![Geographicus Rare Antique Maps Geographicus Rare Antique Maps](graphics/00000001/Geo_logo-RARE-WHITE_2.gif)
This copy is copyright protected.
Copyright © 2024 Geographicus Rare Antique Maps
1844 Mofras Espionage Map of the American West: California, Oregon, etc.
CaliforniaOregon-mofras-1844De Mofras was much interested in travel routes. East of Santa Fe he noted the 'Route de Chariots des Etats-Unis,' and (for the first time on any published map) he showed what later came to be called 'The Old Spanish Trail' between New Mexico and Southern California, which De Mofras drew through the Hopi Villages (it actually went far north of that area, to avoid the Colorado's canyons). He has Escalante's route, and a short 'le Capte. Smith en 1828,' with 'Route des Americaines des Etats-Unis en California.' In Oregon he shows the 'Route des Wagons des Etats-Unis ou Ouallamet' from Fort Hall south of the Snake, then northwesterly to an area marked 'Habitations des Français Canadiens.' Along the Snake is the 'Route par eau des Etats-Unis au Rio Colombia,' and finally, going up the Platte across to St. Vrain's Fort, over the Rockies south of South Pass, and on to 'Lac Salé, Yuta ou Timpanagos' is shown the 'Route des caravans de la Cie des fourrures de S. Louis.'
Following visits to Jalisco, Colima, Sinaloa, and Sonora in 1840, Duflot de Mofras sailed in April 1841, aboard Ninfa, from Mazatlán, via San Pedro, arriving at Monterey on May 6. On June 11 he met with commandant Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo in Sonoma, continued to Fort Ross, and returned to Monterey in July. On September 1 he sailed up the Sacramento River with A.G. Rotchev, manager of Fort Ross, to New Helvetia, where he met with John Augustus Sutter, with whom Rotchev was to initiate negotiations for sale of the Russian fort. Duflot de Mofras subsequently visited San José, Santa Cruz, and San Francisco, sailing from that port on October 18 aboard Cowlitz to the Hudson Bay Company’s Fort Vancouver, meeting the U.S. Exploring Expedition commanded by Charles Wilkes en route. He returned to San Francisco with Hudson Bay Company director Sir George Simpson and factor John McLoughlin and U.S. agent Horatio Hale on December 30 aboard Bolívar, and continued to Monterey. On January 3, 1842, aboard Maryland, Duflot de Mofras sailed via Santa Bárbara to San Diego where he remained from January 18 to January 27, prior to continuing to Mazatlán, and thence to Mexico City.This map exists in a single edition, but an advertisement for the sale of this map appearing in an 1844 issue of the Gazette Nationale, offers 3 formats: regular, large, and grand. It is not known if the map was ever actually produced in these formats, but if it was, then this would be either the large or grand. It was also issued in the atlas volume of De Mofras's book, Exploration Du Territoire De L'Oregon, Des Californies Et De La Mer Vermeille, Executee Pendant Les Annees 1840, 1841 Et 1842. Variants from the book typically have narrower margins, so we can say with some confidence that the present example is one of the separate issue formats, probably large or grand, with original linen backing.
Eugène Duflot de Mofras (July 5, 1810 - January 30, 1884) was a French naturalist, diplomat, explorer, and spy active in the 19th century. Mofras was born in Toulouse, France, the 7th son of Vost Cosme Nicolas Duflot and Anne Julie Mofras. He served as the French political attaché to Madrid (1828 - 1839) before being transferred in 1839 to the French Legation in Mexico. He was dispatched in 1839 on an intelligence reconnaissance or spy mission to explore the Pacific Coast of North American from Upper California (Alta California) to Oregon Territory, study American, Spanish, and Russian activity, and assess the viability for French expansion into this region. His two volume work, Exploration du territoire de l’Orégon, des Californies et de la mer Vermeille, exécutée pendant les années 1840, 1841 et 1842 is regarded as a seminal accomplishment and the most detailed overview of this region prior to the American occupation. More by this mapmaker...
Jacques-Marie Hacq (September 22, 1785 – 18??) was a French letter and line engraver, and historian, active in Paris during the middle part of the 19th century. Hacq was born in Paris and trained under J. P. Besançon, who he succeeded at the Dépôt de la Guerre in 1830. He engraved for the Dépôt de la Guerre as early as 1830 and for the Dépôt des Cartes et Plans de la Marine from, at least, 1840 to 1852. In addition to his work for the French Government, he also completed maps and engravings for Lesage, Lapie, Dufour, Duperrez, Gouvion St. Cyr, and Dumont d'Urville. His historical works include a history of the Napoleonic Wars and a history of Paris under the reign of Louis XIII. During most of his career in Paris he lived at 58 Rue de la Harpe. Learn More...
Copyright © 2024 Geographicus Rare Antique Maps | Geographicus Rare Antique Maps
This copy is copyright protected.
Copyright © 2024 Geographicus Rare Antique Maps