KABRIS, Joseph

Historical and true precis of the stay of J. Kabris native of Bordeaux, in the islands of Mendoça. Paris, printing house of J.G. Dentu, [ca. 1817]. In-8 (207 x 135 mm) of 15 pp. Paperback, publisher's blue muted cover, modern brown half-chagrin slipcase. O'Reilly, 6623. The first of three editions published without date, listed by O'Reilly Written, as it is specified on the last page, "by Mr. A.F. Dulys, according to the information supplied by Mr. J. Kabris, who declares the present to be sincere and true", it contains the details of the "stay in the islands of Mendoça, situated in the Pacific Ocean, under the 10th degree of south latitude, about the 240th degree of longitude". Joseph Kabris (1780-1822) had washed up on the shores of the island of Nuku-Hiva, from where he was forcibly embarked by Krusenstern during his passage in 1804. He was fully integrated into local society after having his whole body tattooed (pp. 5-6). He then married one of the chief's daughters (p. 1), with whom he had two children. Kabris indicates that he was taken away against his will by Krusenstern because he was "perfectly happy in these islands". We have not been able to verify the existence of the plate mentioned by O'Reilly - it does not appear on the digitized copy of the Bibliothèque nationale de France. The two illustrations that appeared in the exhibition of the quai Branly (2015) do not correspond to this edition (according to the indications of the catalog they would rather date from 1824) A very good copy with all margins of this extremely rare eyewitness account.