Cook's 1774 Map of New Zealand

New Zealand : James Cook: 'Carte de la N.le Zelande visitee en 1769 et 1770 par le Lieutenant J. Cook Commandant de l'Endeavour vaißeau de la Majeste', James Cook, Published Paris, 1774; engraved by Robert Benard. 49 x 38 cm. The original French edition of James Cook's chart of New Zealand, from the first French edition of Hawkesworth's Voyages. This is the first French edition of the most important single map in New Zealand's history and the first complete map of the two islands' coastlines. It confirmed that New Zealand was not part of a mysterious southern continent and records some of the earliest interactions between Europeans and Maoris.