(Capitale des Colonies Anglaises aux Terres Australes). Leve par Mr. Lesueur & assujetti aux relevemens de Mr. Boullanger. (Novembre 1802). Original engraved map hand-coloured in outline with Key depicting 34 major landmarks in the infant colony.

This is a rare or used book from the Berkelouw Rare Books Department.

Mounted glazed in period frame. In fine condition. The map here offered appears to be the separately issued version of the Plan of the Town of Sydney in 1802 and one of the first to record its principal landmarks. A smaller version of this similar map is recorded in McCormick's First Views of Australia as Plate 62 which forms part of Peron & Freycinet's Atlas that did not appear until 1811. The atlas version of this map depicts 38 major landmarks as at September 1802 date. Tooley on the other hand records the map here offered being the larger but different version (48.5 x 34.5 cm) dated November 1802 citing only 34 major landmarks compared to the atlas version of 38 landmarks. Tooley mistakenly cites this map bearing the printed marginalia from the French Hydrographic Office (HYD FR. No. 656) as being from the Atlas. As the copy here offered does not have the imprint of the Hydrographic Office we can assume it to be a separately issued version not published as part of a printed journal and probably released prior to the Atlas in 1811 making this one of the earliest depictions of the small English settlement. In 1802 the French expedition under Baudin sailed into Sydney. On board was Ch. Alex Lesueur draftsman/naturalist. Lesueur's delightful Plan captures the detail of the infant colony. The roads are clearly marked and for the first time some are named. A rough road the "Route de Parramatta" links Sydney with the important farming and market centre of Parramatta. Roads run parallel to the Tank Stream and the important transverse one (now Bridge Street) crossed by means of a log bridge from the Government House (No. 1) side of the Cove to the convict side. When the bridge collapsed it was replaced with a stone one. The Sydney Gazette of 1st April 1804 proudly announced "On Tuesday last the New Bridge was rendered passable for carriages and among the first that crossed the arch was one of the timber-carriages drawn by eight bullocks laden with a tree of immense size and weight". Sydney was still of course essentially a penal settlement with the Government as the major employer of labour supplier of capital manufacturer (see the government saltworks No. 24). But there are hints on the Plan of the commencement of independent activity; notice Robert Campbell's stores on the west side of the Cove (No. 10); Campbell was one of the first of the great merchants and entrepreneurs who would enrich themselves - and Sydney too - by their trading ventures. A fine and particularly elegant map showing the Colony from unnamed Cockle Cove (Darling Harbour) in the west to Palmers Cove (Woolloomooloo Bay) in the east and from Bennelong Point in the north to "Village de Brickfield" in the south. The principal buildings are identified by numbers and a legend.