Voyage de Decouvertes, a l’ocean Pacifique du Nord, et Autour du Monde, Entrepris par ordre de sa Majeste Britannique; Execute, pendant les annees 1790, 1791, 1792, 1793, 1794 et 1795, par le Capitaine George Vancouver. Vancouver, Captain George; Translated from the English by P.F. Henry. Published by De l’Impreimerie de Didot Jeune, Paris. Circa 1800. Volumes 1-4. 8vo up to 9½” tall., 341pp; 384pp; 381pp; 368pp. Each with half titles. Without plates or maps. In original paper wraps with paper spine labels, front wraps cover three quarters of volumes; rough cut edges; printer paper stubs at title pages. Contents have edge toning and are otherwise in fine condition and binding remains tight. Fading to spine labels, one cover detached.
“This voyage became one of the most important ever made in the interests of geographical knowledge” (Hill). Vancouver had served on Captain Cook’s second and third voyages and was made commander of a large-scale expedition to re-establish British rights in the Pacific. The Nootka Convention established that the expedition would examine and chart the coast south to 60 degrees in search of a passage to the Atlantic. In three seasons, Vancouver surveyed the coast of California, visited San Francisco and San Diego, met with the Spanish at Nootka, investigated the Strait of Juan de Fuca, discovered the Strait of Georgia, circumnavigated Vancouver Island and disproved the existence of a passage between the Pacific and Hudson’s Bay. Vancouver died en route. Forbes 324; Howes V-23; cf. Lada-Mocarski 55; Sabin 98441; Tourville 4640.
