A missionary voyage to the southern Pacific Ocean, performed in the years 1796, 1797, 1798, in the ship Duff, commanded by Captain James Wilson. / Compiled from journals of the officers and the missionaries; and illustrated with maps, charts and views, drawn by Mr. William Wilson, and engraved by the most eminent artists. With a preliminary discourse on the geography and history of the South Sea Islands ; and an appendix, including details never before published, of the natural and civil state of Otaheite, by a committee appointed for the purpose by the directors of the Missionary Society ...

The body of the journal is the composition of William Wilson, from Captain James Wilson's papers, his own, and the missionaries' reports. The voyage was sponsored by the London Missionary Society.

"Published for the benefit of the Society."

Text printed on paper with watermark "1798" ; plates printed on watermarked paper.

Plates signed: T. Foot, M.A. Rooker, J. Landseer, Wm. Wilson.

Includes list of subscribers, p. [1-12], last set.

English short title catalogue, t87461

Hill coll. Pacific, I p. 184

Ferguson, J.A. Australia, 301

Cox, E.G. Travel, II, p. 307

Du Rietz, R. Bib Polynesiana, 528

Plate Digital image. Wellington, N.Z. : National Library of New Zealand, 2008

Copy 1. Binding: calf, gold tooled triple fillet, spine gold tooled with decorated compartments, raised spine bands, brown morocco spine label, gold tooled decorated edges and turn-ins, marbled endpapers, top text edge gilt. Fore-edges untrimmed. Spine title: Missionary voyage to the south seas. Provenance: bookplate of Alex H. Turnbull. Acc. 976.

Copy 2. Binding: red grained morocco, gold tooled, spine with gold tooled compartments, double raised gold tooled spine bands, gold tooled edges and turn-ins, marbled endpapers, text edges gilt, red silk tasselled bookmark. Spine title: Missionary voyage to the south seas. Binder's ticket "Bound by C. Kalthoeber." Endpapers watermarked "B 98." Some plates protected by watermarked sheets of glassine paper. Provenance: ms notes by W. Beckford ; bookplate of Alexander H. Turnbull. Acc. 977.

Alexander Turnbull Library SPC copy 3. Copy specific details available on request from Curator, Special Printed Collections. Binding: 1/2 calf, gold tooled on spine, brown pebble grained cloth, red and black goatskin spine labels. Provenance: inscription "From the Rev. George Mantell ... to Mr Thomas Mantell 1799"; Presented to the Library of the General Assembly of New Zealand by the Hon. Walter Baldock Durrant Mantell, M.L.C., January 1867; goldstamp and book label of the General Assembly Library. Acc. 343026.

Digital image available: 'Chart of the island and harbour of Tongataboo' by Wm. Wilson (London: Published as the Art directs by T. Chapman, 1799), copy 1, plate opp. p. 97. Alexander Turnbull Library SPC copy. Details on request from Curator, Special Printed Collections.