- RARE -

NIEUHOF'S EARLY ACCOUNT OF BRAZIL.

[Remarkable voyages and travels, into Brasil [sic.], and the East Indies... By Mr. John Nieuhoff] - a partial extract - lacking most plates and some text - from a volume of Churchill's 'A Collection of Travels and Voyages', presumably printed in 1703. 

[(London): Printed for Awnsham and John Churchill, 1703? ]. Presumed first edition in English. Paginated from 1 to 369 (misnumbered, 285 and 286 counted as leaves, and printer's jump in text from 153-180), with several gaps where leaves have been excised [see below]. In a later binding, endpapers renewed, quarter vellum over marbled boards. Large paper copy. 4to [39cm x 28cm]. 

Condition: Being sold as reference material only. With much lacking [presumably excised by a previous owner for their plates] i.e. portrait, engraved title page, letterpress title page, maps and but all but two plates, as well as approx. 20 text leaves, as follow:- 1 of 2 prelim leaves, and pages 9-10, 13-14, 17-22, 135-136, 149-152, 181-182, 193-196, 219-220, 231-232, 291-292, 301-304, 329-330, 353-356, and 359-364. Some old damp marking to spine, and rubbing scuffs and minor warping to boards. Persistent light stain to lower outer corner, but marginal only, not extending into letterpress text. First two text leaves with small stains. Please ask if you require a more detailed condition report, or view gallery images closely.

[... containing, an exact description of the Dutch Brasil, and divers parts of the East-Indies; their provinces, cities, living creatures, and products; the manners, customs, habits, and religion of the inhabitants: with a most particular account of all the remarkable passages that happened during the author's stay of nine years in Brasil; especially, in relation to the revolt of the Portugueses, and the intestine war carried on there from 1640. to 1649. As also, a most ample description of the most famous city of Batavia, in the East-Indies.]

Rare English edition of this classic work on Dutch Brazil, published in Churchill's collection of voyages. "Modern bookdealers have broken up the collection, which leads some to the wrong conclusion that an 'independent' edition of Nieuhof's works exists in English" [BdM]. 

Nieuhof was on the services of the Dutch Westindia Company in Recife for more than eight years and supplies ample information on the economic situation of the country. Later he went to the East Indies, and in 1672 he went lost without trace in Madagascar.