An Account of the Natives of the Tonga Islands, in the South Pacific Ocean 2 Volume Set: With an Original Grammar and Vocabulary of Their Language

By William Mariner

In November 1806, the damaged Port-au-Prince arrived at what Captain Cook had called the Friendly Islands. William Charles Mariner (1791-1853) was among the few crew members spared by the native inhabitants. He lived there for four years. Published in 1818, this two-volume second edition offers an important early insight into Tongan customs and language. As editor John Martin (1789-1869) explains, the structure of a nation's language is vital to the consideration of its history. So successful was the first edition of 1817 - expanded upon here to include 'generally corroborative, and in a few instances somewhat corrective' information from another erstwhile inhabitant - that within months of its publication a French translation appeared; German and American editions soon followed. Volume 1 comprises Martin's extensive introduction and a narrative of Mariner's stay. Volume 2 covers diverse aspects of Tongan society and includes a detailed grammar of the language and 2,000 words of vocabulary.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 110805756X
• ISBN13: 9781108057561
• Release Date: November 2012
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Length: 1006 Pages
• Weight: 2.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 2.5" x 5.6" x 8.5"