Coxe, Daniel

A Description of the English Province of Carolina, By the Spaniards call'd Florida, And by the French La Louisiane.  As also of the Great and Famous River Meschacebe or Missisipi.  London: for Edward Symon, 1727



8vo (7  3/4  x 5 in.; 197 x 128 mm).  Folding engraved map titled "A Map of Carolana and of the River Meschacebe,"  woodcut head- and tail-pieces; minor soiling to title-page, few minor stains on map.  Brown morocco, spine gilt in six compartments, gilt dentelles, edges gilt; some wear at joints and corners.

Foster Stearns, Hancock, N.H. (bookplate)

Howes C826; Streeter 17280; Streeter 2:1120 (1722 ed.)

The present work describes the first British exploration of the Mississippi Valley and gives the first English account of Louisiana.  Focused on the Mississippi, it only secondarily discusses Carolina which comprised present-day North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.  "The whole of this territory was claimed by Dr. Coxe (1640–1730), the father of the author, as proprietor under the Crown.  The author explored the great part of it, and lived there fourteen years" (Sabin).

"In the Preface is the first printed proposal for a political confederation of all the British North American colonies, leading up to a Governor General to [be] appointed by the Crown" (Streeter).

The work first appeared in 1722, this being the third edition.