1758 3 Volume Histoire De La Louisiane by LePage du Pratz Early Description of Louisiana, its Natural History, Native Tribes, Etc.

HISTOIRE DE LA LOUISIANE, Contenant la Découverte de ce vaste Pays; sa Description géographique; un Voyage dans les Terres; l'Histoire Naturelle; les Mœurs, Coûtumes & Religion des Naturels, avec leurs Origines; deux Voyages dans le Nord du nouveau Mexique, dont un jusqu'à la Mer du Sud; ornée de deux Cartes & de 40 Planches en Taille-douce. Le Page du Pratz, Antoine Simon. Paris: Bure, Delaguette & Lambert, 1758. First Edition.

3 volumes. 16mo. As issued by the printer, incomplete, with some leaves out of order, misnumbered or misplaced; lacking gathering in Vol. 3. All plates and maps present.

Collation: V1 - xvi, 358, [1 errata] pp., with 2 plates [1 plate @105, and 1 folding map @138], pp.337-338 out of order and placed between pp.324-325, else in proper order; V2 - [1 half title], [1 blank], 441 pp., with 33 plates total [30 regular and 3 folding plates at pp. 8, 9, 12, 20, 28, 31, 35, 36, 37, 40, 42, 43; two at 44; 45, 47, 48, 50, 57, 60, 62, 67, 71, 94, 98, 101, 111, 113, 155, 262 folding, 309, 310, 367 folding, 376, 429 folding]; page numbering skips p.194, with 195 on verso of p.193; p.196 numbered the same on both sides of leaf; verso of p.199 numbered 190; 122 on verso of p.191; then 123, 104, 205, 106, 207, 108, 207 [different text from first 207], 208-441; V3 - [1 half title], [1 blank], [1 title], [1 blank], 451, [3] pp., with 5 plates total [2 plates at 55 & 210, 1 folding map @138 [old tape repair at verso], 2 folding plates at 164 & 354]; lacks pages 289-312, jumping from 288 to 313 and running continuously from there.

An attractive set recently (professionally) bound in full Hewitt calf, black leather title labels at upper covers lettered in gilt; spine in five compartments with red leather title labels lettered in gilt. Hand marbled endpapers. Publisher's red stained block edges. Toning, occasional random spot, couple corners chipped, small wormhole near gutter of half title V3, otherwise textblock clear and unmarked. 

"Relation, based on a residence from 1718 to 1734, valuable for showing French claims to southern territory east of the Mississippi and for particulars concerning Indian nations there."  -HOWES L266. 

"The author arrived in Louisiana in 1718 and remained 16 years. He had ample opportunity as official physician to exercise his powers in observation on men and events, and his book is one of the most valuable for the history of the Colony. He gives minute descriptions of the different Indian Tribes, particularly the Natchez, with accounts of their wars, manners, customs, language, government, religion, &c."  Rare Books, etc. relating to America, Henry Stevens, Son and Stile Catalogue