Relation du voyage de la mer du sud aux côtes du Chily et du Perou: fait pendant les années 1712, 1713 & 1714.

Paris: Chez Jean-Geoffroy Nyon, Etienne Ganeau, Jacque Quillau, 1716. First Edition in Contemporary Calf

FREZIER, Amedee Francois. Relation du voyage de la mer du sud aux cotes du Chily et du Perou, fait pendant les annees 1712, 1713 & 1714. Paris: Chez Jean-Geoffroy Nyon, Etienne Ganeau, Jacque Quillau, 1716.

First Editon. Large octavo (9 7/8 x 7 1/2 inches; 252 x 191 mm). xiv, 298, [2] pp. Complete with thirty-seven numbered engraved maps and plates, some of which are folding. Beautifully illustrated with plates depicting everything from strawberries to Indian games. Excellent studies of cities and settlements of the west coast of Spanish America.

Full contemporary calf, spine elaborately stamped in gilt. Red morocco spine label, lettered in gilt. Edges speckled red. Edges a bit rubbed and corners a bit bumped. Head and tail of the spine slightly chipped. Overall a very good copy.

Plate IX, showing a Chilean in the posture of playing La Sueca, is commonly regarded as the earliest depiction of a form of golf. Frezier introduced strawberries from Chile to France.

"Frezier, a French royal military engineer, was under contract to sail to the Spanish possessions in South America to construct forts for defense against English and Dutch attacks. The French government also ordered him to chart the western coast of South America, in order that they would have some knowledge of that area for possible military operations. The first part of this book gives an interesting account of the voyage from France around Cape Horn and was used by contemporary and even by later navigators. The second part relates to the voyage along the coasts of Chile and Peru, describing the chief towns and cities. Frezier, a man of observation, brought back information of consideration geographical and scientific value" (Hill).

Hill I, pp. 115-6. Sabin 25925.

HBS 65403.

$5,000.