La Perouse, J. F. G. de. A VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD, in the Years 1785, 1786, 1787, and 1788, by J. F. G. de la Perouse: Published conformably to the Decree of the National Assembly, of the 22d of April, 1791, and edited by M. L. A. Milet-Mureau, Brigadier-General in the Corps of Engineers, Director of Fortifications, Ex-constituent, and Member of Several Literary Societies at Paris. In Three Volumes. Translated from the French. Vol. I [II, III]. Second Edition. London: Printed for J. Johnson, St. Paul's Church-Yard. 1799. 3 vols., demy 8vo; Vol. I, pp. x, [ii](list of plates and charts in the three volumes), 532; portrait as frontispiece, 2 folding charts & 2 folding plates; Vol. II, pp. x, 498; 4 folding charts, 15 folding & 9 full-page plates including natural history subjects, coastal views, etc.; Vol. III, pp. viii, 446, 60(navigation tables); 2 folding & 2 full-page charts, 6 folding plates & 2 full-page plates; full contemporary tree calf, gilt panelled backs & marbled endpapers; some foxing of most plates, otherwise very clean; bookplates of George Owen Smith Collection 1892, Port Elizabeth Public Library in each volume, with a very small neat stamp on verso of plates and at foot of a few leaves; contemporary signature of C. C. Chisteman at head of titles to Vols. II & III, but clipped from Vol. I, with head of title-page & following couple of leaves to Vol. II a little stained from an early attempt at removal of the signature; a very good, sound and handsome set. London; J. Johnson; 1799.
***Ferguson 289; Hill 2, 974; Sabin 38963. One of four translations (one being an abridgement in one volume, 8vo only) published in London in 1798, here reprinted in 1799. Ferguson calls for an atlas of 44 plates, but it is doubtful that this was issued with this edition-- his entry for the first edition (1798) of this version (F. 270) makes no mention of an atlas -- probably it was only a binding variation with the plates in a separate atlas rather than bound up in the text volumes as directed by the publisher (one of the charts in Vol. III is in two sheets, which would account for the discrepancy in numbers). The voyage aroused intense interest but the ships were not heard of after leaving Botany Bay in 1788 and their fate was not positively determined until Peter Dillon discovered the wrecks at Vanikoro over 30 years later. #12603
