The Pirate Port of Gigery, Jijel, Algeria.

Dapper, Olfert. Jacob van Meurs. The Town of Gigeri. "De Stadt Gigeri. La Ville Gegery" Amsterdam Wolfgangh, Waesbergen, Boom. Someren en Goethals 1686
Copper engraved double page view of theport of Gigeri [Jijel,] Algeria , from Olfert Dapper's "Description de l'Afrique," the first edition in French; black and white, verso blank; key in the upper corners in Dutch & French.
The view shows the town of Gigeri, [now Jijel] Algeria; ships and galleys to foreground
Under the Ottomans, the city of Jijel became an important port for pirate activity, it was the city of many renowned privateers, including the Brothers Barbarossa who were active there from 1514, fighting the Spanish Christians who had invaded parts of Algeria.
The city also received many refugees expelled from Spain for their Muslim religion. Dark impression; light toning; some spotting; old ink number to upper margin.

Olfert Dapper (1639-1689)
was a Dutch physician and scholar devoted to historical and geographical studies.
He produced several finely illustrated volumes describing travels in Africa, Asia, Asia Minor, the Middle East, drawing upon the most reliable eye-witness accounts as well as his own library of travel books. His works were authoritative and very popular, and especially noteworthy for their excellent illustrations and maps.

First edition in French of Dapper's"Description de l'Afrique, contenant Les Noms, la Situation & les Confins de toutes ses Parties, leurs Rivières, leurs Villes & leurs Habitations, leurs Plantes & leurs Animaux ; les Moeurs, les Coûtumes, la Langue, les Richesses, la Religion & le Gouvernement de ses Peuples. Avec Des Cartes des Etats, des Provinces & des Villes, & des Figures en Taille-douce, qui représentent les habits & les principales Ceremonies des Habitans, les Plantes & les Animaux les moins connus. Traduite du Flamand"originally published in Dutch in 1668 as "Naukeurige Beschrijvingen der Afrikaensche gewesten" & "Naukeurige beschrijvinge der Afrikaensche Eylanden "


Dapper's Description of Africa:"covers the entire continent - the Islamic north, from Morocco to Egypt, Abyssinia, central and southern Africa, and Madagascar, Malta, the Canaries and other islands of the African coast" (Alastair Hamilton, Europe and the Arab World, page 26). Although he had never visited Africa, Dapper's book is still of considerable value, because he made use not only of published sources (especially De Marees), but also of manuscripts which have now been; lost he relied very heavily on records of the Dutch West India Company, especially a collection made by Samuel Bloomaerts, one of its officials.
His work became well-known, and is still a key text for Africanists.
It was translated into English by John Ogilby and published in 1670, when a German translation was also published. There was a second Dutch edition in 1676 and the first French translation was published ten years later.
Mendelssohn I, p.413. Cox I, p. 361; Gay 219. 230 by 310mm (9 by 12¼ inches).   ref: 2470  €180