Jean-Francois de Galoup, Comte de La Perouse commanded a French scientific expedition to the Pacific in 1785-88. Recognized as one the foremost naval commanders and navigators in France, he was selected by King Louis XVI to complete Captain James Cook's exploration of the western Pacific. The British Admiralty provided scientific equipment to measure variations in magnetic compass readings and with the latest instruments for determining longitude. La Perouse explored the coasts of the Gulf of Alaska and northwestern North America in search of the fabled Northwest Passage. After leaving America his expedition continued on to Asia where he explored from Macao to Kamchatka and the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific. La Perouse was meticulous in sending copies of his extensive logs, maps and surveying information via other ships as well as overland. La Perouse's last contact was in the spring of 1788 with a British ship in Botany Bay, Australia. The expedition was never heard from again. Considered one of the greatest French voyages, the French Government decided to publish the story of the expedition when it became clear they had been lost. An English edition was published in London.

This chart of the Bay of Concepcion and its surroundings comes from an English edition of La Perouse's Voyage. It features fine topographical detail and locates the town of Mocha, Fort San Pedro (destroyed by earthquake in 1835), Port St. Vincent, the ruins of Tinco, and the Biobio River. North is oriented to the left. Soundings and bottom types fill the bay. Engraved by Neele.

References:

Condition: A

A nice impression on a watermarked sheet with faint spots and some scattered foxing confined to the blank margins.