Lot 3. ARAGO, Jacques.

‘The Uranie, with a crew of 125 men, entered the Pacific from the West to make scientific observations on geography, magnetism, and meteorology. Arago was the artist of the expedition which visited most notably Australia, the Hawaiian Islands, Tonga, and Tierra del Fuego. The original ship, wrecked off the Falkland Islands, was replaced by the Physicienne which visited Rio de Janeiro. Captain Louis Freycinet’s wife, Rose, was smuggled on board at the advent of the voyage and made the complete journey, causing a great deal of discord among the crew. Freycinet named the island he discovered after her – Rose Island, among the Samoa Islands. These entertaining letters, written in a lively and witty literary style, provide vivid descriptions of the topography and the inhabitants of the Pacific islands’ (Hill). ‘The artist’s main interest (as reflected by the plate subjects) are of peoples encountered. Several of the plates record somewhat gruesome aspects of Hawaiian culture’ (Forbes).

First edition in English. Two parts in one vol., 4to, xxxii, 300pp., folding engraved frontispiece map, 25 lithographed plates, lacking half-title, later half calf, marbled boards, repair to blank upper margin of page 36 and offset staining to corresponding margin page 37, a very good copy.

[Forbes, 537; Hill, 29; Sabin, 1865; Ferguson, 885; Borba de Moraes, p44. ]