Relation du Voyage à la recherche de La Pérouse, fait par ordre de l'Assemblée constituante, pendant les années 1791, 1792, et pendant la 1ere et 2eme année de la République françoise [- Atlas pour servir à la relation du Voyage à la recherche de La Pérouse [...]].

3 vol. Text: 2 vol., 4to: xvi-442, 332-113-[1] pp. (somes quires sl. age-toned, occ. foxing in vol. II, ff. inverted in quire K of vol. II). - Atlas, large folio: engr. typogr. title and 44 pl.

Text: contemp. marbled calf, gilt-framed covers, gilt-orn. flat spines, gilt edges (sl. rubbed, front cover of vol. I partly stronger, wormholes to lower joint of vol. I, sm. parts of the joints part. split). - Atlas: mod. three-quarter calf, blue paper covers, gilt-orn. spine with raised bands and red leather title label (covers rubbed).

First edition of the account of the unsuccessful expedition led by Rear Admiral Bruni d'Entrecasteaux in search of La Pérouse who had disappeared in Vanikoro in 1788, three years after his departure from Brest. Among the crew, was the auhor of this work, the biologist La Billardière (1755-1834). This relation contains interesting information on the fauna and flora, the indigeneous people, the costumes and languages (vol. II includes a glossary of various languages). The Atlas is composed of an engr. typographical title, a double-page map by J.-D. Barbié du Bocage ("Carte réduite de la Mer des Indes et d'une partie de celle du sud") and 43 plates representing a woman from the Cape Maria van Diemen, a black swan from the same Cape, a calao from Waigeo, plants (eucalyptus cornuta, chorizema ilicifolia...), autochtons from New Zealand, New Caledonia, "île de Beaupré", etc., "fête donnée au général Dentrecasteaux par Toubau, roi des îles des amis", "Danse des îles des Amis, en présence de la reine Tiné", a view of the island Buru, etc.
Ref. Sabin 38420. - Nissen (ZBI) 2331 (but not in BBI).