A new discovery of a vast country in America, extending above four thousand miles, between New France and New Mexico. With a description of the great lakes, cataracts, rivers, plants, and animals. Also, the manners, customs, and languages of the several native Indians; and the advantage of commerce with those different nations... To which is added, several new discoveries in North-America, not published in the French edition
London: printed for M. Bentley, J. Tonson [et al.], 1698. First edition in English, combining Hennepin's second and third books, the Nouvelle Decouverte and the Nouveau Voyages, (the latter the continuation of the former, the rest of the volume being extracts from the works of La Salle, Joliet, and Marquette); the preferred "Bon-" issue (with the first line of the imprint ending in "Bon-", later "Tonson"); bound with, as issued, A continuation of the new discovery... with a sectional title page; 8vo, engraved frontispiece in a fine state, 2 large engraved folding maps (both with several neat acid-free tape repairs at folds on verso; the second with expert paper restoration at the breaks, no apparent loss), 6 engraved folding plates (including the first illustrations of Niagara Falls and the buffalo, the latter repaired with acid-free tape at the fold), pp. [24], 299, [1]; [32], 178; [2], 303-355; contemporary full speckled calf, neatly rebacked, red morocco label on spine; extremities a little rubbed and scuffed, but generally a good, sound copy, or better. Originally published in French in Utrecht in 1697 and 1698 respectively, the Nouvelle Decouverte is the account of a pretended voyage down the Mississippi with La Salle ("an imposture which consigned him to eternal obloquy" - Howes); and the Nouvelle Voyages, a sequel of sorts, "was hastily prepared to capitalize on the enormous success of his iniquitous Decouverte... Based on various contemporary sources, it is made up of information concerning the manners and customs of the Indians, and of La Salle's extraordinary labors in the far reaches of Canada's new frontier" (Howes). Church 772; Field 685; Howes H-416; JCB 1675-1700, p. 366; JFB H-99; Pforzheimer, 461; Sabin 31371; Wing H-1450. Item #61050
Price: $12,500.00
