Sale 2455 - Printed & Manuscript Americana, September 28, 2017

303 c   (EARLY EXPLORATION.) Sarmiento de Gamboa, Pedro. Viage al Estrecho de Magallanes. 3 folding plates. lxxxiv, 402, [2], xxxiii pages. 4to, contemporary tree calf, rebacked in cloth with fragment of original backstrip laid down, rear board partially restored; inked stamp erased from verso of title page causing a pinhole tear, minor dampstaining to a few early leaves, minor foxing. Madrid, 1768 [2,000/3,000] first edition of an important narrative of early naval adventure and exploration, published from a manuscript found at the University of Madrid after almost two centuries. Sarmiento de Gamboa was a Spanish naval commander who set off from Peru in pursuit of Sir Francis Drake in 1579. He never caught Drake, but did undertake an early passage through the Straits of Magellan, then made visits to the Azores and the African coast.Appended isTomé Hernandez’s account of Sarmiento’s later disastrous Patagonia colony at “Port Famine” (Puerto Hambre). Borba de Moraes, page II:777; Hill 1526; Palau 302364; Sabin 77094. 304 c   (HAITI.) McCoy, Isaac. History of the American Baptist African and Haytien Missions. 70, [2] pages including publisher’s ad leaf. 12mo, contemporary 1 / 4 calf, minor wear; minor foxing; early owner’s signatures on front free endpaper and flyleaf. Boston, 1831 [400/600] The Haitian mission is discussed on pages 56-67, including negotiations with President Boyer and a discussion of Catholicism as the established religion. “To us it appears incredible that black people should live in elegance, and appear refined and exhibit some of the finest specimens of ease and grace- fulness of manners” (page 64). 3 copies in OCLC, and none traced at auction.