Moluccan Islands - Lot 548

Moluccan Islands FORREST (Thomas), captain Voyage aux Moluques et à la Nouvelle Guinée, fait sur la galère La Tartare en 1774, 1775 & 1776, par ordre de la Compagnie Angloise. Decorated with plates & maps. Paris, Hôtel de Thou, 1780. In-4; illustrated with a large folding map and 28 hors texte plates, partly folding, numbered 1-27 (including 2 doubles and 3 bis). Contemporary fawn granite calf, spine ribbed and decorated, red title-piece, rubbed boards, triple cold fillet framing the boards, double gilt fillet on the edges, marbled edges. A good copy. First French edition of this highly detailed description of the islands to the east of the Indonesian archipelago. The Introduction gives a history of voyages to New Guinea since its discovery in 1511 by Antoine Ambreu and François Serrano. His account is packed with curious observations and details, making it a lively read. This important work presents the physical and moral character as well as the habits and customs of the inhabitants of the regions visited. It also contains a vocabulary for the Magindano language and a few pages on the rudiments of the Papuan language. A fascinating account of Captain Forrest's voyage of exploration in this region (Chadenat I - 571)