Beschryving van Louisania, nieuwelijks ontdekt ten Zuid-Westen van Nieuw-Vrankrijk. Mitsgaders de geographische en historische beschrijving der kusten van Noord-America, met de natuurlijke historie des landts door (Nicolas) Denys. by HENNEPIN, Louis

Amsterdam, Jan ten Hoorn, 1688.3 volumes in 1. 4to. Contemporary half calf, spine gilt (spine rep. and rubbed). With engraved frontispiece by C. or J. Luyken, engraved folding map and 6 engraved plates. (8),158,(6); (4),200,(4) pp.First Dutch edition; first published in Paris in 1683 Description de la Louisiane. - The earliest printed account of Louisiana. -'First and most important of the writings of this rascally friar, giving a fairly reliable account of his genuine voyage up the Mississippi from the Illinois to the falls he named St. Anthony's (including his captivity there among the Sioux Indians). It was the first book to use the name Louisiane, albeit that name had been given to this region previously by La Salle and was not Hennepin's invention as claimed by him' (Howes p.262). Hennepin, a Belgian Franciscan missionary, accompanied the French explorer De la Salle on his 1678-79 expedition from Fort Frontenac to Niagara, then on to Illinois country from where Hennepin went further on his own. He became the first to describe the Niagara Falls (Howgego p.500). - One of the most important volumes in the early history of North America (Lande). - (Corner of 1 leaf in the second work damaged with some loss of text; age-browned). - A fine copy with the map "Kaart van Nieuw Vrankrijk en van Louisania (sic). Tiele 464; Cat. NHSM I, p.266; Van Eeghen-Van der Kellen 143; ; Sabin 31357; Howes 415; European Americana IV, 688/120; TPL 81 (French ed. only).