Chart of the Island and Harbour of TONGATABOO by Wm. Wilson. London. Published as the Act directs by T. Chapman 151 Fleet Street. Feby. 1st. 1799.
The main island of the Kingdom of Tonga according to Captain James Cook. The chart is oriented South- North.
In 1795 the just formed London Missionary Society decided to send missionaries to the South Pacific. Captain James Wilson volunteered his services and the society was able to afford to purchase the ship DUFF. Lloyd's Registerfor 1796 shows that James Wilson became master of the DUFF and Cox & Co. replaced J. Carbine as owner. 
The London Missionary Society instructed Wilson to deliver a group of missionaries and their families (consisting of thirty men, six women, and three children) to their postings in Tahiti, Tonga, and the Marquesas Islands. Captain Wilson and the DUFF left The Downs on 13 August 1796 and by 12 November she was at Rio de Janeiro. On 6 March 1797 she reached Matavai (Mahina), where 14 missionaries and their families disembarked. DUFF next delivered nine volunteers to Tongatapu on 26 March. One left immediately, and over time the locals killed three.
While sailing from Tongatapu to the Marquesas, Wilson became the first European to visit Pukarua. By 5 June DUFF was at Resolution Bay, in the Marquesas. Here DUFF landed William Pascoe Crook. On 6 July DUFF was at Matavai again and was at Tahiti by 18 July. On 18 August she was back at Tonga. From there Wilson and DUFF sailed for China, arriving on 13 December at Whampoa. On this voyage Wilson charted the location of a number of islands. In the Caroline Islands he visited Satawal, Elato, and Lamotrek. In the Fiji Islands Wilson also charted Vanua Balavu, Fulaga, and Ogea Levu.
DUFF left China 5 Jan 1798 and reached Malacca on 16 January, the Cape of Good Hope on 17 March, and St Helena on 15 April. She was at Cork on 24 June, and arrived at Long Reach, England on 10 July 1798.
Copperplate engraving.
Size to ruled borders. 280 x 383 mm. ( 11 x 15 1/8 inches).
Sized with the original fold lines. Repaired tear on bottom left.