A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels Volume Xviii Part 48

717. Navigatio et Itinerarium in Orientalem Indiam, &c. Autore Joanne Linschot. Amsterd. 1614. folio.

718. Premier Livre de l'Histoire de la Navigation aux Indes Orientales, par les Hollandois. Amsterd, folio, 1558.

719. Le Second Livre. Amsterd. 1609, folio.

720. Relatio de Rebus in India Orientale, a Patribus. Soc. Jesu. 1598-1599, peractis, Mayence, 1601. 8vo.--The preceding works give an interesting picture of the East Indies during the 16th century.

721. Beschrievyng van oude niewe Ostinden. Von. F. Valyntyn. Amster.

1724-1726. 8 vol. fol.--This work appears to be little known, except in Holland; the author resided upwards of twenty years in India, and has most industriously, though not always with a good taste, or scrupulous judgment, collected much minute information on its natural, civil, and religious state.

722. Alex. Hamilton's Account of the East Indies, 2 vols. 8vo. 1744.

723. Grose's Travels to the East Indies, 1772. 2 vols. 8vo.

724. Zend Avesta. Par Anquetil du Perrin. Paris, 1771. 3 vols. 4to.--M.

Anquetil has prefixed to his translation of this supposed work of Zoroaster, an account of his travels in the East Indies, in which there is much valuable information, especially on antiquarian subjects. The Germans have translated and published separately, this part of M. Anquetil's work.

725. Voyages dans les Mers de l'Inde. Par M. Legentil, 1781. 5 vols.

8vo.--M. Legentil's object was to observe the transit of Venus, in 1761 and 1769. His work, besides entering into the subject of Indian astronomy, gives many important details on antiquities and natural history.

726. Description Historique et Geographique de l'Inde. Par J.

Tieffenthaler. Recherches Historiques et Geographiques sur l'Inde. Par Anquetil du Perrin. Publiees par J. Bernouilli. Berlin, 1785. 3 vols.

4to.--The most curious and original portion of this work is that which relates to the Seiks, by the missionary Tieffenthaler.

727. Forrest's Voyage from Calcutta to the Menguy Archipelago, 1792. 2 vols. 4to.--This work is justly of great authority, for its details in maritime geography,

728. Stavorinus's Voyages to the East Indies, comprising an account of all the possessions of the Dutch in India, and at the Cape of Good Hope, 3 vols. 8vo. 1798.

729. Fra. Paolino's Voyage to the East Indies. With notes by J. Reinold Forster. 8vo. 1800.--A translation of this valuable work, which originally appeared in Italian, was published in Paris, in 1805, by Anquetil du Perrin, in 3 Vols. 8vo. There are few works which throw more light than this does, on the religious antiquities of India.

730. Rennel's Memoir of a Map of Indostan. 2 Vols. 4to. 1793.--For geographical research, this work justly bears the highest character.

Particular parts of the East Indies are specially described in the following works:

731. Nouvelle Relation d'un Voyage fait aux Indes Orientales. Par M.

Dellen. Amsterd. 1699. 12mo.---Malabar, Calecut, and Goa, are particularly noticed by this author, who, being a medical man, is full and instructive on the poisonous animals, and the diseases.

732. Voyage de Francois Bernier, contenant la Description des Etats du Grand Mogul. Amsterd. 1725. 2 Vols. 12mo.--This author was also a medical man, and from that circ.u.mstance obtained favour from the Mogul, and an opportunity of visiting parts of Asia, at that time little known, particularly Cachemere, of which he gives a full and interesting description.

733. Voyage aux Indes Orientales, 1802-6, revu et augmente de notes. Par Sonnini. 2 Vols. 8vo. Paris, 1810.--The notes by Sonnini sufficiently point out the nature and character of this work.

734. Voyage dans la Peninsule Occidentale de l'Inde, et dans l'Isle de Ceylon. 2 Vols. 8vo. Paris, 1811.--This work is translated from the Dutch of Haafner; and as latterly few, except the English, have published accounts of India, it is for this reason interesting.

735. A Journey from Madras, through Mysore, Canara, and Malabar. By F.

Buchanan. 1811, 4to.--Much information, not well arranged or agreeably communicated, on the most valuable productions of these districts, on their climate, manufactures, and the manners, religion, &c. of their inhabitants.

736. Heyne's Tracts, historical and statistical, on India; with Journals of several Tours: and an account of Sumatra. 1814, 4to. A work not so well known, as from its information, particularly statistical, it deserves to be.

737. Forbes's Oriental Memoirs. 1813, 4 Vols. 4to.--It is to be regretted that this very splendid and expensive work was not published in a cheaper form, as it abounds in most striking pictures of the manners, customs, &c.

of India.

738. Major Symes's Account of an Emba.s.sy to the Kingdom of Ava, in 1795.

4to 1800--Little was known in Europe respecting Pegu and Ava before the travels of Hunter, and Loset and Erkelskrom were published; these travels, translated respectively from the English and German, were published together in Paris, in 1793. From these, and Major Symes's works, much may be gathered respecting the manners, religion, and government of the inhabitants of this part of Asia; but unfortunately, these travellers do not instruct us on the topics of natural history. We are indebted for most that we know respecting Siam, to a notion that was put into Louis XIV.'s mind, that the King of Siam was desirous of becoming a convert to Christianity. Under this idea, Louis sent an emba.s.sy and missionaries, from whom proceeded the following works: in which, allowing for a little exaggeration, in order to flatter the vanity of the French monarch, there is a deal of curious and valuable information of all kinds.

