Prevost's Volume on the Americas

"Histoire Generale des Voyages, ou Nouvelle Collection de Toutes les Relations de Voyages ... Tome Quatorzieme", Prevost, Anton Francois

This is a very nice example of volume fourteen of Prevost's history of voyages, with maps by Jacques Nicolas Bellin. This volume focuses on the discoveries and establishments in North America and northern South America. The folding maps measure approximately 12 x 8" and include the following titles:

1. Carte de la Louisiane et Pays Voisins. Superb small map based on Delisle's map of the French colony of Louisiana. This finely engraved and detailed map of French Louisiana extends from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico and from 6. Nouveau Mexique to Florida (not showing the tip of Florida). Many Indian place names, forts and early European settlements are shown. Nouveau Mexique in the far west includes Santa Fe and names the S. Jerome de Taos.

2. Carte des Lacs du Canada. While this map uses the same title as Bellin's prototype map of the Great Lakes, published in Charlevoix’s Histoire et Description Generale de la Nouvelle France in 1744, it has been updated with information from Bellin's similar map of 1755. Lakes Erie and Ontario are more accurately defined and the spurious islands in Lake Huron have been eliminated. However, several large, bogus islands still remain in Lake Superior, including I. Minong (called I. Philippeaux on some issues) and I. Pontchartrain. The Michigan peninsula is still misshapen with a massive mountain range down its center. Numerous forts are located: S. Jgnace, Niagara, des Miamis, and Toronto to mention a few.

3. Carte de la Baye de Chesapeack. Finely engraved colonial map covering most of Virginia, Maryland, Delaware with a bit of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The interior is fully engraved with mountains and great detail along the rivers. An early network of trails and wagon roads are delineated, plus watershed and some topographical information. It extends west to beyond Fort Cumberland and locates Annapolis, Fredericksburg, Williamsburg, Norfolk, and Philadelphia.

4. Carte de la Nouvelle Angleterre Nouvelle Yorck et Pensilvanie. This French & Indian War period map details the English colonies from Pennsylvania through to Castine, Maine, with their early boundaries. It is fully engraved with topographical features and includes many early place names. The colonies are shown confined east of the Allegheny Mountains with the Nations Iroquoises, Indian villages, and several French forts located west of the mountains. It extends to show Lake Ontario and most of Lake Erie.

5. Carte de la Caroline et Georgie. Delicately engraved map of the colonies of Carolina and Georgia from Albemarle Sound to the Alatamaha River. It probably owes its origin to the 1752 map of the region by Emanuel Bowen. There are numerous English settlements along the coast and Indian villages are located throughout, including a number west of the Appalachian Mountains. There is more detail in the area west of the Blue Ridge than in many other maps of the period. It shows a rudimentary course of the Tennessee River in the northwestern section of the map.

6. Plan de la Nouvelle Orleans. This attractive copper-engraved plan of the city of New Orleans details the city center including Bourbon Street. Individual buildings are depicted and keyed to a list under the title naming 18 buildings. The plan locates the quay along the Mississippi River, the canal, government buildings, church, prison, hospital, monastery, army & navy quarters. Bellin's plan was first issued in Charlevoix's History and General Description of New France in 1742 with later versions, such as this, used in several publications. The plan became the standard map of New Orleans throughout the eighteenth century.

7. Plan de la Ville de Boston et ses Environs. Attractive early plan of Boston and the harbor including Charles Town and Isle Ronde. It shows the street plan of the town and wharves, and locates gun batteries, powder magazines, Presbyterian churches, prison, town hall, windmill, and beacon. It indicates an offshore anchorage and the entrance channel and also depicts shoreline topography with the roads running down to the harbor. Large key at left lists sixteen important sites.

8. Carte de l'Accadie et Pais Voisins

9. Carte de la Baye de Hudson

10. Carte du Cours du Fleuve de St. Laurent Depuis son Embouchure jusqu'au dessus de Quebec

11. Suite du Cours du Fleuve de St. Laurent Depuis Quebec jusqu'au Lac Ontario

12. Plan de la Ville de Quebec

13. Carte de la Riviere de la Plata

14. Plan de la Ville de Buenos Ayres

15. Suite du Bresil Pour servir a l'Histoire Generale des Voyages (single page 7 x 9.2")

16. Suite du Bresil Depuis la Baye de Tousles Saints jusqu'a St. Paul (single page 7 x 9.2")

17. Plan de la Ville de St. Salvador

18. Carte du Bresil Prem. Partie Depuis la Riviere des Amazones…

19. Carte de la Guyane

Published by Dido. Quarto, viii, 763 pp. and 28 copper-engraved maps and plates, many folding and including the spectacular folding bird's eye view "Cataracte de Niagara." Hardbound in full contemporary leather with gilt title and raised bands on spine.

References:

Condition: B+

The maps are very good (B+) to near fine (A) with faint to light offsetting, occasional faint damp stains confined to the blank margins, and light toning on a few. Text is clean and bright with some occasional faint damp stains along the fore-edge. Covers are lightly worn with bumped and chipped edges, and the spine has cracks, tiny abrasions, and a small chip at the head.