La Pérouse, Jean François de Galaup, comte de.

Second French edition, 4 volumes text and atlas, together 5 volumes, 8vo (200 x 120mm.) and folio (442 x 295mm.), half-titles, atlas with engraved title, portrait and 69 engraved plates and maps, many folding, text in contemporary calf, atlas in modern half morocco, library stamps on titles of text vols, maps and plates with marginal soiling and spotting, spines of text vol. somewhat worn

"Z.M. Nürnberg", bookplate

Hill p.173; Ferguson 268; Sabin 38960

La Pérouse set sail in 1785 with the frigates Astrolabe and Boussole, to the Pacific Ocean and the west coast of North America. His orders were to examine those parts of the region not already explored by Captain Cook, to search for an interoceanic passage, to make scientific observations on the various countries, peoples and products, to obtain reliable information about the fur trade and the extent of Spanish settlements in Calfornia, and to promote in general the inducements for French enterprises. After sending his despatches from Botany Bay the expedition was never heard of again but the remains of his ships were later found on Vanikor, one of the Santa Cruz islands.