739. Premier Voyage de Siam des P.P. Jesuites. Redige par Tachard.--Second Voyage du P. Tachard, Paris, 1686-89. 2 Vols. 12mo.

740. Histoire Naturelle et Civile de Siam. Par Gervaise. Paris, 1688, 4to.

741. Description du Royaume de Siam. Par M. de la Loubere, Envoye Extraordinaire du Roi aupres du Roi de Siam. Amsterd. 1714. 2 Vols. 12mo.

742. Barrow's Voyage to Cochin China, 1792-93. 4to. 1806. This is perhaps the most valuable of Mr. Barrow's works, as it relates to a country not previously known, except by the accounts of the missionaries, and which has been scarcely visited since Mr. Barrow's time.

743. Relation Nouvelle et Curieuse du Royaume de Tonquin, et de Laos.

Traduite de l'Italien du P. de Marini. Paris, 1666, 4to. This work is full of a variety of topics connected with the civil, political, military, agricultural, and commercial state of Tonquin; nor is it deficient in what relates to the natural history, and the manners, religion, &c. of the inhabitants,

744. Histoire Naturelle et Civile du Tonquin. Par l'Abbe Richard. Paris, 1788. 2 Vols. 12mo.--The first volume of this work, which describes Tonquin and its inhabitants, is drawn from the accounts of the missionary St.

Phalte, and from other sources, with considerable neatness and judgment; the second volume is confined to a history of the missions thither.

745. Expose Statistique du Tunkin. London, 2 Vols. 8vo. 1811. This work is drawn up from the papers of M. de la Bessachere, who resided 18 years in Tunkin; and it is rich in new and curious information on the physical properties of the country, and the national character.

746. Letters on the Nicobar Islands. By the Rev C.G. Haensel, Missionary of the United Brethren. 1812. 8vo.--This short account is written with great simplicity and appearance of truth, and conveys much information on the inhabitants, as well as the soil, climate, &c. of these islands.

747. A Description of Prince of Wales Island. By Sir Home Popham. 1806, 8vo.

748. Sir George Leith's Account of the Settlement, Produce, and Commerce of Prince of Wales Island. 8vo. 1805.

INDIAN ISLANDS.

749. Historical Relation of Ceylon. By Robert Knox. 1681. folio.--This work, though published so long ago, and by one who was a prisoner, still retains its character, as the fullest and most interesting account of the inhabitants of Ceylon in the English language. The voluminous work of Valyntyn, in Dutch, which we have already noticed, may be advantageously consulted on this island, as well as on all parts of India formerly possessed by the Dutch.

750. John C. Wolfe's Life and Adventures in Ceylon. 1785. 8vo.--This work, translated from the Dutch, amidst much that is merely personal, contains some curious notices on Ceylon and its inhabitants. To the English translation is appended an account by Erkelskrom, which is valuable, as describing the island at the period when it pa.s.sed from the Dutch to the English.

751. Davy's Account of the Interior of Ceylon. 1821, 4to.--This is an excellent work, though like many other works of excellence, too bulky; its chief and peculiar merit and recommendation consist in its details on the natural history of Ceylon.

752. Marsden's History of Sumatra. 1783. 4to.--This is a most excellent work in the plan and execution, embracing almost every topic connected with the island and its inhabitants.

753. Voyage to the Isle of Borneo. By Capt. Beckman. 1718, 8vo.--Of this large island, so little known, this volume, and an article inserted in the Transactions of the Batavian Society of Java, gives us many interesting particulars; there are also some notices of it in Forrest's Voyage.

754. The Narrative of Captain Woodward, with a Description of the Island of Celebes. 1804, 8vo.--Woodward was an American captain who was taken prisoner by the Malays of Celebes: this work is the result of his observations and experience during his captivity; but it is confined to the western division of the isle: of this, however, it gives many particulars, respecting the produce, animals, inhabitants, &c. Stavorinus's works may also be consulted regarding Celebes.

755. Crawfurd's History of the Indian Archipelago. 1820. 3 vols. 8vo.--This is a valuable work, particularly in what relates to the actual commerce and commercial capabilities of these islands: it also treats of the manners, religion, language, &c. of the inhabitants; but on some of these points not with the soundest judgment, or the most accurate information.

756. Raffles's History of Java. 1817. 2 vols. 4to.--Had this work been compressed into a smaller compa.s.s, by a judicious abridgment of the historical part, its value as well as interest would have been enhanced; these, however, are not small, as it gives by far the fullest and most accurate account of Java, and its inhabitants, that has appeared; and as the author, from his residence and high official situation, possessed every advantage, its accuracy may be depended on. When the natural history ill.u.s.trations of Java, by Mr. Horsfield, are completed, they will, in conjunction with this work, and the Transactions of the Batavian Society, leave nothing to be desired on the subject of this part of Asia.

757. E. Koempfer's Geschichte und Beschriebung von j.a.pan. Lemgo, 1777-79. 2 vols. 4to.--This edition of Koempfer's celebrated work on j.a.pan contains several things which are not to be found in the English translation.

758. Histoire du j.a.pan. Par Charlevoix. Paris, 1754, 6 vols. 12mo.--This is the best edition of Charlevoix's work, many parts of which, especially what relates to natural history, are drawn from Koempfer. Charlevoix has added important details on the administration of justice in j.a.pan, and on the moral character of the j.a.panese; but the bulk of the work is swelled by tiresome ecclesiastical details.