[Leguat] Voyage et avantures de François Leguat,

& de ses compagnons, en deux isles desertes des Indes Orientales. Avec la rélation des choses les plus remarquables qu'ils ont observées dans l'isle Maurice, à Batavia, au Cap de Bonne-Esperance, dans l'isle St. Helene, & en d'autres endroits de leur Route. Le toute enrichie de Cartes & de Figures. London, D. Mortier, 1708, 2 parts in one volume, (14),XXX,164; (4),180,(34) p., with 2 engraved frontispieces, 5 folding, engraved maps and 27 (folding) engraved plates, contemporary speckled calf, gilt back with morocco letterpiece, 12mo.

Letterpress title page with narrow white head margins, occ. small tears in folding maps/ plates. Spine ends slightly worn/ minor damage. Nevertheless a good copy with old owner's name Weissenhaus on reverse first frontispiece. Rare first edition, issued at the same time as the Amsterdam edition by Mortier, with the same paging and plates. The book by the French Huguenot, explorer and biologist François Leguat (1637/1639-1735) contains descriptions of the islands of Rodriquez and Mauritius, and also of Batavia, the Cape of Good Hope and the Khoikhoi, but the veracity of the book has always been strongly questioned. The book also contains many descriptions and illustrations of local animals and has been defining for the (re)discovery of the mysterious Rodrigues solitaire.