Journal of an Embassy from the Governor-General of India to the Courts of Siam and Cochin China, Two Vols., Complete

London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, 1830. Second Edition. Hardcover. Very Good/None. Forest green cloth boards with blindstamped decoration and borders, blindstamped bands and gilt titling on spine, lightly rubbed. Corners bumped. Upper corners on Vol. 1 are rubbed and all on Vol. 2. Closed 1/2-in. tear lifting spine covering near head on Vol. 1. Interior hinges cracked; Vol. 1 a little shaky. Bindings sound. Second volume untrimmed; one sheet has been hand-separated. Page edges are darkened. Interiors unmarked with minimal foxing affecting only margins and illustrations. Some of the plates have transferred a toning effect to facing pages of text, as happens--still readable. City of Bangkok illustration has a dampstain, still stunning. 8vo. Not a reprint or print-on-demand. Not ex-library. BOOK INFO: 'Exhibiting a View of the Actual State of Those Kingdoms by John Crawfurd, ESQ., FRS., FLS., FGS., &c, late envoy.' These volumes document the diplomatic journey of John Crawfurd, beginning in 1821, through Siam, (now Thailand) and Cochinchina (part of southern Vietnam) Illus. by fold-out B&W engravings, wood cuts and fold-out maps, including a large (25 x 39 ins.) fold-out map of the two kingdoms compiled by John Walker, published in 1828. One illustration depicts the 'Ordinary mode of conveyance of persons of rank in Cochin China'-by hammock, held aloft by soldiers. Fold-out Vocabularies table lists English words and their translations in to Thai, Lao, Mon (or Pegu), Kamboja, Komen, Pali, Ka, Chong, Malay of Champa, and Annam. A fold-out of a gorgeous Siamese alphabet. Also a fold-out of 8 national portraits, representing different races. Interesting--just 30 years after this book was published, France entered into a conflict which became known as the Cochinchina Campaign and resulted in their maintaining colonial rule for nearly a century. 475pp., 459pp. Ships from US.