Essential Work on Early Spanish Exploration of America
With the First Full Report of Cabrillo's Voyage of 1542
Second and best edition, of this bedrock work on early Spanish narratives of discovery and colonization of America. This is the preferred second edition, compiled, amended and enlarged by Andres Gonzalez Barcia. It has the Descripcion de las Indias Occidentales bound at the beginning of the first volume, as usual. The Descripcion... has its own ornately engraved title page (with a small map of the Americas). Each of eight decades of the Historia General also have their own separate engraved title page. These illustrated title pages incorporate visually stunning vignettes of conquest, scenes of the sacrifices practiced by the Aztecs, city views, indigenous people, and some 39 portraits of the conquistadors and pioneering Spaniards in the New World.
The first part of Herrera's book was originally published in 1601, with the remaining four decades first printed in 1615. The present edition is greatly expanded from the 17th-century original edition:
[This edition] includes the original materials of 1601-15, with the additions of notes, a "Tabla general de las cosas notables, y personas contenidas en la Descripcion de las Indias Occidentales, i en las ocho decades antecedentes ([450 pages at end of v. 4), and a copious index.
Per Wagner: "The work usually appears bound in four volumes with the Descripción at the beginning. The title pages to the various decades have different dates, which I believe vary somewhat."
The first full report we have [of Cabrillo's voyage of 1542] will be found in Herrera, Historia General de Las Indias, decade VII, lib. v, chapters 3-4. The account is condensed, probably from an original relation of the voyage, as it contains some facts not to be found in the document, which still exists in the Archives of the Indies, and which is almost certainly a summary of some original relation.
A detailed collation of the present set here follows:
Vol. 1: [Engraved title dated 1730 (Descripción)], 19 unnumbered leaves, 78 pages and 14 folding engraved maps; [Decada Primera engraved title dated 1730], [2 preliminary leaves (misbound before the maps)], 292 pages; [2 preliminary leaves],[Decada Segunda engraved title dated 1726], 288 pages.
Vol. 2: [Decada Tercera engraved title dated 1726],[2],296; [Decada Quarta engraved title dated 1730],[4],232 pages.
Vol. 3: [Decada Quinta engraved title dated 1728],[6],252; [Decada Sesta engraved title dated 1730],[4],236 pages;[Decada Setima engraved title dated 1730], [4],245 pages.
Vol. 4: [Decada Octava engraved title dated 1730],[4],251; 225 unnumbered leaves of index (Tabla General).
The 14 maps are as follows:
- Descripcion de Las Yndias Ocidentales. Pacific Ocean (Including Japan, Korea, and coast of China), North and South America. "Entre los dos Meridianos Señalados Se contiene la navegacion y descubrimiento que compete a los Castellanos."'
- Descripcion de Las Yndias del Norte. Shows the Caribbean, the Gulf of America (unlabeled), "La Florida," and "Florida" (on present day Carolinas), Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, New Spain, and most of present-day continental United States, Central America and part of northern South America ("Venezuela").
- Descripcion del Destricto del Audencia de la Española. Shows Caribbean (densely packed with toponyms throughout), including most islands, Florida and northern South America.
- Descripcion del Destricto del Audiencia de Nueva España. Shows New Spain and Gulf of America (here "Golfo de la Nueva España")
- Descripcion del Districto de la Audiencia de la Nueva Galicia. Portion of the Pacific coast of Mexico (Culiacan, Guadalajara, Lake Chapala, present day Puerto Vallarta area).
- Descripcion del Audiencia de Guatimala. Shows most of Central America.
- Descripcion de las Yndias de Mediodia. Shows South America, including Panama.
- Descripcion del Audiencia de Panama.
- Descripcion de la Audiencia del Nuevo Reino. Shows northern South America.
- Descripcion del Audiencia del Quito.
- Descripcion del Destricto del Audiencia de Lima.
- Descripcion del Audiencia de los Charcas.
- Descripcion de la Provincia de Chile.
- Descripcion de las Indias del Poniente. Shows Philippines, coast of China, Islas de los Ladrones.
A cornerstone work of early Spanish exploration and discovery in America. Beautifully illustrated with maps and engraved title pages.