Voyage aux sources du Nil, en Nubie et en Abyssinie, pendant les années 1768, 1770, 1771 & 1772.

6 vol., 4to (some browning and spotting, some dampstaining in the atlas vol. touching the lower corners, sl. in the plates).

Contemp. half calf, sp. paper on boards, flat spines, red leather title labels (corners bumped, joints rubbed, pieces missing to heads and tails of 3 vol., atlas vol. rebacked).

Rare first French edition of "Travels to discover the source of the Nile [...]" (1st Edinburgh 1790) by the Scottish explorer James Bruce (1730-1794), translated by Jean Henri Castera (1749-1838). Atlas complete with 88 engr. plates by Benard: 4 folding maps ("Carte ou est tracée la route qui tenoient les Flottes de Salomon", "Carte ou sont tracées les routes de M. Bruce", "Carte du Golfe d'Arabie", "Carte de l'extremité Méridionale de l'Afrique"), 19 folding plates, 7 plates of Ethiopian text and 58 full-page plates. The illustrations depict various species of plants (e.g., "cyperus papyrus", "mimosa sassa", "fleurs de cusso"), animals (e.g. rhinoceros, hyena, turtle, snake, giraffe), scenes of village life and natives ("Hottentois"). 4 vol. with engr. vign. on title.
Ref. Cox I:388-389. - Brunet I:1283. - Pritzel 1256. - BnF. - COPAC.