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A page from Abbé Prévost’s ‘Histoire Générale des Voyages’. The top map shows the Bay of Laphao on Timor, while the other drawings are side views (or ‘elevations’) of mountains on the region’s islands to use as landmarks when navigating.

The many navigation aids marked on this map, including bathymetry (sea depth), anchor points, shoals, and elevations of hills, were designed to guide ships around this part of the west coast of Timor. The Dutch fort Concordia is also marked.

A map to aid navigation around the Bay of Touranne (Bay of Turon, location of modern city of Da Nang, Vietnam). The web of lines is a rhumbline network, and bathymetry (sea depth), anchor points and two elevation views of the coasts are shown.

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.

Map of the coast of Selangor on the west of the Malay Peninsula. The web of lines is a rhumbline network, the numbers indicate sea depth (bathymetry), and there are drawings of the side views of mountains (elevations), all to aid navigation.

Navigation map of the coast of the ancient kingdom of Pégou and near the town of Martaban (Mottama), Myanmar. Bathymetry (sea depth), anchor points, notes on currents and obstructions are marked, and there are drawings of side views of coastal hills.

Map of the coast of Selangor on the west of the Malay Peninsula. The web of lines is a rhumbline network, the numbers indicate sea depth (bathymetry), and there are drawings of the side views of mountains (elevations), all to aid navigation.

Navigation map of the coast of the ancient kingdom of Pégou and near the town of Martaban (Mottama), Myanmar. Bathymetry (sea depth), anchor points, notes on currents and obstructions are marked, and there are drawings of side views of coastal hills.

Maps like this aided navigation through the islands, shoals and reefs of Singapore and the Malacca Strait. Three routes around Singapore are shown, numbers on the sea indicate water depth, and the profile views of mountains were used as landmarks.

Map marking the routes through maritime Southeast Asia of two delegations: a French delegation from Brest, France to Siam in 1685; and a Siamese delegation from Siam to Brest in 1686. A note next to Aceh records a sea battle against Portugal in 1616.