VANCOUVER, George - Lot 158

VANCOUVER, George Voyage de découverte à l'Océan Pacifique du nord, et autour du monde ; dans lequel la côte Nord-Ouest de l'Amérique a été soigneusement reconnue et exactement relevée... executed in 1790... and 1795. Paris, Imp. de la République, An VIII (1800). Paris, Imprimerie de la République, An VIII [1800]. 3 volumes in-4 (314 x 230 mm) TEXT : of 1 f.n.ch. (false-title), XI, 491 pp. 7 engraved plates for volume I ; 4 f.n.ch. (of which the first one is blank), 516 pp. 5 engraved plates for volume II ; 4 f.n.ch., 562 pp. 6 engraved plates for volume III. Text in red cardboard, smooth spine (publisher's binding), modern swirl paper cases. Sabin, 98441; O'Reilly & Reitman, 637; Ferguson, 320b; Forbes, I, 324; see Hill, 1753 (English ed. 1798). First French edition, translated by Demeunier and Morellet. After accompanying Cook on his second and third voyages, Captain Vancouver (c. 1757-1798) was commissioned to search for a passage between the Pacific and the Great Lakes. He accomplished the most important exploration of the northwest coast of America, New Zealand and brought back important information on Tahiti and the Hawaiian Islands. The text is complete with its 18 plates (including a map in volume II). Spine slightly restored; small light wetness at the head of volume I. Text with full margins, entirely untrimmed.