This attractive little map is actually a pirated copy of Fr. Eusebio Francisco Kino's 1696 manuscript map. The Mexican Viceroy sent a copy of Kino's map to Monsieur Regis for the Royal Academy in Paris. Regis had the French King's official geographer Claude Delisle study it and it is probably this copy that found its way into the hands of Fer. Charles Inselin engraved it and Fer published it omitting Kino's title and summary of expeditions to California, and without a word of acknowledgement to Kino. In Kino's original, each village is labeled directly on the map. However, Fer designated the settlements by number and then gave their respective names in a special list--he made many mistakes in doing so. For example, number 100 is actually San Xavier, 99 is San Augustin, and 103 may be San Martin or Guebavi. California is still shown as an island, for Kino had not yet made his discovery expedition to the Colorado River. Nicholas de Fer (1646-1720) was a French cartographer and atlas publisher. More highly regarded for his decoration than his geographic precision, he produced many maps of France and Europe, and, between 1700 and 1705, three major atlases.
