Voyage de la Corvette l'Astrolabe Exécuté par ordre du roi, pendant les années 1826-1827-1828-1829 sous le Commandement de J. Dumont d'Urville. Atlas Hydrographique.
Paris: J. Tastu, 1833. First edition. Hardcover. The Hydrographic folio atlas volume only, the very rare atlas from the first edition of d'Urville's voyage in the Astrolabe.
The first voyage of the Astrolabe (1826 to 1829) was a circumnavigation of the globe which would include Australia, King George Sound, Port Jackson, New Zealand, Fiji, New Guinea and Van Diemen's Land. The first map in the Atlas, of the Pacific Ocean, provides much detail on Australia, New Zealand and the west coast of North and South America.
The goal of this French expedition 'was to gain additional information about the principal groups of islands in the Pacific and to augment the mass of scientific data acquired by Louis Duperrey. The Astrolabe sailed south, around the Cape of Good Hope, and arrived at Port Jackson. Proceeding to New Zealand, its coast, especially the southern part of Cook Strait, was surveyed with great care. Tonga and parts of the Fiji Archipelago were explored, then New Britain, New Guinea, Amboina, Tasmania, Vanikoro, Guam and Java. The return home was by way of Mauritius and the Cape of Good Hope. Huge amounts of scientific materials were collected and published' (Hill).
D'Urville sailed along the coast of southern Australia, made new relief maps of the South Island of New Zealand and sailed up the east coast of the North Island, making coastline maps. The Astrolabe returned to France in March 1829, with an impressive load of hydrographical papers as well as zoological, botanical and mineralogical reports, which would greatly influence the scientific analysis of those regions.
Elephant folio, 19 3/4 x 26". Engraved title page, 25 pp, 42 engraved maps, charts, and plans (of which 20 are double page), and 3 coastal profiles with hand color. Later binding, quarter gilt leather and brown mottled boards. Upper corner front board damaged; boards rubbed at edges. Inner hinge strengthened. Light scattered fox spotting to "Carte generale de l'Ocean Pacifique"; all other plates remarkably bright and clean. Very good overall. Item #26161
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