The Library. 25 



distribution. The printed catalogues form a fairly complete bibliography of the literary 

 activities of the Empire, and the manuscript catalogues reveal the immense range of 

 literature published during recent years. Amongst the treasures of the library are 

 many books of great value and rarity, both bibliographically and historically. 

 The collection of drawings made by William Westall, A.K.A., who accompanied 

 Flinders on his expedition to the shores of Australia in 1801-2, is unique, as are 

 those of scenes in the Transvaal and in Khodesia made by A. A. Anderson. The 

 collection of books relating to Australia is extensive, and contains the chief col- 

 lections of voyages to the South Seas, a valuable set of Gould's Birds, and many 

 scarce pamphlets. The Dominion of Canada is also well represented, and amongst 

 the rarer books may be noted Colden's " History of the Five Nations " (1747) ; Jeffrey's 

 " Natural and Civil History of the French Dominions in North and South America " 

 (1761) ; Eogers' " Account of North America " (1765) ; Sagard's " Le Grand Voyage du 

 Pays des Hurons " (1632) ; Bacqueville's " Histoire de I'Amerique Septentrionale " ; 

 Charlevoix' " Histoire de La Nouvelle France " (1744), and the celebrated series of 

 the Jesuit Relations. The literature relating to the West Indies is extensive, and 

 contains Davies' " History of the Caribby Islands" (1666) ; Burton's " Enghsh Empire 

 in America " (1685) ; Blome's " Jamaica " (1672), and Hickeringill's " Jamaica Viewed," 

 an extremely rare publication issued in 1661. The African section. Eastern, Western, 

 and Southern, is of great interest. Here are the sumptuous volumes issued by Ogilby 

 in 1670, containing some of the earliest illustrations of the Cape, the quaint literary 

 hoax written by Damberger in 1801, Kolbe's " Present State of the Cape " (1718), and 

 the works of the principal African voyagers and discoverers, such as Sparmann, 

 Paterson, Barrow, Lichtenstein, Le Vaillant, Latrobe, Burchell, and many others. A 

 splendid edition of Daniell's " African Scenery and Animals," and other rare 

 illustrated works add distinction to this section of the library. The Indian section 

 also contains many of the more important works relating to India, and a special section 

 is devoted to Egypt and the Sudan. Nor are the smaller dependencies neglected. 

 There is quite a collection of literature relating to the Falkland Islands, and even 

 such small islands as the Cocos-Keeling group and Fanning Island have their section 

 in the catalogue as well as on the shelves. Of general works of travel attention 

 may be directed to those known as Hakluyt (1598-1600) ; Purchas (1625-6) ; 

 Churchill (1732) ; Harleian (1745) ; Harris (1705) ; Callander (1788) ; Burney 

 (1803-17) ; Pinkerton (1808) ; Astley (1745-7) ; Kerr (1811-24) ; Ramusio 

 (1554-83), and Prevost (1746-70), and the publications of the Hakluyt, Navy 

 Records, Linschoten, and similar societies. Among special sections may be 

 mentioned one containing the prose and poetic writings of Colonial litterateurs. 

 The importance of the growing national literatures of Canada, Australia, and 

 even South Africa is attested by the size of the special sections. There is also a 

 botanical section in which the chief works on the floras of the Colonies are kept, 

 and a language section containing publications on and in native languages is being 

 formed. A journey round the bookshelves reveals the greatness of the British 

 Empire, and brings home in a better way than can perhaps be done elsewhere the 

 vast amount of literature that has been written about the British possessions. The 

 library is becoming more and more known to literary workers, and many well-known 

 works on subjects of colonial and imperial interest have been written within its 

 walls. 



