This map of Mexico and the southern United States depicts the route of Pierre Marie Francois, Viscomte de Pages, from the mouth of the Mississippi River to Acapulco, Mexico. Pages (1748-93), a French naval officer, completed a circumnavigation of the world and expeditions towards both the north and south poles between 1771-76. During the beginning of his circumnavigation of the world, Pages sailed to New Orleans and then along the Mississippi and Red Rivers to Natchitoches. Pages then traveled over land across present-day Texas and Mexico by the "Old San Antonio Road." After arriving in Acapulco, Pages continued his journey across the Pacific Ocean. Pages' account of his travels, including two maps, was published in 1782 in Voyages Autour du Monde, et Vers les Deux Poles, par Terre et par Mer... Several other editions were published, including a German translation in 1786, in which this example appeared.

This map represents one of the most detailed depictions of the region at the time. In addition to Pages' route, there is excellent detail of villages, forts, missions, political boundaries, and the locations of "wild people" and "savages." Provinz de los Texas is labeled, surrounded by Indian lands. A fascinating and very rare map.

References: Howes #P13; Shirley (BL Atlases) G.PAGE-2a #2.

Condition: B+

Issued folding on paper with a large fleur-de-lis coat of arms watermark. There are a couple of tiny separations along the folds, light soiling, and a portion of the left edge of the sheet has been reinforced on verso with old paper to repair a couple of marginal tears.