Williams, John. A Narrative of Missionary Enterprises in the South Sea Islands; with Remarks on the Natural History of the Islands, Origin, Languages, Traditions, and Usages of the Inhabitants; Illustrated with Engravings on Wood, by G. Baxter. New-York: D. Appleton & Co., (1837). First American Edition. [9233]
Originally issued as one volume, here sometime rebound as two. Quarter vellum with black & white marbled boards, morocco spine titles, 20 x 12.5 cm (8 x 5 inches).
Vol. I. - (i.)-274 pp., private bookplate; woodcut vignette on the title page of two missionary couples seated & surrounded by natives to whom one of the men is preaching; folding map of Polynesia by John Snow of London; a dampstain in the top margin begins at p. 169.
Vol. II. - pp. 275-525, dampstain in top margin, and in some sections of the text. Bindings are tight; all illustrations and plates present. Good. Hardcover.
The Introduction to this American edition bears the date of Oct. 18, 1837. The first English edition was published the same year, while Williams was visiting England to raise funds for the mission.
The map is 8 x 10 inches, in fine condition, and has a chart of the main island groups, showing name, population, whether Christian or heathen, no. of missionaries, & name of missionary society engaged. The firm of John Snow engraved accurate maps of high quality.
Includes the author's visits to the Hervey Islands, New South Wales, Tahiti, Samoa, Tonga, etc. Two years following the publication of this work, in November, 1839, while visiting a part of the New Hebrides where John Williams was unknown, he and fellow missionary James Harris were killed and eaten by cannibals on the island of Erromango during an attempt to bring them the Gospel.
John Williams (1796-1839), b. Totteham, near London; d. Erromango, New Hebrides. A mechanic by trade, after conversion he was ordained as a missionary with the London Missionary Society to the South Pacific. A tireless worker, he constructed his own ship to use in his missionary activities. His policy of evangelizing and befriending the head chiefs of the islands earned him the respect of the islanders.
"In 1839 Williams was attacked and murdered on a beach at Eromanga, New Hebrides (Vanuatu), while fleeing from distrustful Islanders. Portrayed as a martyr, he became a legend and an inspiration for Islander missionaries and the LMS 'at home and abroad.' Seven of the society's ships subsequently bore his name." - John Garrett, Biographical Dictionary of Christian Missions, edited by Gerald H. Anderson.
