"North America Corrected from the Observations Communicated to the Royal Society at London and the Royal Academy at Paris", Senex, John

This striking map is based largely on Delisle's cartography and consolidates new information and data into one of the earliest large-scale English maps of North America. Senex's depiction of the Great Lakes region and accurate definition of the lower Mississippi River and its delta are important contributions to the cartography of the period. The map extends to include coverage of the Canadian Arctic and the Terra Incognita above Baffin's Bay, and south to Central America and the West Indies where Sir William Phipps' discovery of Spanish wrecks off the coast of the Caicos and southern Bahamas is noted. Throughout the map Senex presents known areas in great detail, but leaves less-known areas notably blank.

One of the most interesting features of the map is the depiction of Lahontan's mythical Long River, which includes several extensive notations including one revealing the controversy concerning these discoveries (The Long River or Dead River was discovered lately by the Baron Lahontan as far as is mark’d in the Map, that which is more to the westward was drawn by the Savages of the Nation of Gnacsitares on deerskins. Unless the Baron Lahontan has invented these things, which is hard to resolve, he being the only person that has traveled into these vast countries). Beyond the Nation of Gnacsitares and a mountain range lies the Nation of Mozeemleck and a large salt lake.

The map is dedicated to Anthony Hammond, Commissioner in Her Majesty's Navy with his coat of arms below the large title cartouche, which features Native Americans, exotic animals, birds and plants. This is the second state, with only the Senex imprint. Printed on two joined sheets, as issued.

References: Tooley (Amer) p. 47, #61; Wheat (TMW) #92.

Condition: C+

The map has been professionally backed with heavy Japanese tissue with some paper restoration along the center at top and bottom and near the scale cartouche at lower left. There are also some tears into the map at sides that have been repaired. The map is sound and would frame beautifully.