Voyages en Nubie et en Abyssinie, entrepris pour découvrir les sources du Nil, pendant les années 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771 & 1772. Traduit de l'anglais, par M. Castera.

6 vol., 4to. Text (5 vol.): [4]-viii-lxxxiii-[1 bl.]-620, [4]-784, [4]-858, [4]-752 pp., [4]-328-clxiii pp. (some ff. or quires browned at the end of vol. 3 and in vol. 4, spot at 1 f. of vol. 4). - Atlas: [2] ff.; 86 pl. (marg. dampstain pl. 29).

Contemp. marbled calf, gilt orn. spines with raised bands and red leather labels, red edges.

First French edition of "Travels to discover the source of the Nile [...]" (1st ed. Edinburgh 1790) by the Scottish explorer James Bruce (1730-1794), translated by Jean Henri Castera (1749-1838). The four first books focus on Bruce's travels, the 5th one on the last part of Bruce's journey and to "Quatre voyages dans le pays des Hottentots et de la cafrerie en 1777, 1778 & 1779, par le lieutenant William Paterson" i.e. Paterson's travels in South Africa. Copy complete with the 88 plates engr. under the direction of Benard: 4 engr. title-vign. (vol. 2-4, atlas), 1 map in vol. 2 (Bruce's travel map), 64 pl. (complete atlas) plus 1 map and 22 pl. for Paterson's expedition. The illustr. depict various species of plants (papyrus, mimosa, geranium, teff -from which Ethiopians make the famous injera-, etc.), animals (rhinoceros, hyena, turtle, snake, giraffe), scenes of village life and natives, and plates featuring the Ethiopian alphabet.
Ref. Présence de l'Égypte. Namur, 1994, pp. 136. - Gay 44. - Chadenat 1062. - Cox I:388/389. - Brunet I:1283. - Pritzel 1256.