands, morocco lettering piece. First Edition. A resident of Australia temporarily out of work, Shaw, upon hearing of the wonders of the modern El Dorado in California, hopped aboard the Mazeppa, the first ship to leave South Australia for the California gold diggings. Kurutz, though calling him a "rather uppity Britisher," does allow that he "produced one of the finest narratives of the Gold Rush... He witnessed a bloody battle between mining companies, descrimination against foreign miners, the horrible death of a fellow miner by an insect bite, and poor medical practice...." Shaw was somewhat disillusioned by the whole process, and Kurutz quotes him as saying "Indeed, but for the excitement and the hope of great gain, gold-digging might be pronounced the severest, and most monotonous of all labour." Cowan p.580; Graff 3745; Howes S351; Kurutz 572; Rocq 16052; Sabin 79971; Wheat Books 185. Lot Amendments Condition: Rubbing to boards, joints and extremities; offset to endpapers, book label of Thomas D. Murphy, some darkening to paper, foxing to title and prelims., else very good. Item number: 166668