Beschreibung:

STELLER, Georg Wilhelm (1709-1746). Beschreibung von dem Lande Kamtschatka dessen Einwohnern, deren Sitten, Nahmen, Lebensart und verschiedenen Gewohnheiten. Frankfurt and Leipzig: Johann Georg Fleischer, 1774.
STELLER, Georg Wilhelm (1709-1746). Beschreibung von dem Lande Kamtschatka dessen Einwohnern, deren Sitten, Nahmen, Lebensart und verschiedenen Gewohnheiten. Frankfurt and Leipzig: Johann Georg Fleischer, 1774. 8 o (205 x 121 mm). Engraved title-vignette, 2 engraved folding maps, and 13 engraved folding plates. (Some scattered light foxing, two marginal tears repaired.) Contemporary quarter calf and boards, spine gilt-tooled, with gilt-lettered morocco spine label. Provenance : Maximilian Preidl, law clerk (contemporary inscription). AN IMPORTANT EARLY WORK ON THE NATURAL HISTORY OF ALASKA FIRST EDITION. Steller, a German naturalist, accompanied Bering on his second voyage to Kamchatka, and was the first trained scientist to study the natural wonders of Alaska. His notes were obtained by Jean Benoit Scherer who prepared them for publication since only excerpts had been printed previously, in Russian, in 1755. Appended to the Steller narrative is G.F. Müller's description of the geography of Kamchatka and a vocabulary of the Koriak language. In addition to the folding plates there are a number of illustrations in the text, including musical notes. Lada-Mocarski 21; Wickersham 5827. Not in Sabin.