L'Amerique Meridionale…

Pieter Schenck copy of the De L'Isle's map of South America, printed in Amsterdam in 1708.

De L'Isle's map of South America represented a significant step forward in the presentation of South America on a printed map. A more streamlined shape is adopted and the interior detail along the Amazon River and Rio de la Plata are significantly improved from earlier maps, owing to the information flowing back from the Jesuit Missionaries who were by now widely disbursed around the continent.

Despite the advances, there are still vast tracts of unexplored lands and even the coastlines of Southern Chile and Patagonia are still highly inaccurate.

One of the more interesting features on the inclusion of "P. decouvert par F. Drak," shown west of Tierra del Fuego of this mythical island is based on a misinterpretation of Sir Francis Drake's narrative of his circumnavigation of the world in 1577-79. Upon entering the Pacific, after sailing through the Strait of Magellan, Drake's ship was blown southwards by storms. In September 1578, the party encountered an island they called 'Elizabeth Island'. While modern scholars believe it to be one of the islands located in the immediate vicinity of Cape Horn, as is the case here, some believed 'Drake's Island' to have been located much further out to sea.

Copper engraving, contemporary colour, in perfect condition.