A JAPANESE ROBINSON CRUSOE

Boston [1898], Pilgrim Press. Maroon cloth, 219p., 10 b.w. photos, 12 x 19 cm., an excellent example, contents bright & clean binding solid, small mend to where a small torn fold occurred when bound, else no issues.* FIRST & ONLY EDITION * . *** **** ***. . . AN OBSCURE & RARE EARLY PRIMARY RESOURCE BY A JAPANESE . . . IN AMERICA AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY, HAMPTON INSTITUTE & YALE . . . FIRST & ONLY RARE [SMALL] EDITION . * The Christian conversion & early travels of Jenichiro Oyabe to Russia, China, the South Seas, America, Europe and his learning experiences abroad. . The author stated his reason for writing this book was to warn the young people of the "dangers arising from the effect of the wonderful progress of this country in the development of machinery.and the power of money." . This work is also in reply to Americans inquiry as to the reason why the author left Japan and of his wandering throughout the world. . The author "struggled for some nine years abroad in pursuit of higher education." This early autobiography was entirely written in English. It covers the author's departure from Japan via Yezo [Hokkaido] then on to America, was sent back to Japan, then to Russia, Liukyu Islands [sic for Ryukyu or Okinawa] on to China, then to America where he studied at three universities. . A very fascinating primary record of his associations with famous American missionaries & educators of the late 19th century. His life and studies in America. . Oyabe also wrote prolifically on and about America, religion, Christianity, his visit to Hawaii, New York's Chinatown, visit to Europe, American schools, his . An excellent autobiography. . *** STUDY IN AMERICA: Oyabe was discriminated against and therefore was only allowed entrance to black students institutions of higher learning. He went to Howard University, where he was befriended by its president, J.E. & Mrs. Rankin. He got his Doctor of Divinity. Then he also attended Hampton Institute [see below]. . He was later accepted at Yale Divinity school. He became a missionary, and practiced in Hawaii for a while, then returned to Japan and served the Ainu minority population of Hokkaido. . *** LIST OF BLACK & WHITE PHOTOGRAPHS: . 1. Frontispiece of Oyabe 2. Group of Ainos [sic for Ainu], Yezo Island 3. Snow house 4. "A big turtle coming!" 5. My friend, the schoolmaster 6. "So inch by inch I climbed up into the ship" 7. Chinatown in New York 8. Dr. and Mrs. J.E. Rankin [see below] 9. Battell Chapel, Yale University 10. Nuuanu Street, Honolulu, H.I. . *** Color photos are posted to our website. . *** RARE AND OBSCURE EXAMPLE: . This title was published by the Pilgrim Press, Boston, in a more than likely a very small edition. . This title remains a RARE and valuable early primary resource by an early Japanese student & visitor to America. . FIRST & ONLY EDITION, Seldom found. . *** COPY DETAILS: . Copy 1: This is an excellent example, gold cover & spine title lettering. Covers clean, solid, top edge gilt. Else contents pristine, no issues. . The binding has a few tiny old water spots, now mostly polished out. There is a tiny bit of usual but minor corner wear, with a few light color spots to the binding, barely visible, low impact. The binding is much better than the average period example. Contents pristine, mild "toning" as usual for a book over 127 years old. . * Copy 2: Similar to the above, clean & solid covers, top edge gilt, gold cover & spine title lettering. . This is a very bright copy. NO page tears or mends. . There was a small fold to the dedication page edge which most likely occurred during binding process. This closed tear has been neatly mended in the distant past from the back side, of minimal impact.