"A Chart of the Southern Part of South America; with the Track of the Centurion from the Island of St. Catherines to the Island of Juan Fernandes...", Anson, George

This is a reduced version of the chart showing Capt. George Anson's route around the southern tip of South America. It tracks his expedition from St. Catherine's Island off the coast of Brazil, around Cape Horn and up to Juan Fernandes Island (now known as Robinson Crusoe Island) off the coast of Chili. The chart shows numerous calculations of water depth, ocean currents, and includes navigational notes. A decorative compass rose with fleur-de-lys is positioned in the sea. Engraved by John Gibson.

In 1740 Anson set sail in command of a squadron sent to attack Spanish possessions and interests in South America. The expedition was ill-equipped and failed to carry out its original ambitious mission. By June 1741, when Anson reached Juan Fernandes, his force had been reduced to only three of the original six ships, while the strength of his crews had fallen from 961 to 335. After recuperating on the island, he collected the remaining survivors on his flagship, the Centurion, and set sail in search of one of the richly laden galleons that conducted the trade between Mexico and the Philippines. The indomitable perseverance he had shown during one of the most arduous voyages the history of sea adventure gained the reward of the capture of an immensely rich prize, the Nuestra Señora de Cabadonga, a Spanish treasure galleon he encountered off Cape Espiritu Santo on June 20, 1743.

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Condition: A

Issued folding, now flat, on a sheet with an "IV" watermark and minor offsetting. The sheet has been remargined at left with old paper.