Carte réduite des côtes orientales de l'Amérique septentrionale : contenant celles des provinces de New-York et de la Nouvelle Angleterre, celles de l'Acadie ou Nouvelle Ecosse, de l'Île Royale de l'Île St. Jean, avec l'intérieur du pays dressée au Dépôt général des cartes, plans et journaux de la marine, pour le service des vaisseaux du roi, par ordre de M. de Sartine, conseiller d'Etat, ministre et secretaire d'Etat ayant le département de la marine

The word portolan comes from the Italian adjective portolano, meaning "related to ports or harbors", or "a collection of sailing directions". Portolan charts are maps based on compass directions and estimated distances observed by the pilots at sea. They were first made in the 13th century in Italy, and later in Spain and Portugal where they considered to be state secrets. The English and Dutch found the description of Atlantic and Indian coastlines extremely valuable for their raiding, and later trading, ships. The oldest survived portolan is the Carta Pisana, dating from approximately 1296 and the oldest preserved Majorcan Portolan chart is the one made by Angelino Dulcert who produced a portolan in 1339.