Beschreibung:

[ROCHON, Alexis Marie], CROZET, Julien-Marie (1728-1780) and Marc-Joseph MARION DU FRESENE (1724-1772). Nouveau voyage a la mer du Sud . Paris: Barrois l'aine, 1783. Extremely rare first edition of the narrative of one of the earliest French expeditions to New Zealand and Australia. The aim of the voyage was firstly to return Mayoa, a Tahitian who had sailed with Bougainville in 1769 to France, to his native homeland; and secondly to endeavour to discover the great southern continent 'Terra Australis' with the aim of strategically frustrating the British. Setting sail in 1771, Mayoa unfortunately died early on the voyage near Madagascar. After putting into Mauritius in October 1771, the expedition sailed south, where they discovered the Crozet Islands in January 1772. The following month the expedition reached Tasmania, and then continued eastwards to explore the coast of New Zealand. Landing at the Bay of Natives, the French stayed for 6 weeks before being attacked by local Maoris. Marion-Dufresne and 21 of his men were killed. The junior officers Ambroise Le Jar Du Clesmeur and Julien-Marie Crozet avenged the death of their companions, and continued the navigation towards the island of Guam and the Philippines, before returning to Mauritius in 1773. Crozet's narrative, published here for the first time, contains more than just a dramatic account of the massacre, being a long and important description of New Zealand, with careful observation of Maori habits and customs. 'Crozet's account of the voyage contains the first French New Zealand prints' (Ellis Early Prints of New Zealand 1642-1875 , p. 38). Hocken pp.21-2; Sabin 17716 (correct plate count), 44594 (incorrectly calling for a map and 7 plates) and 72371 (correct plate count). Octavo (190 x 120mm). With the imprimatur leaf at end. 7 engraved plates, one of which folding (a few light stains to plates). Modern binding to style, reusing old sheep, gilt spine. Provenance : Remigus Charl Edwards (ink inscription on verso of final leaf). Sold with a copy of H.-F. Buffet's biography 'L'Explorateur Port-Louisien Julien Crozet' extracted from Mémoires de la Société d'Historire et d'Archéologie de Bretagne , Vol. XXIII, 1943, 8vo, bound in red cloth.