Map of Puerto Rico

Title Leupe: Carta Geografyca de la Ysla de San Juan de Puerto Ryco, con los mas procsymas de Barlo Vento. Calcula de la Longytud al Meridiano de la Ysla de Santa Cruz de Tenerifa en las Canarias etc.

This eighteenth century map of Puerto Rico emphasizes the borders of the Spanish colony. To the east of Puerto Rico (to the right on the map) lay three Danish islands which are coloured yellow; St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John. The reference to the last island proves the map must have been made after the Danish conquest of it in 1733-34. In addition, the contested island of Vieques close to the east coast of Puerto Rico is also visible. The map thus stresses European competition. The island of Puerto Rico itself mainly contains references to towns and decorative trees. Leupe claims the map was reproduced in the workshop of Vingboons, but the post-1734 dating makes this unlikely. The reason this map found its way in the Dutch archives is thereby obscure.

North is below.

Scale-bar of 16 Leaguas = 136 ‘str.’