This is a wonderful, highly detailed map showing the course of the Nile River from Abyssinia through Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea.  At the top left is the title cartouche.  There is a large inset map along the left showing details on the Nile river in Egypt starting in Aswan in the south.  The map shows the main caravan route from Lower Egypt to the west of the Nile and extending through Abyssinia.  Another route is shown in Arabia connecting Mecca, Medina, and other important cities.  The engraver for this map is Starckman (Grave par P. Starckman).

The geography shows the Nile River as only originating in Lake Tana in the Abyssinian highlands.  Immediately to the east of Lake Tana is a small stream with the caption "Sources appellees les Yeux du Nil" (the source is called the eyes of the Nile), a reference to Lobo's description of two springs as the exact beginning of the Nile River.

This map by Nicolas de Fer (1646-1720), along with the earlier Nolin, Coronelli and Delisle maps, represents the beginning of a turning away from the traditional Ptolemaic view of the interior of Africa.  The geography tends to follow the slightly earlier Nolin 1689, Coronelli 1691, and Delisle 1700 folio maps with their updated information.  This information was based in part on Ludolfi’s 1683 map of Abyssinia and the earlier works by Almeida, Paez, Lobo, and Tellez.  By the time of this De Fer map, most European cartographers felt that the two Ptolemaic lakes in central Africa did not exist as a source for the Nile River.  

The map appeared in De Fer's Atlas ou Recueil de cartes geographiques.  The map itself is dated 1720 within the title cartouche. 

Fine condition with a light, non-distracting cease on the right side of the map.  A particularly interesting map, especially for those with an interest in the discovery of the source of the Nile River.