[Easter Island] La Perouse, Jean Francois.

Plan of Cook's Bay; Plan of Easter Island; [and] Views of Easter Island.

London: G.G. & J. Robinson, 1798. Two maps and one view on one sheet. The map at the upper left titled 'Plan of Easter Island, taken in April 1786, on Board the Boussole & the Astrolabe'. Below this, 'Views of Easter Island on a Scale of two Inches to a League'. The large map, at the right, titled 'Plan of Cook's Bay on the West Side of Easter Island ....'. From La Perouse's Voyage, and engraved by Neele.

Jean-François de Galoup, Comte de La Perouse (1741-1788) was a French explorer who explored and mapped the west coast of North America and visited Easter Island in 1786. Rollin, a major in the Perouse expedition, wrote of the island, "Instead of meeting with men exhausted by famine... I found, on the contrary, a considerable population, with more beauty and grace than I afterwards met in any other island; and a soil, which, with very little labor, furnished excellent provisions, and in an abundance more than sufficient for the consumption of the inhabitants." Hunt, T. L.; Lipo, CP (2006). "Late Colonization of Easter Island". Science 311 (5767): 1603–6

La Perouse explored the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii), where he was the first European to land at Maui. He charted Botany Bay in Australia, and perished on a voyage while searching for the Solomon Islands.

Published as the Act directs Novr. 1st 1798, by G.G. & J. Robinson, Pater-noster Row. Neele sc. Strand. No. 10. Some light foxing in lower left, faint damp mark at top margin, intruding about one half inch into 'Plan of Easter Island', not affecting its title and a fainter damp mark at left edge. Short closed tear bottom edge, just touching the word "Published". Original folds. 21 x 16 1/2", paper 21 1/2 x 17" Very good condition. Item #20586

Price: $450.00