Relation du voyage à la recherche de La Pérouse, fait par ordre de l'Assemblée Constituante, pendant les années 1791, 1792, et pendant la 1ère et la 2e année de la République française. Paris, H.J. Jansen, An VIII [1799-1800]. 2 volumes of text in-4 (288 x 211 mm) and a large atlas in-folio (534 x 350 mm). Text: XVI, 442 pp. for volume I; 332, 113 pp. for volume II. Atlas: title and 44 engraved plates. Text in root calf, smooth spine decorated, edges speckled; atlas in half tan basane, smooth spine (period bindings).
Sabin, 38420; Ferguson, 307 (text) and 683 (atlas); Howgego, E26; Nissen, ZBI, 2331; Brunet, III, 711; Hill, p.168, for the English edition.
First edition for the text and the atlas.
It was in February 1791 that the Constituent Assembly decided to send an expedition in search of La Pérouse. It was entrusted to d'Entrecasteaux and Huon de Kermadec who commanded respectively La Recherche and l'Espérance. Labillardière was part of the crew as a naturalist.
Passing through the Cape of Good Hope, the fleet headed for Australia, circled the continent twice and then explored New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands, the Admiralty Islands and Tonga. The disappearance of d'Entrecasteaux and the news of the death of Louis XVI led the second in command, a monarchist, to interrupt the expedition in Java where several members of the crew were arrested, including Labillardière, Ventenat and Piron, known for their republican ideas.
If this expedition had not reached the goal that had been assigned to it -the research of La Pérouse- the collections and observations of Labillardière contributed greatly to enrich all the branches of natural history. His description of the flora of the southern lands is one of the best. In addition, Labillardière gives a very interesting study on the Tongans (natives of the island of Friends, currently Tonga island, in the archipelago of Polynesia), as well as a vocabulary of several indigenous languages such as those of Malaysia, Cape Diemen, the islands of Friends, New Caledonia and Waygiou island.
The botanical plates are engraved after the drawings of Redouté, the ornithological ones after the drawings of Audebert; the other plates after those of Piron, draftsman of the expedition.
A very good copy, collation according to Ferguson.
We use cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience, perform site traffic analysis, and deliver content and advertisements most relevant to your interests.
Cookie management:
By allowing these cookies, you agree to the deposit, reading and use of tracking technologies necessary for their proper functioning. Read more about our privacy policy.
