Lot 269
Harcourt, Robert
Rare Books, Maps and Manuscripts
Auction: 11 January 2012 at 11:00 GMT
Description
The relation of a voyage to Guiana: describing the climate, situation, fertilitie & commodities of that country together with the manner, and customes of the people… London: Edward Allde, 1626. 4to. pp. [xvi] 84, 20th century morocco by Sangorski and Sutcliffe, t.e.g., short marginal tear to final leaf, a little occasional foxing
Footnote
Note: STC 12755; Sabin 30297 "Both editions very rare"; National Maritime Museum Catalogue I, p. 112; JFB H37; Alden p. 262; Lowndes III, p. 994.
Second edition of Harcourt's rare early description of Guiana, issued by him to promote interest in the struggling settlement he had founded at the mouth of the Wiacopo. His descriptions of the various commodities in the country, such as sugarcane, gold, cotton, amber, honey, wax, and tobacco and colourful first hand accounts of the habits, food, drink and beliefs of the indigenous Indians, and curious local animal, sea, and plant life met with success and enabling him to return to the colony where he died of fever in 1631.
Provenance: Admiralty Office Library, early 19th century anchor and chain stamp in outer margin of title, repeated in centre of final page.