The first edition of one of the rarest and most sought-after titles by Wenceslau de Morais. A Portuguese writer and naval officer, Wenceslau de Morais embarked on countless journeys. He lived in Mozambique for ten years, five years in China and was a naval officer and Portuguese consul in Japan. Thus, his work correspondingly reflects his life experience often characterised as a model of the seduction of end-of-century literature by the oriental culture. This copy is printed on rice paper in Japan and illustrated with numerous colour woodcuts - an engraving technique applying wood as the matrix to allow the reproduction of engraved image on paper -, portraying customs and characters. It has a 1953 dated dedication, from the wife of the author’s friend. On the frontispiece is the Livraria Ferreira bookstore in Lisbon.