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An early 19th century map, with the regions of Southeast Asia marked with different colours. Interestingly, Cambodia and modern Vietnam (labelled here as Cochinchina and Tonkin) are grouped with China.

Published by the English cartographer John Cary (c.1754–1835), this colourful map of Southeast Asia includes a label naming the inhabitants of central Borneo as 'BIAYOS or the inland People'.

An early 19th century map of Asia by the English cartographer John Cary (c.1754–1835) with colour-coded regions.

Southeast Asia is on the last sheet of this map of Asia. The South China Sea is labelled ‘Malayan Sea’. Small islands, shoals and reefs are shown. A label in Cochin China (Vietnam) reads ‘mountains inhabited by the uncivilized people called Kemoys’.

An early 19th century map by the English cartographer John Cary, highlighting the mountain ranges and rivers of Southeast Asia. The map also features many place names of cities, towns and islands.

Map focusing on the passages between the islands of maritime Southeast Asia. Many 18th century routes are labelled with the ship/captain’s name and date, and there are notes on some shoals and reefs recording names, details and incidents/shipwrecks.

Map focusing on the passages between the islands of maritime Southeast Asia. Many 18th century routes are labelled with the ship/captain’s name and date, and there are notes on some shoals and reefs recording names, details and incidents/shipwrecks.

Longitude is indicated in two different ways on this mid-18th century map: along the top border, it is shown in degrees (number of degrees east of London); more unusually, along the bottom border, it is shown in time (number of hours east of London).

This late 18th century map features a number of labels describing the local populations, including the Kemoys ('Savage People') of the mountains of Cokin China (Vietnam), the Biayos of Borneo, and the 'Wild People' of the mountains of Pegu (Myanmar).

A late 18th century map of Asia with regions divided by colour-coded borders, and detailing rivers, mountains, reefs and shoals.

A late 18th century maritime map of Southeast Asia, marked with expedition routes including the return of Captain Cook’s HMS Endeavour from Australia in 1770, and Captain Philip Carteret’s circumnavigation expedition in 1768.

Labels on this late 18th century map of Southeast Asia describe two indigenous populations—the ‘Kemoy’ of the mountains along the border of Cochin China (Vietnam) and Camboja (Cambodia), and the ‘Biayos’ of central Borneo—as ‘a wild Nation’.