British expedition map of the North American continent, 19th century.

Map of the British expedition to the North American continent, 19th century.
"Route of the Expedition from Isle à la Crosse to Fort Providence in 1819 & 20".
Engraved on plate.
Folded in four parts. It presents very slight humidity stains.
Measurements: 58 x 26,5 cm.

Interesting cartographic document of historical and exploratory character, corresponding to one of the great British expeditions to the northwest of Canada in the first quarter of the 19th century. The map records the route followed between Isle à la Crosse - an important enclave of the fur trade network in present-day Saskatchewan - and Fort Providence, in the Northwest Territories.

It is an arduous itinerary that crosses lakes, rivers and extensive forested areas, territory little known to Europeans at the time but inhabited and traveled by indigenous communities. These maps are directly related to the expeditions led by John Franklin and other explorers in the service of the British Crown and the Hudson's Bay Company, whose aim was to reconnoiter the northern territory and open routes to the Arctic.