Voyages and Discoveries 1698 Photographs

A Book on 17th Century Travels in South America 1698

Voyages and Discoveries in South-America

by Christopher D'Acugna, Acarete du Biscay

John Grillet and Francois Bechamel

Published in 1698 by Samuel Buckley, London.

This book is a restoration project: hardcover in poor condition with front cover and spine missing, most of title page missing, heavily foxed with water damage. Text otherwise complete and readable, 2 foldout maps.

Three travel journals, two by Jesuit Missionaries, documenting their travels in the Amazon region in the 1600's, republished in English in one volume in 1698:

A Discovery of the River of Amazons, by Christopher D'Acugna. 190 pages with foldout map. D'Acugna was a Spanish Jesuit, Rector of the Jesuit College in Cuenca, sent in 1938 to accompany Teixeira on his return journey along the Amazon. His journal "New Discovery of the Great River of the Amazons" was first published in 1639.

Voyage Up the River de la Plata, and Thence Over Land to Peru, by Acarete du Biscay. 79 pages with map. " * Acarete du Biscay was a Frenchman, posing as a nephew of a Spaniard to gain access to Spanish occupied terrorities in South America. In 1657 he traveled the PlateRiver region, and in 1896 published "Relation des voyages dans la rivière de la Plateacross the Argentine Pampas." This appears to be the first English edition.


Jounal of the Travels of John Grillet and Francis Bechamel into Guiana in the Year 1674. 68 pages. Grillet and Bechamel were both French Jesuits in Cayenne, Giuana. In 1673 they were directed to travel inland and explore native tribes in the region. They traveled some 420 miles southwest of Cayenne, later publishing "Journal du voyage qu'ont fait les peres Jean Grillet et Francois B(echamel darts la Guyane, Fan 1674." Their report documents first western contact with native people in the region.

This book is offered in the same condition as it was found -- in a thrift store hours before it was destined for a recycler. The next owner of this book should plan on a professional restoration.

The only listing of this book I could find online seems to be a library in Australia. I'm selling it in part on behalf of a client and am not sure how much he or I would be willing to sell it for. If anyone has any information about this book regarding it's content, value, or scarcity, I would appreciate hearing from you. In the meantime serious inquiries and offers are invited.