[Rarebooks] fa: THIRTEEN YEARS AMONGST THE WILD TRIBES OF KHONDISTAN [INDIA] 1864 (Suppression of Human Sacrifice)

[Ardwight Chamberlain]

Listed now, auction ending Sunday, November 5. Images and more details can be found at the URL below or by searching for the seller name arch_in_la. 

http://tinyurl.com/ychnzkto

Thanks again,
Ardwight Chamberlain
Ann Arbor, MI, USA

Major General John Campbell: A Personal Narrative of Thirteen Years Service Amongst the Wild Tribes of Khondistan for the Suppression of Human Sacrifice. London: Hurst and Blackett, 1864. First edition; 8vo in early/period half morocco and marbled boards, top page edges gilt, marbled endpapers; ix, [3], 320 pp.; title-page vignette and six plates, folding map (complete, per list of illustrations).

A rather uncommon account by John Campbell (1802-1877), a Scottish-born officer in the East India Company's service, of his two missions to Orissa (present-day Odisha in eastern India) to suppress the practices of human sacrifice and infanticide amongst the Khonds. His first visit was apparently quite successful, but on his departure, much of his work was undone by his successor, a Captain Macpherson, and the old practices returned, so Campbell was recalled to set things right again. In his book he castigated Macpherson's "mistakes in judgment," and Macpherson's brother brought forth a book of his own, disputing Campbell's claims. "The controversy created some excitement, and drew such attention to Campbell's undoubted services that on the enlargement of the order of the Star of India and its division into three classes in 1866, he was made a K.C.S.I. [and] promoted to lieutenant-general" (DNB).

Binding with some rubbing and wear to the edges and corners, a touch of light rubbing to the joints; two small ink stains to the edges of the  text block, contents mildly toned with occasional marginal damp-stains, scattered light spotting to the half-title and folding map, a few small  spots and touches of soiling elsewhere, otherwise clean, firmly and handsomely bound. From the Masonic library of the Wisconsin Consistory (Scottish Rite) with its fairly discreet library marks: bookplate, shelf label on the spine foot and pocket on rear paste-down; no markings to the text or maps.