Diario Historico del Ultimo Viaje Que Hizo M. de la Sale para Descrubrir el Desembocadero y Curso del Missicipi...Traducio al Espanol por el Coronel Jose Maria Tornel, Ministro de Mejico en los Estados Unidos

Nueva York: Jose Desnoues, 1831. Very good.. 156pp. 12mo. Contemporary full calf presentation binding by C. Brown of New York (binder's ticket at top of front pastedown), spine gilt extra, boards bordered in gilt, gilt inner dentelles, marbled edges and endpapers, presentation inscription on front board reading, "El Ciudadano Jose M. Tornel al Ciudadano Rafael Mangino." Minor wear and light scuffing to extremities. Substantial foxing throughout. First Spanish edition of Joutel's landmark Journal Historique de Dernier Voyage Que Feu M. la Sale Fit dans le Golf de Mexique (Paris, 1713), translated for the Mexican market by Jose Maria Tornel, veteran of Mexico's war of independence and former secretary to Santa Anna. This copy was presented by Tornel to his relative and fellow Mexican government official Rafael Mangino y Mendivil, president of the congress who crowned Iturbide in 1822 and who later served as chancellor of the exchequer. Joutel's original work was praised by Howes as the "most reliable eye-witness account of la Salle's two year's wanderings in Texas." Sabin states that "this edition, though printed in New York, was put forth for the Mexican market" with a preface and valuable notes provided by Tornel. Peter Decker relates a more specific and timely reason for the translation: "This expedition of Joutel was ordered printed in New York by the Mexican Ambassador for the purpose of bolstering the Mexican government's dispute with the United States over priority rights on the lower Mississippi."

A striking association copy of a scarce U.S.-Spanish-language imprint in a sumptuous presentation binding executed by a noted though somewhat obscure early-19th-century New York binder.
Howes J266 (ref). Basic Texas Books 114D. Sabin 36761. American Imprints 7778.