"L'Isle de Cayenne occupee par Messieurs de la compagnie des Indes Occidentales… [on sheet with] La Representation de l'Isle St. Christople Capitale des Antilles…", Vouillemont, Estienne

This attractive and rare sheet pertains to the colonial industry in the West Indies. At top is a large plan of Cayenne, the present day capital of French Guiana showing the small settlement and fort that was established by the French in 1643. The map is presented is a drape-style border held up by Amerindians. The bottom map depicts St. Kitts and illustrates the conflict between the French and English in 1666. These savage battles resulted in the French conquest of the English portion of the island. Inset maps depict St. Croix, St. Martin, Guadeloupe, Marie Galante, Martinique and Grenada. The most intriguing aspect of the sheet is the view at center that illustrates a sugar mill and workers in the sugar plantations. Sugar was introduced to the West Indies in 1641 and reached the Leeward Islands in about 1650. Thus, this is a rare, early depiction of the various stages of sugar production in the region.

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Condition: A

Issued folding, now flattened with some extraneous creasing. There is some minor printer's ink residue and surface soil, else very good.