Beschreibung:

VANCOUVER, George. (1757-1798). Voyage de découvertes, à l'océan Pacifique du Nord, et autour du monde . Paris: l'Imprimerie de la République, 1800. The first French edition of Vancouver’s voyage, uncut in original boards. The French edition is "printed in both a more attractive manner and on better paper than the English edition" (Forbes). "This voyage became one of the most important ever made in the interests of geographical knowledge" (Hill). Vancouver had served on Captain Cook's second and third voyages and was made commander of a large-scale expedition to re-establish British rights in the Pacific. The Nootka Convention established that the expedition would examine and chart the coast south to 60 degrees in search of a passage to the Atlantic. In three seasons, Vancouver surveyed the coast of California, visited San Francisco and San Diego, met with the Spanish at Nootka, investigated the Strait of Juan de Fuca, discovered the Strait of Georgia, circumnavigated Vancouver Island and disproved the existence of a passage between the Pacific and Hudson's Bay. Vancouver died en route. Forbes 324; Howes V-23; cf. Lada-Mocarski 55; Sabin 98441; Tourville 4640. Three text volumes, quarto (308 x 218mm) and one atlas volume, folio (655 x 490mm). Text: 18 engraved plates; atlas: 16 engraved plates. Uncut and partially unopened in original pink boards with papered spine (vol. 1: upper spine starting; atlas: spine perished). Provenance : Société de Géographie Genève (stamp on title pages) – Wessel & Lieberman Booksellers.