Author: MARSDEN, William.
Title: The history of Sumatra, containing an account of the government, laws, customs, and manners of the native inhabitants, with a description of the natural productions, and a relation of the ancient political state of that island. 3rd edition, with corrections, additions.
Description: London, J. M'Creery, 1811. 4to. Later blue buckram (spine discoloured). With large folding engraved map and engraved plate of the Rajang, Batta, Lampoon alphabets. VIII,479,(9) pp. Third and best edition; first published in London in 1783; with the bookplate of Arthur Hereward Millard. - 'This book gave Marsden a reputation that still holds today. He was an orientalist, in the service of the East India Company (VOC), and resided in Sumatra in 1771-79. He studied everything that came under his notice, including the difficult Sumatran tongue'' (Cox I, p.300). His book is the first important monograph on Sumatra, including a chapter on Nias and also the first text in English devoted to the island. - (Without the atlas as usual). Wellan-Helfrich D 238; Howgego M55; Hill 1093.

Keywords: Indonesia Indonesia ethnography Islands Jubileum cat. Sumatra indonesia exploration