Rigobert Bonne Carte du Canal de Mosambique, contenant L'Isle de Madagascar This map of what was

This map of what was known as the Cape of Good Hope well displays the Mozambique Channel and Madagascar - far to the east from the Cape of Good Hope. The inset is based on Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille's famous small map of the SW corner of the Cape that he published after his trigonometric survey in 1752 - the dawn of quantitative science in South Africa. 

  Rigobert BONNE (1727-95) was an engineer, mathematician and a cartographer.  In 1773, he succeeded Jacques-Nicolas Bellin as Hydrographer at the Depôt de la Marine.  His works include Atlas Encyclopédique, produced in collaboration with his son. Bonne compiled some of the most detailed and accurate maps of the period. According to Wikipedia, “Bonne’s work represents an important step in the evolution of the cartographic ideology away from the decorative work of the 17th century". 

  The main map, on the right, covers from the Cape of Good Hope in the south-west to north Zanzibar and modern day Kenya in theNorth-east. It focuses on on the kingdom of Monomotapa. This region, today part of Mozambique and Zimbabwe, was once rich in gold and was often associated with the Biblical kingdom of Ophir, which is mentioned in the legend of King Solomon's Mines. This was one of the first parts of eastern Africa to be explored and colonised by Portuguese traders looking for a source of gold to rival that of the Spaniards in Mexico and Peru. Unfortunately, the Mines of Solomon had been all but exhausted shortly before the Europeans arrived. 

  An embryonic mapping of Lake Malawi, with no defined northern terminus, appears north of Monomotapa - the lake's mapping here precedes its exploration by David Livingstone. Madagascar and the many Indian Ocean islands surrounding it are well mapped with considerable coastal detail, though inland detail is inaccurate, as little was known to the Europeans about these inland regions. Arrows show the direction of trade winds and dotted lines identify some offshore reefs and other dangers. 

  The inset map, details the extent of the Dutch settled area at that time. The map identifies indigenous groups, forts, mountain ranges and rivers. The map also identifies Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned. 

  The map comes in various 'editions'. First it was published in 1762 in Bonne's Atlas Maritime (Andre sculp at bottom right); the map was then  published in Geneva in 1780 in Raynal’s Atlas de Toutes Les Parties Connues du Globe Terrestre (with Livre I II III IV at top left and No 11 at top right; and Andre sculp at bottom right); in the 1783-4 edition of Raynal's Atlas, the original engraver's name (Andre sculp) has been omitted (was at the bottom right) - as in this map. The map finally was published in 1820 in Raynal's atlas with this map being re-engraved and signed by Dien.

This attractively hand-coloured edition of the map is in fine condition.