Kaart van de Noord-West kust van Amerika en de Noord-Oost kust van Asia. . .

A uncommon issue of this important map of the Northern Pacific and contiguous coasts of America and Asia, published in 'Reize rondom de Waereld door James Cook', a Dutch edition of Hawkesworth's Official Account, first published 1773.

The map, on a curved projection, centers on the Bering Strait, showing how close Asia and North America are at high latitudes. Kamchatka is to the east, with a remarkable outline of Alaska to the west. The North American coast continues to the southeast, but the interior of North America is left empty.

For the first time on a printed map the coastline of Alaska and the northwest coast of North America are accurately portrayed. The map displays Cook and his crew’s great contribution to the mapping of the area, particularly along the coast of what is today Alaska (especially near Prince William Sound), in the Aleutians, and in the Bering Strait.

Cook's route in 1778, and Clerke’s route in 1779, after Cook’s death in Hawai’i, are shown in detail. As noted in the map's legend below the title, the map is also drawn in part from a Russian manuscript map. The Russians had explored the area during the Kamchatka Expeditions led by Vitus Bering (1725-30, 1733-43), and continued to sail along the northeast coast of Asia.

Dare to go in Black. All early maps are printed in black and white and many were kept that way for a long time. A black and white map in an early and strong impression is a rarity now-a-days being so many colored up recently!
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