In 1983, The Pierpont Morgan Library received, as the bequest of Clara S. Peck, an extraordinary volume whose beautiful paintings and descriptions document the plant, animal, and human life of the Caribbean late in the sixteenth century. Spaniards had already begun to exert influence over the indigenous people of the area when explorers from England and France arrived, among them Sir Francis Drake. The book, known as "The Drake Manuscript", and titled Histoire Naturelle des Indes when it was bound in the eighteenth century, gives us a wonderful picture of daily life at the time of Drake's many visits to the region. Although Drake's connection to the manuscript is uncertain, he is mentioned on more than one occasion by the authors. Drake himself is known to have painted, but none of his work survives. The work presented, here in full facsimile for the first time, is from the hands of two or more artists, most likely French, and the descriptions are French as well. Patrick O'Brian gives us a fascinating account of Drake the voyager. And in Verlyn Klinkenborg's introduction to the facsimile, we are given the background necessary to appreciate this magnificent manuscript to its fullest extent. Charles E. Pierce, Jr.'s preface and Ruth Kraemer's translations of the text round out this rich, beautiful, and historically invaluable book.

A natural history and illustrations of the New World in the seventeenth century.

In 1983, The Pierpont Morgan Library received an extraordinary volume whose beautiful paintings & descriptions document the plant, animal, & human life of the Caribbean late in the 16th cent. Spaniards had already begun to exert influence over the indigenous people of the area when explorers from England & France arrived, among them Sir Francis Drake. This book, known as The Drake Manuscript,Ó & titled Histoire Naturelle des IndesÓ when it was bound in the 18th cent., gives us a wonderful picture of daily life at the time of Drake's many visits to the region. The work presented, here in full facsimile for the first time, is from the hands of two or more artists, most likely French, & the descriptions are French as well. Heavy coated stock in full-color.