"Carte Particuliere du Fleuve Saint Louis. Dressee sur les Lieux avec les Noms des Sauvages du Pais...", Chatelain, Henry Abraham

This fascinating and oddly inaccurate map of the Great Lakes is a derivative of Lahontan's Carte Generale de Canada. Despite the fact that earlier maps had been published with more accurate geographical depictions of the region, Lahontan appears to have used outdated models coupled with his own imagination. The general shape and position of the Great Lakes is distorted, and the representation of the rivers makes it appear as if the region is well connected and easily passable through the waterways. As a result, Michigan is shown with a narrow triangular shape in the north. Although there is good detail of the beaver-hunting grounds of the Native Indians, Lahontan's depiction of the interconnected lakes and rivers downplays the difficulties associated with trading in the region.

A number of forts, towns, and Indian villages are identified, including Boston, Manhattan (Manate) but without Long Island, Montreal, Quebec (Kebek), and Chicago (Chegakou). A dashed line extending across the map indicates the Limites de Canada selon les Francois ("limits of Canada per the French") and a note below indicates that this boundary also served as the route that various Indian tribes used to wage war with the Iroquois. Flanked by panels of French text listing the Indian tribes and products of the region. Chatelain first published this map in his Atlas Historique in 1719 and again in 1739.

References: Kershaw #307.

Condition: A

A sharp impression on a clean, bright sheet with a Strasbourg Lily and "IV" watermarks and light toning along the edges of the sheet.