"The Straits Settlements and British Malaya" has been transcribed by the founder of the Victorian Web, George P. Landow, who kept Pritchett's drawings for it aside but had not yet introduced the artist. The whole article can be read here. Note that some of the illustrations there appear in a different order.
ritchett was the perfect choice of illustrator: earlier in the 1880s he had accompanied Lord and Lady Brassey on their long voyages and seen this part of the world for himself, sketching it extensively to illustrate Lady Brassey's published accounts, and giving talks and exhibitions about his travels. His choice of subjects here betrays his own interests — not only in the local culture he experienced, but in different types of boats, ancient weaponry, views from the sea, and work associated with the sea. There is no mention in the text itself of a kris, a fish market, or indeed any kind of boat. But his illustrations help considerably to convey the flavour of the area discussed, and bring a rather drily informative article to life. — Jacqueline Banerjee
Left: Map of the Straits Settlement, introducing the article. Right: Malacca, Pritchett's first illustration here.
Left: Malay Village. Right: Malay Kris, Preserved in the Colonial Office. The Scabbard and Handle are Gold.
Left to right: (a) Portuguese Gateway, Malacca. (b) Singapore from the East. (c) The Falls of Penang.
Left: A Native Boat. Right: Fish Market.
Images scanned by George Landow, formatted here by Jacqueline Banerjee. [You may use the images without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the person who scanned them and the Hathi Trust, and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.]
Related Material
Bibliography
Dickson, K.C.M.G., Sir J. Frederick “The Straits Settlements and British Malay.” With Illustrations by R. T. Pritchett. The English Illustrated Magazine. 7 (1889-1890): 283-292. Hathi Trust version of a copy in the Pennsylvania State University Library. Web. 16 September 2023.
Created 16 September2023