JOHN LEDYARD An American Marco Polo

Biography of an 10th century American who indulged his passion for wandering to the full, running away from Dartmouth and joining Captain Cook in London for a four years' cruise to the South Seas which included a survey of the northwest coast of America and wrote a book about it on his return. He presented his plan of a northwest fur trade to all sorts of people, but was a voice crying in the wilderness. He died on an African survey. His importance lies in the influence he had on Jefferson, and a few others far-sighted enough to recognize the necessity of opening up the northwest with a view to being first on the ground for Western trade. But in his own life, he was rated a failure. A capable though not an inspired job.