Relacion Historica de la Vida y Apostolicas Tareas del Venerable Padre Fray J unipero Serra, Y de las Misiones que fundo en la California Septentrional, y nuevos establecimientos de Monterey. Escrita Por el R.P.L. Fr. Francisco Palou, Guardian actual del Colegio Apostolico de S. Fernando de M‚xico, y Discipulo del Venerable Fundador: Dirigida a su Santa Provincia de la Regular Observancia de Nro S.P.S. Francisco de la Isla de Mallorca. A Expensas de Varios Bienhechores

Impresa en M‚xico, en Ia Imprenta de Don Felipe de Zuniga y Ontiveros, calle del Espiritu Santo, ano de 1787. 4to., (in4's)., 19.3x 15cm, Signatures: [4], *10, [1]-43 4. First edition, second issue (as usual), [xxviii],344pp., engraved frontis portrait of Fr. Junipero Serra,(at p1)., rear engraved folding map of California (second issue), dated 1787. woodcut initials; head and tail-pieces; In contemporary full limp vellum, top and bottom spine edges chipped, two small punctures on the gutter title edge, title in contemporary ms. ink, tie down stubs present but wanting ties, upper cover edge worn, text block slightly loose in two places, minor worming in lower margins of three signatures and two leaves; small archival repair at the gutter edge of the map and one fold is slightly over folded (common details on contemporary copies), overall text is clean, clear and sound, a very good to fine contemporary antique copy, as issued copy, rare thus. (cgc). Second issue, with "pro" rather than "car" at end of Index. Wagner 168. Graff f31-79. Hill, 1289. Howes P-56. Sabin 58392. Wheat. Transmississippi 208. Zamorano 80-59. Cowan, p.171: "T he most famous and the most extensive of the early works that relate to Upper California. The folding map represents Old and New California, and contains the geographical names as known and the missions as they existed at the time. It was engraved by Diego Froncoso, Mexico, 1787. Two states of the map exist, both of which were printed from the same plate." (Our copy has the later state, with the ocean's name identified - Mar Paczfico). "Fathers Serra and Palou were among the earliest of the Catholic missionaries sent to California; they established the first missions in that country which had so great an influence upon the natives, and brought most of the tribes under their control. The letters from Father Serra to Father Palou, which chiefly make up the volume, give not only an account of the founding of the missions but interesting details of the various Indian tribes, their manners and customs, together with descriptions of the country." - Sabin. After more than forty years as a Franciscan missionary, during most of which he was accompanied by Fr. Serra, Fr. Palou compiled his Noticias, the history of the California missions from 1767 to 1784. This biography of Fr. Serra includes the history of the first nine missions. This work has been called the most noted of all books relating to California"- (Hill).