78/2596 [Ceylon]. Haafner, J. Lotgevallen op eene reize van Madras over Tranquebaar naar het eiland Ceilon. Haarlem, A. Loosjes P.Z., 1806, 1st ed., (2),X,367p., engr. title, title-vignette and 1 fold. plate by R. VINKELES after J. HAAFNER, contemp. gilt hcalf w. leather letterpiece.

- Owner's entry and bookplate of H.F.M. Ouwerling on upper pastedown. Lacks portion letterpiece. Otherwise a fine copy.

= Tiele 433; Landwehr, VOC 347; cat. NHSM I, p.243; De Silva/ Beumer p.461-462. "Haafner [1755-1809] started his literary activities very late in life. His first travel-book was published in 1806 in Haarlem: Lotgevallen op eene reize van Madras over Tranquebaar naar het eiland Ceilon. (...). The importance of Haafner's eyewitness accounts is that they were done during the decay of the VOC. Terpstra, in his analysis of Haafner's views on colonialism as expressed in his works, comes to the conclusion that Haafner was an anti-colonialist, a man before his time, for his ideas were not to be topical until more than a century had elapsed." (De Silva/ Beumer).