Prince Lee Boo

Prince Lee Boo (1764-27 December 1784) was the son of Abba Thulle, the ruler of Coorooraa (Koror) in the Pelew Islands, now called Pelau.[1] Prince Lee Boo was one of the first people from the Pacific Islands to visit Great Britain. He came to London with Captain Henry Wilson, who he met in 1783, when Captain Wilson's ship, the Antelope, was wrecked on the island of Oroolong in Western Palau.

Unfortunately, Prince Lee Boo died just five months after he arrived in London, on 27 December 1784, aged 20 years. He was buried at St Mary the Virgin Rotherhithe.[2]

Prince Lee Boo's story appeared in a book by George Keate (1729-97), titled: An Account of the Pelew Islands, Situated in the Western Part of the Pacific Ocean. Composed from the Journals and Communications of Captain Henry Wilson, and some of his Officers, who, in August 1783, were there Shipwrecked, in the Antelope, a Packet belonging to the Hon. East India Company.[3] The author's daughter, Georgiana Jane Keate (1770–1850, later Mrs. Georgiana Henderson), painted the portrait of Prince Lee Boo in the book. It was painted from memory, fifteen months after Prince Lee Boo's death.[4]

This book was quite popular. It was translated into over 20 languages between 1789 and 1850.[3]

An abridged version, titled: The Interesting History of Prince Lee Boo, Brought to England from the Pelew Islands, is available online.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "Prince Lee Boo : London Remembers, Aiming to capture all memorials in London". Retrieved 2014-03-27.
  2. ↑ "Prince Lee Boo's tomb : London Remembers, Aiming to capture all memorials in London". Retrieved 2014-03-27.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Keate, George. The Interesting History of Prince Lee Boo, Brought to England from the Pelew Islands. World Digital Library. Retrieved 2014-03-27.
  4. ↑  "Keate, George". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.