A superb large-scale chart showing the track of La Perouse’s expedition in the ships Boussole and Astrolabe. The route from Manila Bay to Taiwan (Formosa), to Korea through the Sea of Japan (named by La Perouse) to the Kuriles reaching southern Kamchatka on September 16, 1787. It was published in Paris at l’Imprimerie de la Republic and is from the atlas volume to ‘Voyage de La Perouse autour du Monde’. Jean-Francois de Galoup, Comte de La Perouse led a French scientific expedition to the Pacific in 1785-88. He was one of the most noted naval commanders and navigators in France and was selected by King Louis XVI to complete Captain James Cook’s exploration of the western Pacific. In a rare moment of co-operation the British Admiralty furnished scientific equipment to measure variations in magnetic north and for determining longitude. Fortunately for us La Perouse was meticulous in sending copies of his detailed logs and surveying via other ships as well as overland. His last contact was in the spring of 1788 with a British ship in Botany Bay, Australia. The expedition was never heard from again. When the French Government realised that it had been lost they decided to publish an account as in many other ways it is regarded as one the greatest French voyages of exploration. It was not until 1827 that their fate was known. Phillips, P.L. (Atlases) 688-18; Shirley BL Atlases G.Lpr 1a.