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AN UNBIASED VIEW ON THE DUTCH EAST INDIES
OLIVIER, Johannes. Tafereelen en merkwaardigheden uit Oost-Indië.
Amsterdam, G.J.A. Beijerinck, 1836-1838. 2 volumes. 8vo. With 25 plates (containing 76 numbered steel-engraved illustrations; number 37 is signed by J.W. Kaiser and used as frontispiece to volume I). 19-century boards covered with marbled paper.
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Original edition of an interesting work on the Dutch East Indies by Johannes Olivier. The author left for the Indies in 1817 and was employed as clerk on board the Wilhelmina, then in Palembang, Batavia, and finally he was transferred to the Colonial Navy where he served as secretary to Captain Zacharias Schrooijesteijn. His excessive drinking and violent outbursts, however, led to his forced repatriation in 1826. After his return to Holland he published several accounts of his travels in the East Indies and tried to gain permission to return to the East, which he finally received in 1839. In the present work Olivier tries to give an unbiased view of the Dutch East Indies based on his own travels, describing the fauna, climate, customs, trade and industry on Java, Sumatra, the Moluccas and Ambon. The second volume also includes an account of travels in India. Last three leaves of volume 2 spotted.
A very good untrimmed set of this interesting work on the Dutch East Indies.
