Australie

71 pages, contained in an issue of the Royal Geographical Society. These are original text pages printed in 1886. Paper is in Excellent Condition. This is the Original of Markham's Bibliography, as issued in the blue wrappers. The first printing of Markham's summation of New Guinea discovery expeditions leading up to those of Wilfred Powell, with remarks on potential opportunity in yet little-known interior territories. Includes the foremost 51 page bibliographical appendix on the subject, compiled by Rye. In 1511 the Portuguese Antonio de Abreu had made a voyage from the Aru Islands to the Moluccas, and had possibly sighted the coast of New Guinea. But it was Don Jorge de Meneses, a Portuguese commander sent from Malacco to take charge at the Moluccas in 1526, who was the actual discoverer. Meneses little dreamt of the significance of his discovery, that he had reached one of the largest islands in the world-covering 306,000 square miles, 1500 miles long and 500 wide, and as large as France and Britain put together. Remaining parts of the island would not be explored until the 17th century. There is very little bibliographical material published on the early history and discovery of New Guinea. Rye's is the first bibliography on the subject mentioned in Besterman. He cites approximately 800 publications on the subject. The arrangement of the material is alphabetical by author. Markham adds a concise and useful history of the exploration of the island. Scarce in any edition. Besterman 4224.