CROZET, Julien et ROCHON, Abbé Alexis-Marie de. Nouveau voyage à la Mer du Sud, Commencé sous les ordres de M. Marion, Chevalier de l’Ordre royal & militaire de S. Louis, Capitaine de brûlot ; & achevé, après la mort de cet Officier, sous ceux de M. le Chevalier Duclesmeur, Garde de la Marine. Cette Relation a été rédigée d’après les Plans & Journaux de M. Crozet. On a joint à ce voyage Un Extrait de celui de M. De Surville dans les mêmes Parages.

First edition of this very rare work which is capital for the history of New Zealand and Tasmania.

It’s the account of one of the first French expeditions to Australia and New Zealand.

Sabin, XVII, 439 ; Davidson, A Book Collector’s Notes, pp. 98-99 ; Dunmore, t. I, p. 182 ; Du Rietz, Bibliotheca Polynesiana by Kroepelien, 1104 ; Hill, 401 ; Hocken, pp. 21-22 ; Howgego, I, C222, p. 285 ; Le Nail, Explorateurs et Grands Voyageurs Bretons, p. 32 ; New Zealand National Bibliography, t. I, 1502.

“The first printed French maps of New Zealand were Marion Dufresne’s maps of 1772 in this account of Crozet’s voyage.” (Tooley, The Mapping of Australia, p. XII et p. 308, 158).

“Crozet’s narrative, apart from the drama of its story, has much careful observation on Maori life and custom and, with the reports of Cook and his officers, was virtually the only source material available for 40 years… ” (New Zealand National Bibliography).

“It is an exceedingly rare item and is seldom available.”  (Davidson, A Book Collector’s Notes, pp. 98-99).

« This was the only form in which the voyage was published; it did not appear in English until H. Ling Roth’s translation of 1891 ».

« Crozet’s narrative, apart from the drama of its story, has much careful observation on Maori life and custom and, with the reports of Cook and his officers, was virtually the only source material available for 40 years » (New Zealand National Bibliography).

The illustration consists of 4 beautiful portraits of Maoris, a representation of a cedar, a folding map revealing the discoveries of Surville and smaller maps showing the discoveries of Marion-Dufresne in New Zealand and in Tasmania.

Superb copy of great freshness, preserved in its contemporary binding, of this very rare first edition.