Voyage au Sénégal, pendant les années 1784 et 1785, d'après les mémoires de Lajaille, ancien officier de la Marine française ; contenant des recherches sur la géographie, la navigation et le commerce de la côte occidentale d'Afrique, depuis le cap Blanc jusqu'à la rivière de Serralione ; avec des notes sur la situation de cette partie de l'Afrique jusqu'en l'an X (1801 et 1802)[Journey to Senegal in the Years 1784 and 1785, from the Memoirs of Lajaille, Former Officer of the French Navy; Containing Researches on the Geography, Navigation, and Commerce of the West Coast of Africa, from Cape Blanc to the River Sierra Leone; with Notes on the Condition of This Part of Africa up to Year X (1801 and 1802)]
First edition illustrated with 1 large folding map: "Carte de la côte occidentale d'Afrique depuis le Cap Barbas jusqu'au Cap Tagrin par Lapie, Ingénieur Géographe (et) gravée par P.F. Tardieu" (cf. Gay 2905.)
Our copy in original stitched wrappers with interim covers lined with marbled paper.
Light dampstaining to the right margin of the final leaves.
Important details on the slave trade in connection with the Gorée Island stopover at the end of the volume.
Pierre Labarthe (Dax 1760 - Paris 1824) was appointed head of the Bureau of Eastern Colonies and African Coasts in 1794, a position he held until 1808.
He had gathered numerous authentic documents and important observations which he recorded in works still consulted with profit. (Cf. Hoefer.)