Through Polynesia and Papua. Wanderings with a Camera in Southern Seas
London, G. Bell & Sons, Ltd. [for Francis Griffiths], 1911.
Octavo, xvi, 197 pages plus a folding map and 91 pages of plates from photographs (many full-page).
Red cloth lettered in gilt on the spine; top edge gilt, others uncut; covers a little stained and rubbed; ownership signature on the front free endpaper; scattered light foxing; a few other signs of age and handling; one plate slightly cropped at the top edge; a very good copy.
'My views and opinions upon the Missionary question may not, in some quarters, be perceived with approval. They are, however, the results of years of investigation and close study of a subject which I approached with an impartial and unprejudiced mind. I have also the satisfaction of knowing, for a certainty, that my conclusions in the matter are those of a great majority of Government Officials, resident traders, and those travellers who have visited the islands' (the introduction; see also the Appendix, pages 191-97). There may or may not be any connection with this disclaimer in the third paragraph of the introduction, but fully half of the illustrations include bare-breasted or naked women. More than a handful carry captions like 'Tahitian Girl in dishabille', 'A Woodland Nymph, Tahiti', 'Tahitian Girl, Bathing', and 'Girl washing, Raratonga'. This title can be found in several variants: (1) In red cloth with a gilt design of a reclining Tahitian girl on the front cover and Francis Griffiths given as the publisher on the title page and binding (possibly the primary issue); (2) In simpler dark green ribbed cloth with G. Bell & Sons as publisher on the title page and binding (and with the identical date); and (3) In simple red cloth with gilt top edge, the publisher given as Griffiths on the spine and Bell on the title page (as here, likely a remainder issue).
Item #146872
Price (AUD):
$150.00