SMITH, Buckingham (transl.).

Narratives of the Career of Hernando de Soto in the Conquest

Item #82092

(FLORIDA). SMITH, Buckingham (transl.). Narratives of the Career of Hernando de Soto in the Conquest of Florida as Told by a Knight of Elvas and in a Relation by Luys Hernandez de Biedma, Factor of the Expedition. New York: Bradford Club, Alvord printers, 1866. Limited ed. Large 8vo. xxviii, 324 pp., frontis., map. In orig. 3/4 morocco with marbled paper over boards. Previous owner monogram label on the front pastedown and contemporary gift inscription on the title page else clean and in near fine condition. Sabin 87206. Field 1434. Servies 4959. No. 5 of the Bradford Club Series, this is number 105 of 125 copies. The narrative of the as-yet unidentified Gentleman of Elvas first appeared in a Portuguese edition of 1557, which is all but unobtainable. His is the primary source for information concerning the De Soto expedition of 1539-43, the first investigation by Europeans of the Southeast region of the United States. Sabin remarks, "The first part is a translation with notes of the anonymous Portuguese `Relacam Verdadeira.' .The second part is a report presented by de Biedma to the King in 1544, and first printed, in a French translation, by Ternaux-Compans in his `Voyages, relations et memoires ... recueil de pieces sur la Floride,' 1841. The appendix contains translations of letters, official documents and royal decrees." Uncommon edition of important documents and narratives of colonial Florida.

Price: $2,000.00