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Description

Scarce map of America, featuring a number of the most famous myths and inaccuracies that appeared on contemporary maps of the period.

California is shown as an island following the second Sanson model, including over 30 place names. The Mississippi River is shown flowing into the Gulf of Mexico near modern-day Galveston Bay, based upon La Salle's erroneous reports, which De L'Isle was just correcting in his mapping of North America around 1700.

The map also includes the mythical Terra Esonis, a massive land bridge running virtually the entire distance between North America and Asia. This landmass probably had some connection to early knowledge of the Aleutian Archipelago and pre-dates Vitus Bering's and Aleksei Chirikov's exploration of the region in 1741. The Fretum Aniani (Straits of Anian) are curiously configured, with no definite Northwest Passage but the interior of now-western Canada is left to the viewers' imagination.

The map includes some early western Indian tribal names. Most interesting are the Apaches de Novajo, north even of the Apaches de Xila, both of which are considerably north of the areas inhabited by the Apache and Navajo Indians. The projection of Florida is stumped and the Straits of Florida are exaggerated.

The elaborate cartouche depicts a number of Indians and a westerner in military costume smoking a peace pipe.

Reference
McLaughlin, G. 204; Tooley, R.V. (Amer) p.126, #90; Leighly, J. 158.