Superb Maps of Cármen

503.     SHIELS [Y CÁRDENAS], Arturo. El partido del Cármen: breve resena historica, geográfica y estadistica de aquel partido, con observaciones sobre su navegacion, industria, comercio, &c., &c. Formada en vista de los datos suminstrados por la junta auxiliar de geografía y estadística de la ciudad del Cármen, y en comisión de la misma para presentar á la Sociedad de aquel nombre en esta capital, por el socio corresponsal Arturo Shiels. Mexico: Imprenta del Gobierno, en Palacio, á cargo de José Maria Sandoval, 1870. [1-5] 6-43 [1, blank] pp. (printed in double column), 2 folding lithograph maps (see below). 8vo (28 x 20 cm), original green printed wrappers, title within ornamental border on upper wrapper, stitched. Minor wear to wraps (a few chips with small losses), else very fine. Very rare. No copies noted on OCLC. The only copy we have seen was in the Michel Antochiw Library.

Maps:

Plano Corográfico de una parte del Estado de Campeche que comprende todo el márgen derecho del río Usumacinta hasta sus confines, en el que está incluso el Partido del Cármen. Formado por el Agrimensor Geómetra Félix Roberto Shiels 1868. Publicado por la Sociedad de Geografía y Estadística en 1870 [below lower right neat line] Lit. de Salazar. Neat line to neat line: 64.5 x 54 cm. Pristine condition.

Carta Hidrográfica de la Barra Occidental y Entrada del Puerto del Cármen en la Laguna de Términos. Copiada de la que levantó el Teniente G.B. Lawrence, de la Marina Británica, en 1850. Corregida y aumentada por la estación naval francesa en 1866…. Notas Corregidas por el autor de la Memoria…. 61 x 47.2 cm. Some features highlighted in red. Pristine condition.

     First edition. Palau 312133. In pre-Cortesian Mexico, the town of Cármen served as a connecting point between the Aztec and Maya civilizations. After the arrival of Europeans, Cármen was a pirates’ den and repair point for trader ships between Spain and New Spain. In this pamphlet, Shiels presents an excellent survey of Cármen with outstanding maps by Salazar, who maintains his usual high cartographic standards. The first map is a printed version of noteworthy English cartographer Arthur Shiels’ manuscript map, showing Campeche with good detail, Isla Carmen, Chiapas (Lancandon region), etc. This rare map is important because it gives good detail on the archaeological zones and the river system, which had not been explored or properly surveyed before. The second map, one of the earliest in-depth surveys of the region with navigational information, relates to the British survey of the southeast coast of Mexico, corrected by the French Navy, and published in Mexico a few years later.

     Author Arturo Shiels y Cárdenas (1835-1886), a native of Carmen, served as first Governor of Campeche from December 1880 to September 15, 1883. A moderate, Shiels urged reconciliation and unification in order to benefit all and promote the area and the good of all citizens. Among his noteworthy achievements were obligatory education of women and establishment of schools for girls.