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Rare and influential map of the Catholic Missions in Southeast Asia, colored by regions, with a legend identifying the 13 missionary regions.

The map was apparently prepared by the Abbe Lesserteur during his time in the regions studying the indigenous peoples, their religious beliefs, and ways of life. Lesserteur was a very broad observer of the region and his writings also include his observations on the indigenous religious beliefs and local medicines.

The map was immediately recognized as a map of great importance in the Annales de l'Extrême Orient et de l'Afrique, Volume 1, Issue 1, 1879, published by the Société académique indo-chinoise (Paris, France). The following is a loose translation of the description in that journal, from the original French

This beautiful map in thirteen colors, drawn by the Abbe Lesserteur and engraved by Hausermann, not only gives the exact delineation of the Catholic missions-in Indo-China, but it is also one of the best productions of this kind in regard to physical geography.

The sources used for the map include (1) English maps for Burma, (2) the atlas compiled by the Committee of Exploration of the Mekong, as well as Dr. Harmand, (3) the map of Bishop Pallegoix of Siam and Malacca (4) the depiction of the Red River in Tong-King, by MM. Dupuis and Kergaradec, (5) maps of hydrographic engineers for the delta of the river, and (6) for different provinces of the kingdom Annamese, and manuscript maps made by the missionaries.

Thus, the Tong-King offers upon this map of the missions of the Indo-China a real new interest in geographical science. The colors indicate the extent of each mission, darker shades indicate the part of the territory, where there are Christians, while the outline colors denote the limits of States.

A similar laudatory reference to the map can be found in Les Missions Catholiques, Volume 11 (1879), by Society for the Propagation of the Faith, Catholic Church. Pontificium Opus a S. Petro Apostolo. It is referenced in several other contemporary journals as a work of great importance.

Abbe Lesserteur was professor of theology at the Seminary of Foreign Missions and very active in studying the region. Among other works, he wrote and important pamphlet on' Hwang-nan,' which is used in Tongking as a cure for hydrophobia, leprosy, &c,. The Royal Geographical Society reported in 1881 on the paper that "it is thought that it will prove most useful for explorers in hot countries, as instances are cited of its curing snake-bites." He also produced a map of Tong-king, from the Me-kong, tribes which inhabit the mountains separating (probably translated from French), also lauded by the Royal Geographical Society.