A Voyage to California, to Observe the Transit of Venus.

The first English edition of one of the earliest scientific expeditions to California. Translated from the French of 1772, it also contains the first English translation of Cassini's account of his voyage to Newfoundland to test Pierre Le Roy's chronometer.

Jean-Baptiste Chappe d'Auteroche (1722-1769) had previously travelled to Siberia in 1761 to witness the transit of Venus. This second opportunity afforded a rare chance to compare measurements within a short timeframe. He raced to California with the reluctant support, journeying through Mexico, of the Spanish and was able to record the transit, only to succumb to the fever which swept the camp immediately after. His manuscript made it back to France where it was edited and published by his friend César-François Cassini de Thury (1714-1784). Cassini was a scientist in his own right, creating one of the most famous maps of France, and undertook a voyage to Newfoundland to test Le Roy's newly invented chronometer, the account of which is also included here.

First English edition; 8vo (22 x 14 cm); folding plan of the City of Mexico, bound without the half-title, armorial bookplate to front pastedown; contemporary full tree calf, rebacked to style, gilt spine with gilt red morocco lettering piece, touch of rubbing, a very good copy; [6], 315pp.

Hill 278; Howes C299; Sabin 12004; ESTC T67626.