Essais historiques sur l'Inde, précédés d'un journal de voyages et d'une description géographique de la côte de Coromandel

The rare first edition, illustrated with 3 figures (Brama, God of the Indians, View of a Pagoda Tower, and Man Making Snakes Dance).
Contemporary half sheep binding. Decorated smooth spine. Red morocco title label. Headcaps worn. Upper joint largely split, lower joint split at head. Corners slightly bumped.
Departure in May 1757 aboard the Saint Luc, a ship intended to transport troops to India. Pages 3 to 21 concern Brazil and Rio de Janeiro where the author gives an unflattering description of the Portuguese (suspicious, violent, and not industrious). The author stops at Bourbon Island (pp. 25 to 27) for a month. Numerous passages on the war with the English. The author travels from the Coromandel coast to Macao where he spends 2 months, then proceeds to Canton. Description of the island of Saint Helena where the author spends 6 weeks. After the travel account, various memoirs on the Coromandel coast, the religion of the Indians, the Linguam, chronology, the government of the Indians, politeness, betel, clothing, gardens, food, marriages...