Voyage Autour du Monde, Par la Fregate du Roi la Boudeuse et la Flute L'Etoile, en 1766. 1767, 1768 & 1769
Paris: Saillant & Nyon, 1771.
Complete with 20 folding maps and 3 plates. [8], 417, [3]pp. 4to, contemporary mottled calf, gilt decorated spine with red leather spine label, spine rubbed with light wear on spine ends, edges of corners worn and bumped, maps and text slightly wavy throughout, light browning to margins of half-title page, last 3 leaves with some light dampstaining to some margins. Paris: Saillant & Nyon, 1771. First Edition
Internally a clean, bright and tight copy. Narrative of Bougainville's voyage to South America, across the Pacific Ocean, through the East Indies, on onward to France. This voyage was the first French circumnavigation around the world. The success of this voyage caused increased French interest in the islands of South Pacific. Bougainville was sent from France to colonize the Falkland Islands. The first part of this work describes the Falkland Islands, including its natural history and the French colony there, and the author's visits to Montevideo, Paraguay, and Rio de Janeiro. Bougainville sailed through the Strait of Magellan and across the Pacific to Tahiti. There are several chapters on his visit to Tahiti. Also included is a list of Tahitian vocabulary. He then sailed to the East Indies where he extensively describes his visits to the Moluccas, Borneo, and Batavia. "The largest island in the Solomons and two straits in the Pacific bear his (Bougainville's) name, and the tropical flowering vine called bougainvillea was also named for him." Hill 163. Borba de Moraes, p. 115. Sabin 6864. Cox I, p. 55. Du Rietz 117. O'Reilly & Reitman 283.
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Good
Edition: First
Language: French
Price: $6,500.00
Item #274010