Early Records of the Pacific Appeal

Pacific Appeal by Dr. George Mackaness

Letter to the Editor rERE are three matters of some interest to me and to students of Pacific history, concerning which I crave your aid. (1) The probable complete loss of the important collection of Pacific Islands literature made by Mr. Bjarne Kroepelien (whose homeland is now completely sub jugated by the enemy, and whose trea sures have either been destroyed or car ried off by the invaders) urges me to take some action to endeavour to ame liorate the possible loss to historical research workers.

I should, therefore, like you to invite any of your readers who are interested in Early Pacific Literature to get into touch with me, care of the University of Sydney, and to give me any details of the existence of books, pamphlets, trans lations, vocabularies, grammars or manu scripts which they possess.

Particularly, I should like information concerning the early printings made at the various Mission presses, especially those of the Leeward and Windward Islands (French Oceania) the New Heb

rides, Tahiti, Tonga, Samoa and the Philippines, from 1800 onwards.

Early French literature relating to the Pacific may, too, have suffered a loss through the removal of M, Jore’s library from his New Caledonian home. He for many years was working on a “Bib liography of the French Pacific.” (2) As I wish to complete my research work on Robert Louis Stevenson’s asso ciations with Australia and the South Seas, I should also like to make contact with any of your readers who possess Stevensoniana, and, in particular, copies of the “Open Letter to Dr. Hyde Con cerning Father Damien,” published in Sydney about March, 1890, as well as of the two booklets, “An Object of Pity,” and “Objects of Pity,” both bearing the inscription, “Imprinted at Amsterdam” about the year 1892, (3) Can any of your readers inform me of the present whereabouts of the portrait of Captain Cook, made by Web ber at Otaheite, on Cook’s last voyage?

It carried on the back the names of visiting ships, including the “Bounty,” the “Providence” and the “Assistant,” with dates of arrival and departure. It was left in the care of Tinah (Pomare) and his family, but seems to have dis appeared.

I am, etc.,

G. Mackaness.

University of Sydney, Sydney. 16/6/43.