Colonel Smythe (3 results)

Trade Paperback. Condition: Very Good. xx, b/w photos and illustrations, glossary, 90pp. Light rubbing and creasing to cover and page corners. Tight spine, clean cover, clean unmarked interior pages.

Hardcover. Condition: Good+. Dust Jacket Condition: No Dust Jacket. First Edition. Small tears and chips to cloth at ends of spine and at tips of corners of boards. Hinges split and reinforced with red cloth tape. Signs of label removal from front endpaper. Contemporary owner's signature on title page "Geo C. Smythe / [Coole Glehn? (illegible)]". ; x, [2], xviii, [2], 282, [2 (blank)] pages + chromolithograph frontispiece + 3 chromolithograph plates + 6 tinted lithograph plates + 4 maps (1 with hand-coloured route of Col. Smythe; 2 folding) + 2 lithograph plates. 3 in-text engravings. Original green cloth boards with gilt lettering and decoration on spine, gilt sailing vessel illustration on front board. Page dimensions: 223 x 138mm. Pink coated endpapers. "The circumstances which led to my official mission to the Fiji Islands, and an account of the voyage to them by way of Sydney and Auckland, and on return to England by San Francisco and Panama, will be found briefly related in the Introduction. Mrs. Smythe's Letters, written originally to friends at home, contain a personal narrative of our cruise aomng the Isaldns, and of our subsequent sojourn at them." - from the Preface by W. J. Smythe. The illustrations are: Levuka (Island of Ovalau); The 'Pegasus' towed to her Moorings; Interior of the Great Chapel at Mbau; Mbau; Chapel in process of erection at Vutia; Navatu; Meeting at Nanduri (Mathuata); Meeting at Nakorotumbu; View of the Reef, Lakemba; Fawn Harbour, Vanua-levu; View from the Observatory, Levuka; Cocoa-nut Trees in a Storm; View from Observatory, looking towards the Wood. The 4 maps are: Map of Pacific Ocean; Map of Fiji Group; Map of Route from Navua to Namusi; Map or portion of Melanesia. ; 8vo.

Leather. Condition: Near Fine. Not Stated (illustrator). First edition. The first edition of a fascinating account of the Fiji Islands in the mid 19th century, offering an early western perspective prior to significant British colonial governance. A first edition, beautifully bound in half crushed morocco.Illustrated with a chromolithographic frontispiece, three further chromolithographic plates, several vignette illustrations and four maps, two of which are folding. Collated, complete.Written by Sarah Maria Smythe, wife of Colonel W.â J. Smythe, who was commissioned by the British Government to Fiji. Colonel Smythe provides the introduction, an excursion account, and an appendix.Endpapers renewed.The work offers an interesting perspective of the region, prior to significant British colonial interference, combining topography, narration and illustration. Rebound in half crushed morocco, with gilt detailing to back strip, and with marbled paper covered boards. Externally, fine. Endpapers renewed. Internally, firmly bound. Pages bright, with spotting and instances of foxing to pages facing plates. Near Fine. book.