Personal Impressions of the Grand Cañon [Canyon] of the Colorado River Near Flagstaff, Arizona: As Seen Through Nearly Two Thousand Eyes, and Written in the Private Visitors' Book of the World Famous Guide Capt. John Hance Guide, Story-teller, and Pathfinder

San Francisco: The Whitaker & Ray Company, 1899. First edition. Hardcover. Very Good. 163pp. Octavo [21.5 cm] Bound in red cloth, with decorative gilt stamping on front board. Rubbing and light soiling to boards and edges, including gilt stamping. Several small scratches to rear board. Spine a bit faded. Textblock mildly toned. Captain John Hance was the original Grand Canyon tour guide, and the area's first non-Indigenous resident. Though famed for his storytelling prowess (he was once affectionately called "the greatest liar on Earth" by then president Theodore Roosevelt), not much is known about the man himself. No personal writings of Hance remain, and the recollections of early Grand Canyon tourists largely form his legacy.
Compiling ten years of Hance's private visitors' book, this title is both a glimpse into the daily life of a somewhat enigmatic figure in Western history, and a record of the awe felt by early tourists when viewing the Grand Canyon for the first time. Illustrated with images of surrounding scenery, and the Hance camp and trail. Scarce.