Lantor is a kind of coconut palm (or Indian nut) with fronds as long as a human body. These fronds are used as paper. Pimenta del Rabo (or cubebe) grows grape-like on trees and is held in such esteem by the Indians that they cook and preserve them, rather than sell them to other countries. Also shown is the Tamarind tree or Assa, the plant Talasse grows in Java, and the Mangostan fruit and the black pepper is called ‘Sahang’ in Java.Theodore de Bry, a German engraver and book dealer, began a...

When the Spanish arrived in Cajamarca, they found only a few inhabitants. The Inca army was camped in the surrounding hills and the residence of the Inca king, Atahualpa, was a few miles away, so de Soto went ahead to meet him and to announce the arrival in the town of Pizarro and his troops. As de Soto approached, he pulled his stallion to a halt in front of Atahualpa and the foam from the horse’s mouth was said to have flown into the face of the Inca king. Many of the nobles, who had never s...

A graphic scene of fighting and extreme violence. One man is seen covered in feathers, before being sacrificed and killed before the Brazilian tribe of Tupinamba. In 1631 Johann Ludwig Gottfried, inherited the Theodor De Bry’s publishing firm, among the illustrated accounts of the expeditions of Magellan, Columbus, Vespucci, Cortes, Balboa, Raleigh, Drake, Smith, and many others.Gottfried issued together with Matthaeus Merian a one-volume condensation "Newe Welt Vnd Americanische Historien/ Jn...

Two engravings. [486] After Atahualpa was killed, Pizarro set out with his troops to find the city of Cuzco, which he had heard was rich in gold. The journey from Cajamarca to Cuzco by road was nearly a thousand miles and took three months. Although there was considerable resistance to the Spanish during this long march, the final descent into the great city, in November 1533, was in fact, not as portrayed but a relatively peaceful affair. [485] While Atahualpa was still held captive rumors spre...

In 1624 a heavily armed Dutch fleet sailed from the Juan Fernandez Islands to Lima. The leader of the fleet, Jacob l’Hermite, was in such poor health that he had to hand over command to Admiral Jacobson. The fleet anchored outside the harbour near the island of San Lorenzo (‘I. de Lima’). The port was full of Spanish ships and was too well protected for a direct confrontation so, on the night of 11th May, the Dutch carried out a daring and devious plan. In 1631 Johann Ludwig Gottfried, inh...

A brutal scene depicting native Indians tying down Spanish men and pouring liquid gold down their throats. Scenes of cannibalism in the background.In 1631 Johann Ludwig Gottfried, inherited the Theodor De Bry’s publishing firm, among the illustrated accounts of the expeditions of Magellan, Columbus, Vespucci, Cortes, Balboa, Raleigh, Drake, Smith, and many others.Gottfried issued together with Matthaeus Merian a one-volume condensation "Newe Welt Vnd Americanische Historien/ Jnhaltende Warhaff...

Two engravings. [492] Even before Pizarro’s death, a new royal governor, Vaca de Castro, was on his way to settle the turmoil in Peru. He refused to accept Almagro the younger, when he heard he had appointed himself the new governor and summoned his troops for battle. They were later joined by Alonso de Alvarado and by other Pizarrists. This culminated in a bloody battle at Chupas in 1542, near the city of Ayacucho. Many men on both sides died, before Almagro the younger, fled to Cuzco. He was...

Two engravings. [470] The funeral of an Inca king was a ceremony of great splendor. After digging a large pit, the Indians would decorate the corpse with gold and silver then bury it with many fine ornaments, along with good food and wine to help it on its way into the next world. Benzoni so described the burial of Huayna-Capac, whose grave he said was on the border of the province of Quito. When the Spanish first went to Peru, they discovered and pillaged many such graves.[469] Much of Ecuador ...

A fine map of Tierra del Fuego. With an explanatory text of the passage by Barent Jansz. Potgieter who accompanied captain Sebald de Weert to the Straits in 1599/1600, being the first Dutch vessels to sail through the Strait of Magellan, in Latin and Dutch.After various English voyages, the Dutch appeared in the Strait of Magellan in 1599. One of the Dutch pioneering voyages to the Southwest was the one by Jacques Mahu and Simon de Cordes, who were sent out by Rotterdam merchants. The five ships...

