Item #4401806 Relación del Viage… al descubrimiento del estrecho nuevo de San Vicente, que hoy es nombrado de Maire, y reconocimiento del de Magallanes…. Bartolome Garcia de NODAL.
Relación del Viage… al descubrimiento del estrecho nuevo de San Vicente, que hoy es nombrado de Maire, y reconocimiento del de Magallanes…
Relación del Viage… al descubrimiento del estrecho nuevo de San Vicente, que hoy es nombrado de Maire, y reconocimiento del de Magallanes…

Relación del Viage… al descubrimiento del estrecho nuevo de San Vicente…
Relación del Viage… al descubrimiento del estrecho nuevo de San Vicente, que hoy es nombrado de Maire, y reconocimiento del de Magallanes…

Cadiz: Manuel Espinosa de los Monteros, [1766 or 1769].

Small quarto, with a folding map; a fine copy, clean and crisp in contemporary marbled calf, red leather label.

Voyages to the Straits of Magellan

The scarce and desirable second edition, effectively the first procurable (the 1621 edition has always been recognised as almost impossibly rare): the Nodal brothers made a landmark voyage of Pacific discovery to the Straits of Magellan, clearing the way for future Spanish approaches. The voyage came about as the Spanish reflex reaction to the discovery of the Le Maire Strait (called San Vicente by the Spanish) by Le Maire and Schouten during their 1616 voyage in search of the Southern Continent. The Dutch success alarmed the Spanish - but they were also interested in a safer means of passage into the South Sea; they therefore sent out two caravels under the command of the Nodal brothers, to report on the Le Maire and Schouten discoveries.

The scarce and desirable second edition, effectively the first procurable (the 1621 edition has always been recognised as almost impossibly rare): the Nodal brothers made a landmark voyage of Pacific discovery to the Straits of Magellan, clearing the way for future Spanish approaches. The voyage came about as the Spanish reflex reaction to the discovery of the Le Maire Strait (called San Vicente by the Spanish) by Le Maire and Schouten during their 1616 voyage in search of the Southern Continent. The Dutch success alarmed the Spanish - but they were also interested in a safer means of passage into the South Sea; they therefore sent out two caravels under the command of the Nodal brothers, to report on the Le Maire and Schouten discoveries.

This is effectively the first procurable edition of this important book as the 1621 printing, notoriously difficult to find, was a famous rarity even in the 1860s when Sabin described it as "one of the rarest books of its class". The Hill catalogue called it "one of the rarest books on voyages of the 17th century", and even Streeter had to settle for an incomplete copy. The first edition has almost never appeared complete on the market in modern times.

The second part is new to this edition: separately paginated, it has its own title-page (Instruccion exacta, y util de las derrotas, y navegaciones, que se executan en todos tiempos en la America Septentrional … Sacala a luz D. Manuel de Echevelar … Año de 1753. Con Licencia: en Cadiz en la Real Imprenta de Marina, Calle de San Francisco).

'This was the first circumnavigation of Tierra del Fuego. The whole voyage, out and back, had taken only nine months and twelve days: 'a period which, in the present state of navigation, would be reckoned very short for the performance of such a voyage, and was then unprecedented' (Burney) - many a Dutch and English ship took longer just to reach Cabo Virgines. The ships had never once separated, and except for one man hanged at Rio for plotting mutiny, there was not a single death. Rapid as the voyage was, it was not scamped; the Nodals brought back careful and clear sailing instructions, and paid unusual attention to tidal observations. Their conduct of the voyage was indeed a model of decision and efficiency; but they fell victims to the general slackness which was creeping over Spanish naval affairs: the Spain of Philip III was not that of Philip II' (Spate II, p. 26).

Borba de Moraes, p. 616; James Ford Bell, N189; Medina, 'Hispano-Chilena', 468; Palau, 99486.

Condition Report: In fine condition.

Price (AUD): $14,850.00

US$9,675.76   Other currencies

Ref: #4401806

Condition Report