Beschreibung:

Title: Voyage de La Pérouse autour du monde, publié conformément au décret du 22 avril 1791 Author: La Pérouse, [Jean Francois Galaup de] Place: London Publisher: Printed by A. Hamilton for G.G. & J. Robinson J. Edwards and T. Payne Date: 1799 Description: 2 text volumes plus Atlas. Text vols: lii, 539, [1]; viii, 522, [18] pp. Half-titles. Engraved portrait frontispiece by Heath. (4to) modern quarter calf & cloth, gilt morocco spine labels. Atlas: Copper-engraved title + 69 copper-engraved maps, plans, views, etc. (atlas folio) 22½x17, period calf-backed motled boards, spine gilt with ship motifs and red and green morocco lettering-pieces. Third Edition. Magnificent copy of La Pérouse's voyages. This is the French language edition published by Robinson, a re-issue of the first edition published by the French government in 1797. Sailing from France in 1785, La Pérouse was to examine such parts of the Pacific as had not yet been explored by James Cook; to seek for an interoceanic passage; to make scientific observations on the various countries, peoples, and products; to obtain reliable information about the fur trade and the extent of Spanish settlement in California (with the possibility of seizing some parts north of the Spanish), and to promote in general the inducements for French enterprise in that quarter. He reached the northwest coast and Alaska in June, 1786, was in Monterey, California on September 14, sailed westward, charted around Japan and the Pacific Islands, etc., and finally anchored in Botany Bay, Australia in January 1788. He left Australia in mid-February, but would perish at sea. The remains of his vessel were found on a island to the north of the New Hebrides in 1826. Fortunately, from the dispatches sent from Australia and, prior to that, from Kamchatka, the present work was constructed. Although both Wagner and Lada-Mocarski question the value of La Pérouse's investigations in Alaska (Lada-Mocarski says more was contributed to the cartography of the northeast coast of Asia, where the strait between Sakhalin and the northernmost part of Japan still bears his name), Hill asserts that "Lapérouse made a valuable contribution to the history of geographical discovery, particularly with regard to the American coast and the natives of America..." The truly superb folio atlas contains 31 charts & maps and 38 views with a few botanical and zoological images. There is a large folding chart of the world, and the majority of the maps and charts are double-page. The maps include details of the Northwest coast of America, the bays of San Francisco and Monterey, the coast of Asia, Japan, various Pacific Islands, etc. Important views are of the inhabitants and landscape of Easter Island, Maui, and the Northwest Coast of America. The engravings are all fine impressions on crisp, heavy paper. Forbes states that "All copies and sets that I have examined of this edition have the English language atlas," though he does note that the New York Public Library records a copy with a French language atlas. Howes is of the opinion that "of all modern exploring voyages to the Pacific those of Cook, La Perouse and Vancouver were the most important." This copy with small cyrillic inkstamp to engraved title. Cowan p.383; Forbes 309; Hill p.173; Howes L93; Lada-Mocarski 52; Wagner N.W.C., pp.199-201; Zamorano 80 49 (some refer to 1st Ed.) Lot Amendments Condition: Text vols: Engraved frontispiece a bit foxed and offset to title (which has a crease), light spotting to first and last few leaves, minor toning. Atlas: covers starting, minor chips, scrapes and stains to binding. spine strip torn; map of Necker Island a bit browned and spotted, very minor offsetting to Plan of Bay of Castries, pl. 66 with a few light marginal spots, a very few scattered small stains from leather chips; overall a near fine set with exceptionally clean, very fine maps and views. Item number: 167784