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A late 18th century map of Asia published in London by John Bowles, with regions indicated by colour. Central Borneo is labelled ‘Part inhabited by the Biayos’, which is seen on many contemporary maps, often with the comment ‘a savage people’.

Maritime routes had to be adjusted in response to the changing monsoon seasons, as is seen on this late 18th century map of the Indian Ocean. Drawings of the heads of children blowing—called ‘wind-heads’—are used to indicate wind direction.

Navigation chart of the east coast of mainland Southeast Asia, from Cambodia to China. Islands, shoals and reefs are marked, along with bathymetry (sea depth). There are seven side views of islands (elevations) to use as landmarks.

There is a port at the south of this map of the Côn Đảo archipelago (Vietnam), and notes giving details such as a suitable location to careen ships (turning a ship on its side for cleaning or repair). A ruined English fort is also marked.

Navigation chart of the Sunda Strait, showing bathymetry (sea depth), shoals and reefs, landmarks, and a rhumbline network. Notes record good anchorages, sources of water and supplies etc. Inset map of the Zutphen Islands off the coast of Sumatra.

A late 18th century navigation map of the waters between the islands of Java, Madura and Bali. The web of lines is a rhumbline network, the numbers indicate sea depth (bathymetry), and there is an inset map of the Bay of Ballambouang, Java.

A map to aid navigation around the Bay of Turon (location of modern city of Da Nang, Vietnam). Bathymetry (sea depth) is marked, as is the route of the Dutch ship ‘Jackaij’ on her departure from the bay. An elevation view of the land is shown below.

A map to aid navigation around the Bay of Turon (location of modern city of Da Nang, Vietnam). Bathymetry (sea depth) is marked, as is the route of the Dutch ship ‘Jackaij’ on her departure from the bay. An elevation view of the land is shown below.

Map of mainland Southeast Asia divided into kingdoms. Larger settlements are marked pictorially with a red building symbol. The desert of Cochinchine (Vietnam) is labelled as being inhabited by the ‘Kemoys Peuples Barbares [Kemoys Barbarian People]’.

Map of mainland Southeast Asia divided into kingdoms. Larger settlements are marked pictorially with a red building symbol. The desert of Cochinchine (Vietnam) is labelled as being inhabited by the ‘Kemoys Peuples Barbares [Kemoys Barbarian People]’.

Although the title is in English, all the other text on this map of Southeast Asia is in French (and versions with French titles were also produced). Hand-coloured regional borders, rivers and settlements are featured.

This map of Asia features four different scales: French, Russian, Turkish and Chinese. Each country had their own measuring system, so this was not uncommon at the time.