Journal of a voyage from Brest to Siam in L'Oiseau, 1687-1688

In Copyright. Permission required for use due to preservation reasons; Collection Care assistance required for any handling of this item. Not for loan.

0.10 m (1 volume) Bound volume comprising 102 leaves, measuring 22.2 x 17.5 cm, plus 26 illustrations, mostly full-page (6 larger folding drawings, 2 slightly smaller than full-page) in pen and wash. Contemporary limp vellum. Also Titled: Journal de la routte de Brest a Siam en 1687 et 1688. On 4 August 1687, the French ship L'Oiseau sighted the northwest coast of Australia. Though the men aboard did not disembark, they made the first documented French sighting of the Australian coastline. This illustrated journal is one of several surviving descriptions of Australia made by travellers on L'Oiseau. The journal was made by the ship's surgeon, only known by his surname Bremond. Bremond's journal documents the entire voyage, and his drawings illustrate the topography, local inhabitants, flora and fauna of the Cape, Batavia, Siam, the Nicobar Islands, Puducherry and Ascension Island.