When the Spanish discovered the silver mines of Potosí, they organised the transport of the rich ore westward by llama trains across the Altiplano and down to Arica on the coast, where it would be transported by ship to Panama. These strange creatures would sit down when angered or overburdened and, neither beatings nor kind words would make the animals get up again. If any of them ran away, they had to be shot to recover their valuable cargo.In 1631, Johann Ludwig Gottfried inherited Theodor D...

Two engravings. [514] On 29th May, 1615, Spilbergen’s fleet anchored further north, off an island called Santa María that was separated by a narrow stretch of water (A), from Punta Lavapié on the mainland. Four of the ships (I) anchored in the bay, while the fifth (H) anchored closer. The Dutch went ashore in small boats (F), where they saw Spanish soldiers on horseback (B), so they arranged themselves for battle (C). There were several confrontations (E), during which many Dutchmen died but...

Two engravings. [421b] When the natives of those parts, they were bathed in a cold stream, then chased round a blazing fire until they had dried out. Then they were put to bed and great care was taken to ensure their loins were dry. Vomiting was overcome by fasting for three or four days and paying careful attention to diet., which rarely included meat, except for human flesh, of which they were inordinately fond. In fact they would even fatten their enemy captives before eating them and seemed ...

A beautiful map of Paraguay, and parts of Peru, Chile, Argentina, Brazil and Bolivia. Much of the area was still "Terra Incognita" so there are few towns and cities shown. The Andes are clearly shown to the west as well as the river systems.The Renaissance cartouche adds a special decorative accent to the map. The small cartouche in the lower right gives the name of the publisher. From early on Willem Jansz. Blaeu aimed of publishing an atlas to compete with the Hondius-Jansson Atlas. By 1630, ...

A finely engraved, decorative map of Venezuela. The islands of Trinidad and Tobago, Margarita, Aruba and Curaçao are shown. Local animals are depicted, sheep, birds, monkeys.With a decorative title cartouche held aloft by a pair of winged cherubs and a handsome pair of compass roses, galleon etc. From early on Willem Jansz. Blaeu aimed of publishing an atlas to compete with the Hondius-Janssonius Atlas. By 1630, he had published at least 17 folio size maps. Blaeu was able to realize his plan s...

FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE OF THIS MAP. Decorated with ships and monsters in the sea. Orientated with east at the top. With the signature of G. Blaeuw lower right corner. Shows the Pacific coast of South America from Ecuador (at the left-hand side) as far south as the Atacama desert in the northern reaches of Chile. "As early as 1520, Spanish settlers in Panama had heard tales of a powerful civilization rich in gold that lay to the south, and in 1522 an expedition was organized to find this land...

Striking old color example of Blaeu's second map of Brazil prepared by Krystof Arciszewski, a Polish general who worked for the Dutch West Indian Company. The map perpetuates various myths, including the Parime Lago , although it is generally more accurate than its predecessors. The map includes the region from the mouth of the Amazon River to the La Plata. Orientated with west to the top. Including the mouth of the Amazon.Brasil was first discovered by Pedro Álvares Cabral in 1500 while en rou...

Fine copy of this map by Krystof Arciszewski, a Polish general who worked for the Dutch West Indian Company. The map perpetuates various myths including the Parime Lago , although it is generally more accurate than its predecessors. Orientated with west to the top. Including the mouth of the Amazon.

A charming copper engraving depicting a town surrounded by a luxuriant landscape on the background and a couple of indigenous on the foreground.From the French text edition of Description d'Univers, 1683. by Allain Manneson Mallet (1630-1706), a well traveled military engineer and geographer who worked in 17th century France under King Louis XIV.

The second edition of Rossi's map of South America, based upon Sanson's map, but with revised Italian nomenclature. From his 'Mercurio Geografico...'. The engraver was Giorgio Widman. With a large title cartouche in the lower right.

Nice small map of South America. Dated 1748. From Atlas Portatif Universel, by Robert de Vaugondy.Page 105 outside border top right. Mary Sponberg Pedley does not mention a state without date.