Journal of a Cruise among the Islands of the Western Pacific

John Elphinstone Erskine (1805-87) was a naval officer who served as a naval commander during the Crimean War, as well as patrolling the West Indies and the Mediterranean. He also wrote several well-received accounts of voyages around the Pacific. As a Liberal MP later in life, he was an outspoken campaigner for the rights of Pacific islanders. This 1853 book is a genial narration of his visits to islands such as Fiji and Samoa. Written in a lyrical and affectionate style, the account covers the culture, religion and health of the native populations. Subjects discussed include local religion, cannibalism, gender relations and tribal wars. Rich with descriptive detail and paying special attention to the welfare of the local people and their varied encounters with white explorers, the text also includes the moving and detailed journal of an Englishman, John Jackson, who was stranded on Fiji for two years.