Viage al estrecho de Magallanes

Illustrious provenance of Straits of Magellan classic. A fine copy of this rare book from the library of Charles de Fleurieu, author of Discoveries of the French in New Guinea, and of the account of Marchand's circumnavigation.

First edition of this account of a naval mission turned into a voyage of discovery. Sent out with two ships under his command to capture Sir Francis Drake following the latter's attacks on the coast of Peru, Sarmiento tried, without success, to cut off Drake's escape into the Atlantic at the Straits of Magellan. The aborted mission became an opportunity to chart the straits and plan the fortification of the region in 1579-1580.

The most complete exploration of the Straits of Magellan before the Beagle in the nineteenth century. The text was edited with an introduction and postscript by Bernardo de Yriarte from the original manuscript in the Royal Library, Madrid. To this is appended a defence of the author concerning the failure of the settlement at Fort Famine, and a summary of his voyages, based on original sources.

First edition. 4to, lxxxiv, 402, [ii], xxxiii pp., 3 engraved folding plates, contemporary sprinkled calf gilt, morocco labels, a fine example.