Ellis's Narrative of a tour Through Hawaii - Volume with 2 Maps & 8 Engraved Plates

Ellis's Narrative of a tour Through Hawaii - Volume with 2 Maps & 8 Engraved Plates
This historic volume is William Ellis's Narrative of a tour Through Hawaii, or Owhyhee; With Observations On The Natural History of the Sandwich Islands, and Remarks on the Manners, Customs, Traditions, History, and Language of their Inhabitants. This is the third, expanded edition published in London by H. Fisher in 1827.

The volume has 480 pages, an engraved frontispiece portrait, two folding maps, and 8 engraved plates. There some illustrations in the text. It is bound in contemporary calf with gilt spine. It has an owner's entry on the title page.

"The Narrative of English missionary William Ellis is particularly important, as it was the first book written about the Hawaiian Islands and the first serious notice of the islands since Captain Cook's discovery of them forty-eight years earlier. It may be called the first scientific book on Hawaii: although its main purpose was to report on mission progress, and Ellis was primarily interested in local manners and traditions, he was sufficiently expansive to include observations on such natural and cultural history topics as volcanoes, antiquities, and the anthropology of the islands." (Hill 191)

William Ellis (1794-1872) was a British missionary and writer. He set up the first printing press in the South Seas. He also printed the first Hawaiian book in 1823, a hymnal. "[ Narrative of a tour Through Hawaii, or Owhyhee] was the first book written about the Hawaiian Islands and the first serious notice of the islands since Captain Cook's discovery of them forty-eight years earlier. It may be called the first scientific book on Hawaii (...)." (Hill 545)


Paper Size: ~ 5 1/2" by 8 1/2"

The work is in good to very good condition overall. There is some very light offsetting from the maps and plates on opposite leaf. It has been nicely rebacked. There may be a few minor imperfections to be expected with age. Please review the image carefully for condition and contact us with any questions.