BRUCE, JAMES.

Voyage aux Sources du Nil, en Nubie et en Abyssinie, Pendant les années 1768,1769,1770,1771 & 1772. Traduit de l'Anglois par J.H. Castera. 10 vols. + Atlas-vol.

Paris, 1790-92.

(Atlas: Paris, chez Plassan, 1792). 8vo and 4to. Textvolumes bound uncut in 10 cont. blue boards with gilt titlelabels in red on backs. Corners a little bumped and bindings with a few scratches. Atlas-volume in 4to bound in cont. green boards, some scratches to back. With all 88 engraved plates (both numbered in relation to the corresponding textvolume and with numbering 1-88) comprising 4 large folded maps, plate 1-65 single-page, plate 70-88 double- page

First French edition of "Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile in the Years 1768....Edinburgh, 1790." - "If Cook was the first truly modern "scientific" maritime explorer, James Bruce has some claim to be the first scientific continental explorer. When he set out in 1768, his object was to establish the position of the Source of the Nile for the sake of advancing knowledge. He did reach and provided a wealth of other geographical, botanical, and archaeological information on Ethiopia and the Nile Valley as well as gaining a unique knowledge of the Ethiopians as a result of his close involvement with them for two years" (Roy bridges). - Brunet I:1283. - Nissen ZBI: 618. - Volume 10 comprises "Quatre Voyages dans le pays des Hottentots et la Cafrerie en 1777, 1778 & 1779" by William Paterson.

Order-nr.: 28042