VOYAGES AUTOR DU MONDE, ET VERS LES DEUX POLES, PAR TERRE ETPAR MER, PENDANT LES

Paris 1782, Moutard. Half calf over blue boards, 2 vol. set: 432+272p., indices, French text,1 tiny worm hole first 40+p. vol. 1, else both vols. clean, solid, 10 folding copper etc- hed maps & plates, original binding. FIRST EDITION COMPLETE Viscount de Pierre Marie Francois Pages, was a French explorer, he was born in Toulouse in 1748 & died in 1793 on Santo Domingo. * This is a famous and important circum-navigation work. The first volume begins with the great explorer voyage as he left France bound for the New World and arrived in [America] New Orleans in 1767, proceeded into the Red River to Natchitoches and on to Nacogdoches passing through Texas to San Antonio. He turned his travel South into Mexico, then pointed his vessel Westward thereby sailing across the great Pacific ocean through the Marianas and Philippine islands, South to the East Indies, visiting Batavia and then to Southern India. From there he continued his historic voyage up the forbidding Persian Gulf, even visiting Jerusalem. The accompanying maps & charts show these places. * The second volume focuses on his voyage in 1773-4 and now he was accompanied Kerguelen-Tremarec in their quest to find a Southern Continent.It was Kerguelen's second voyage and it ended in a disaster as the ship Rolland which lost its mast during a great storm resulting in Kerguelen being court- marshaled. It was at this time, that Page continued later by joining a Dutch whaler to Sptizbergen and the first plate shows the capture of a whale. * The second volume is mostly devoted to his voyage and search for a Southern Continent under the guidance of Kerguelen in 1773-4. It was Kerguelen's second voyage and it ended in a disaster of the ship Rolland which lost its mast during a great storm. resulting Kerguelen being court-marshaled. * BINDING, CONDITION: This work is bound in what we believe to be original gilt half calf, with gold decorations. Volume 1 has ca 3.5 cm split to the top front of hinge else solid, The small worm hole penetrates the first 49 pages, but is not objectionable and the print is easily read in spite of this, which begins from the inside cover. Volume 2 is solid, the leather firm, no cracks. Both volumes are half-leather over original blue paper-covered boards which shows the usual minor scuffing, the set is however solid and firm. The folding plates are bright, clean, without any tears, strong images, all folded as issued and printed on heavy stiff rag paper. By and large a nice set, with minor and usual flaws to the exterior. * BIBLIOGRAPHY: HOWES p.13 CLARK I:285 HILL 1285; English edition: 526-7p. Spence, 887 WAGNER SPANISH SOUTHWEST 165 STREETER TEXAS 1027 SABIN 58171 * .