LA MARTINIERE Pierre Martin de Voyage des pais septentrionaux. Dans lequel se void (sic) les moeurs, manière de vivre & superstitions des Norweguiens, Lappons, Kiloppes, Borandiens, Syberiens, Samojedes, Zembliens, Islandois. Seconde édition, revue & augmentée de nouveau.

Sabin, 38711; Alden, 676/113 ; JCB, IV, 22 ("the last chapter refers to Greenland") ; Arents (add.), 423 (first edition 1671).

Second edition, considerably enlarged compared with the first, which consisted of only 191 pp. La Martinière, an alchemist physician, after having been physician and operator to the King of France, became surgeon to Frederick III of Denmark. This is how he came to take part in the expedition of the Danish Compagnie du Nord.

"Tobacco reached Russia in the early seventeenth century, but the countries to the north, such as Lappland, Sweden and others visited by the author wer considered by authorities to have received the custom of smoking mich later. It is therefore a surpise to find that this French traveller refers to tobacco more than a dozen times and exhibits the inhabitants a very interested in this product" (Arentz).

This new edition is illustrated with 15 charming figures (the first had only 14) engraved in the text, showing the costumes of the inhabitants, hunting and fishing scenes (walrus) and a map. La Martinière makes several references to whaling and tobacco; chapter III is devoted to elk hunting, and the last chapter is devoted to Greenland.

"Le lendemain à soleil levant nous partîmes de Steckby, continuant notre chemin vers les mines, où nous arrivâmes sur la nuit, & prîmes logis aux forges. Nous y fumes reçues selon la coutume du pays, avec du tabac, de l'eau de vue de bled & de la bière" (p. 125).

There is also a very important chapter on Muslim influence in Europe since the Middle Ages (pp. 26-115).

Provenance: Henry Duhamel (bookplate) – D'Henry (bookplate) – A. de St. Feriol (bookplate).