Iles Marquises ou Nouka-Hiva. Histoire, géographie, moeurs et considérations générales. D'après les rélations des navigateurs et les documents recueillis sur les lieux..

Scarce and important work on the Marquesas by Vincendon-Dumoulin, the eminent French scientist who travelled as hydrographer on Dumont d'Urville's second expedition to the Pacific and was responsible for much of the published narrative of the expedition following d'Urville's premature death. Vincendon-Dumoulin's book is usually cited as one of the chief sources for our history of the Marquesas in the post-discovery period, especially valuable since it is at least partly based on direct personal observation. Dumont d'Urville's secretary, César Desgraz, helped him with the compilation and is credited as co-author on the title-page.

Additional information, including ethnological updates, is included in the sub-chapter titled 'Notice phrenologique et ethnologique sur les naturels de l'archipel Nouka-Hiva' by Pierre Marie Dumoutier, a phrenologist aboard Dumont d'Urville's second expedition. Furthermore, this book publishes Du Petit-Thouars' report on the Marquesas.

Loosely inserted in this copy is a letter of two pages signed by Vincendon-Dumoulin to an unknown correspondent. Dated 1 March 1844 and written on the letterhead of the Ministere de la Marine (Dépôt des Cartes et Plans), the letter discusses colonial matters and the hospital at Martinique. This copy does include the lengthy prospectus of 38 pages for Voyages de la Commission Scientific du Nord which is followed by a further single leaf of publisher's advertisements (there is a note in the Kroepelien catalogue regarding this material).