Iles Taïti. Esquisse historique et géographique, précédée de considérations générales sur la colonisation française dans l'Océanie

Uncommon first edition (cf. O'Reilly & Reitman, 6271: "Travail consciencieux, bien documenté et toujours utile"; Numa Broc, Océanie, pp. 377-380).

Our copy retains the two folding maps bound at the end of the first volume.

The two maps are titled: Carte de l'île Taïti d'après Vilson et les travaux récens de la frégate l'Artémise; Carte de l'archipel Taïti d'après les travaux les plus récens [et] des archipels français dans l'Océanie par Mr Vincendon-Dumoulin, 1844.

Contemporary half bottle-green sheep, spine with five raised bands gilt with scrolling tools and floral ornaments, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers, spines slightly darkened.

Scattered foxing; two rather clumsily repaired tears to pp. 421 and 813 in vol. II.

The hydrographer-engineer Vincendon-Dumoulin (1811–1858) accompanied Dumont d’Urville aboard the Astrolabe during his visit to Tahiti in September 1838, at the time of the French intervention on the island.

Beyond an opening chapter on colonisation in Oceania, the work comprises a geographical section and a historical one.

The first offers a description of the Leeward Islands (Maupiti, Bora-Bora, Huahine, Raiatea, Tahaa), followed by the Windward Islands, including Tahiti.

The historical section, after several remarks on the institutions and customs of the inhabitants, recounts their history.

The table placed at the beginning of the volume provides a clear chronological sequence of events.

An appendix of 51 documents gathers the correspondence, notes, and reports exchanged by the representatives of France, England, and Pomaré in 1842–43.