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 [- Cartes et figures [...]].

6 vol., 4to. Text, 5 vol.: [4]-lxxxiii-[1]-620, [4]-784, [4]-858, [4]-752, [4]-328-clxiii pp.; 1 pl. (occ. foxing, some pp. sl. browned, sl. marg. damp stain in begin. vol. III). - Atlas; 87 pl. (one map bound upside down, sl. damp stain in inner margins pl. 74-75).

Contemp. tree calf, gilt-orn. spines with raised bands, red edges (most heads or tails missing or with lack, sm. def.).

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 containing 87 plates (but the map "Carte ou sont tracées les routes de M. Bruce, dans les deux tentatives qu'il fit pour parvenir aux sources du Nil" is bound in vol. II, so the set is complete with all the 88 plates by Benard): 3 fold. maps ("Carte ou est tracée la route qui tenoient les Flottes de Salomon", "Carte du Golfe d'Arabie", "Carte de l'extremité Méridionale de l'Afrique"), 19 fold. 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. Gay 44. - Cox I:388-389. - Brunet I:1283. - Pritzel 1256.