This very large finely engraved original antique World map on Mercator's Projection - showing the tracks of the ships Thetis & Esperance - was published in the 1837 edition of Journal de la navigation autour du globe of the exploration and discoveries of The Baron Hyacinthe Yves Philippe Potentien de Bougainville (1781 - 1846) son of the famous French explorer Louis Antoine Comte de Bougainville (1729 - 1811).
This is an extensive map centering on Australia and the South Pacific with the tracks of the Thetis & Esperance from France through the Cape of Good Hope, India, SE Asia, Australia, South Pacific, South America back to Europe.

As a young second-class midshipman of eighteen Hyacinthe de Bougainville participated in the 1800-02 Baudin expedition to Australia. From 1824 to 1826 Bougainville led the ships Thétis and Espérance, on a global expedition sent by the Minister of the Navy and the Colonies, the duc de Clermont-Tonnerre.
Bougainville visited New South Wales in 1825. That same year, he visited Port Jackson and Sydney where he set up a monument to La Pérouse in Botany Bay

Journal de la navigation autour du globe - is the official record of Hyacinthe de Bougainville's voyage around the world, the main purpose of which was to re-establish diplomatic ties with Cochin China (Indochina). However, Bougainville also visited Pondicherry, Manila, Macao, Surabaya, Sydney, Port Jackson, Valparaiso and Rio de Janeiro. The voyage also took him to the eastern coast of Australia, most importantly the area around Sydney. A tremendous amount of ornithological material was gathered here, resulting in "superb illustrations" (Wood) of the male and female Gang-gang, or red-crested parrot. From Sydney both the "Thetis" and "Esperance" sailed to Valpariso where La Touanne commenced his overland journey to rejoin the expedition at Rio.(Ref: M&B; Tooley)

General Description:
Paper thickness and quality: - Heavy & stable
Paper color: - White
Age of map color: - 
Colors used: - 
General color appearance: - 
Paper size: - 37in x 20in (940mm x 510mm)
Paper size: - 37in x 20in (940mm x 510mm)
Margins: - Min 1/2in (12mm)

Imperfections:
Margins: - None
Plate area: - Folds as issued, light age toning and lifting along folds
Verso: - Re-enforced along folds

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