Noticias americanas: entretenimientos físico-históricos sobre la América Meridional, y la Septentrional oriental: comparacion general de los territorios, climas y producciones en las tres especies vegetal, animal y mineral; con una relacion particular de los Indios de aquellos paises, sus costumbres y usos, de las petrificaciones de cuerpos marinos, y de las antigüedades. Con un discurso sobre el idioma, y conjeturas sobre el modo con que pasáron los primeros pobladores.
Madrid: Imprenta Real, 1792. [8 lv], 342 pp. 4to. Contemporary marbled sheep, red morocco lettering piece, spine ruled in gilt, marbled endpapers. Second edition. A very good copy, minor wear to boards and spine, upper fore corner of free end paper and first three leaves with small marginal worm hole. Palau 343418. Sabin 36806. Medina BHA 5570. Field 1585. Leclerc 580n. Heredia III: 7894. Salva 3145. Berstain III: p. 207. JCB III: 3567. Goldsmiths'-Kress 10839. Spain & Spanish America I: 689. Item #38866
Most of the Noticias concerns Ulloa's travels in Peru and Ecuador, including geography, antiquities, customs, language, and religion of the Indians, with the final six sections, comprising nearly 100 pages devoted to American Indians. "Ouvrage curieux et fort intéressant," (Le Clerc). Antonio de Ulloa y de la Torre-Girault (1716 -1795) was a colonial administrator, and the first Spanish governor of Louisiana though he was deposed in 1768 after two years, during a Creole revolt. But he is most remembered for his writings and his scientific work especially as an astronomer. The first edition was published two decades earlier, in 1772.
Price: $600.00