Pacific Islands

Sailor and Beachcomber – Safroni-Middleton – First Edition 1915

“Confessions of a Life at Sea, In Australia and amid the Islands of the Pacific”. Published by Grant Richards, London a first edition 1915.

Thick octavo, 304 pages private library stamp at front and rear of Thomas Kinmore of Cork, Ireland. Nicely illustrated with 23 images from photographs. Pretty good condition.

An unusual book starting with “I run away to sea” but finds himself stranded in Brisbane and then off to the bush before leaving for the South Sea Islands. The usual chapter on cannibalism with much time spent in Samoa and Fiji, then Tahiti (and the usual chapter on morals) and the Marquesan Queens and back to Samoa before returning to Australia. Lost in the bush and on to the Gold Fields and Coolgardie. References to the Bounty and of course R.L.S. And quite a bit of violin playing – see his biography below.

Written in an interesting somewhat casual style but packed with observation if not sometimes a bit puffed up.

The author George Arnold Haynes Safroni-Middleton (1873-1950), also known as Count Safroni, was a British Composer, violinist, harpist, writer and astronomer. Born in Kent he studied violin with Pablo de Sarasate and later played with the orchestra at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Sydney. He toured Australia and explored Borneo, Papua New Guinea and Malaysia (and also obviously the Pacific). He composed “Imperial Echoes” in 1913 which for many years was the theme of “Radio Newsreel” on the BBC. Quite an odd chap.

In Australian and (mainly) in the Pacific – entertaining

$80.00

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Bounty / Pitcairn Item – Harper’s New Monthly Magazine – 1871

Bound as one volume Harper’s Magazine from December 1870 to May 1871. Small quarto, 952 pages bound in half black leather worn but strong, page edges speckled red.

The usual smorgasbord of 19th century articles. The star is a 15 page illustrated article on the Pitcairn Islanders largely based on Lady Belchers book

Unusual Bounty/ Pitcairn item often overlooked

$85.00

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Papuan Epic – Keith Bushell – 1930

Keith Bushell was a Patrol Officer and Magistrate in New Guinea. His book is an extremely personal account at times drifting to dialogue, Skirmished and cannibalism abound as does “white savagery”.

The battles of Pai-Wa and Ebadidi are recorded. The questionable taming of the sorcerer “Donovan”. Nicely illustrated as usual for New Guinea items.

Bushell – Kiap Recollections

$70.00

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The Black Musketeers – Marshall – 1937

First edition 1937 The New Hebrides (Vanuatu) and one of the most readable Pacific Island accounts because of the skill and humour of the author Jock Marshall. From the Oxford University Exploring Committee. The introduction by his colleague Tom Harrison sets the scene better than many.

The musketeers use guns taken there in the 19th century by sandalwood and slave trader … they still work.

Well illustrated … Interesting story behind the “red flag”.

Marshall among the Musketeers of Vanuatu

$60.00

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Cases de Naturels a Nouka-Hiva (Baie Anna Maria) – Louis LeBreton (Dumont d’Urville Expedition) – 1846

A natural image of the native people of Nouka-Hiva (now Nuka Hiva) the third largest island in the Marquesas.

An original lithograph from a drawing by Louis LeBreton (1818-1866) published as part of the great “Atlas Pittoresque” to accompany “Voyage au Pole Sud et dans l’Oceanie sur les corvettes l’Astrolabe et la Zelee … sous commandement de M.J. Dumont d’Urville”.

Lithographed by Bichebois and produced by Lemercier Benard, Paris 1846. A sizeable image on sturdy paper – 37cms x 28cms to the edge of the printed area bright and clean, with very wide boarders with the odd mark from handling but well away from the image. Overall in very good condition. The quality and intensity of the artwork can be seen in the close up images.

Louis LeBreton replaced Goupil as the official artist (he died at Hobart on the outward voyage) on Dumont d’Urville’s third circumnavigation of 1837-40.

Incidentally, Herman Melville and Robert Louis Stephenson were both to visit and take inspiration from Nouka-Hiva

Fine Polynesian image by Louis LeBreton

$140.00

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WG Lawes of Savage Island and New Guinea – Joseph King – 1909 First Edition

Published by The Religious Tract Society London in 1909, a First Edition. Original binding with snag top of spine glued otherwise a pretty good complete copy. Gilt titles and image all bright.

388 pages with folding coloured map of PNG and 21 most interesting black and white photographs. Lawes (1839-1907) went to Niue in 1861 for 11 years before then serving in Papua New Guinea in and around Port Moresby for 32 years from 1874. A tough man who worked with Chalmers met Bully Hayes and built the first church and school in Port Moresby.

Pioneering Missionary in PNG – Cornerstone PNG

$120.00

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Sailor and Beachcomber – Safroni-Middleton – First Edition 1915

Bounty / Pitcairn Item – Harper’s New Monthly Magazine – 1871

Papuan Epic – Keith Bushell – 1930

The Black Musketeers – Marshall – 1937

Cases de Naturels a Nouka-Hiva (Baie Anna Maria) – Louis LeBreton (Dumont d’Urville Expedition) – 1846

WG Lawes of Savage Island and New Guinea – Joseph King – 1909 First Edition

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