Price: £500.00

• Date: 1740
• Colour: BW
• Condition: AA
• Size (cm): 29.6 x 38.7

Publication: The Gentleman's Magazine for January 1740, printed by E. Cave, Jun. at St. John's Gate (London). Engraved by Emanuel Bowen.

A very attractive map of the eastern seaboard of the New Continent centered on the Caribbean and stretching from Chesapeake Bay in the north to the delta of the Orinoco in the south.

The full title reads, 'An accurate map of the West Indies, exhibiting not only all the islands possess'd by the English, French, Spaniards & Dutch, but also all the towns and settlements on the Continent of America adjacent thereto'.

A note in the January 1740 edition of the Gentleman's Magazine reads:
'The commerce, navigation and different settlements in America, having been the subject of every Magazine, we have, with this, given a view of them in an accurate Map of the West Indies; and as we shall have frequent occasions, from its being now the seat of action, to refer to, and explain the geography of, these places, we do not doubt it being acceptable to our readers, especially, as this Map alone sells for 6 d.'


There are a seven text vignettes scattered around the map:

1. 'The Mosquitos is a small Nation never yet conquer'd by the Spaniards the Country being secured by morasses, inaccessible mountains, shoals and rocks....'

2. 'K.Charles II, by charter dated June 30 1665, granted to Ld. Chanc'r Clarendon, D. of Albemarle &c. the province of Carolina extending southward to the 29th Deg: of North Lat. which takes in F. St. Augustin now possessed by the Spaniards; In 1729 the British Parliament purchased S. Carolina of the propriotors for his Majesty K. George II, who soon after granted to trustees for establishing ye Colony of Georgia the lands between the rivers Savanah and Alatamaha.'he lands

3. 'The Spanish gallions coming before R. de la Hacha notice is sent thither & from thence over land to Cartagena, Lima, Panama &c. to hasten the King's treasure. They then continue their course to Cartagena and after a stay of 2 months go to Puerto Bello and are about a month taking in the treasure from Panama &c. then they return to Cartagena finish their loading & sail to the Havana to meet the Flota from la Vera Crux, whence they proceed together thro the Gulf of Florida for Old Spain.'
The map shows the track of the ships' movements.

4. 'In 1706 the Bahama islands which belong'd to the English were taken by the French & Spaniards: In 1717Captain Rogers after having plundered most of those islands retook Providence which ever since belong'd to ye English.'

5. 'Course to Jamaica: 'All ships from Europe or Africa bound for Jamaica make the island of Antego or some other of ye Caribbees near it, because from thence they can bear away before the Trade Winds due west to Jamaica. Ships also from Carolina and all our plantations on the Continent of America are obliged to get to Antego or the E. of St. Christophers, and then fall into the same Trade Wind course; the Gulph of Florida which seems to be a nearer way for them being impracticable, the current there setting from S. to N. & after that the Trade Winds being for a 100 leagues against them'

6. 'From Jamaica to the Gulph of Florida: From the W. point of Jamaica to the W. end of Cuba ships have the advantage of the Trade Winds, which are after that till they get into the Gulph as much against them; so that while they are tripping it between Cape Florida and Cuba, the Guarda Costas from the latter can easily bear down upon them. Again, as the Florida coast is flat and shoaly for 7 or 8 leagues out, they are obliged to keep near the Bahamas, and are again in danger from thence, all those islands being Spanish, except Providence, where if our ships get, and take, any logwood on board, tho' the growth of that island, the Spanish Guarda Costa which lie off the Abaco I. will make prize of them pretending that wood only grows in their territories.

7. 'From Jamaica by the Windward Passage: The most difficult part of this course is from Port Royal to Point Morant which being against ye Trade Winds, has sometimes taken upto 6 weeks, tho' but 20 leagues. But the most dangerous is from that point till they clear of Crooked Island, a course of 160 leag. for the Spaniards from Cuba, Porto Rico & Hispaniola (and sometimes the French) are in wait to intercept ye English. This is called the Windward passage because ships are obliged to keep to the windward to avoid the shoals on the coast of Cuba.
Engraved arrows on the map shows the direction of the Trade Winds in the Atlantic Ocean and in the Gulf of Mexico.

From the above it can be seen that Bowen has covered the history of the region, territorial disputes, navigational aids, smuggling and has given sufficient information for budding pirates to contemplate the looting of the Spanish Gold Fleets.

Ref: Jolly GENT-6; Sellers & Van Ee #1681

Colour: BW (although there is a note that says '... the countries & islands coloured yellow belong to Spain; those with red to England; those with blue to France & those with green to Holland.')

Condition: AA, folds as given. Tears to the bottom margin and to the right margin have been expertly repaired. Narrow right margin (where it was originally attached to the magazine) has been extended to facilitate mounting. The paper has been washed and de-acidified.