In Darkest Africa: or the Quest, Rescue, and Retreat of Emin Governor of Equatoria. Vol. I-II

Description:

First US edition (published the same year as the first UK edition). A classic of African exploration. Stanley's famous account of his expedition to relieve Emin Pasha (1840-1892), the governor of the Equatorial province of Egyptian Sudan.

This is a highly collectible example of a significant work in the history of exploration, presenting a vivid account of adventure, survival, and the often perilous encounters faced during one of the most challenging expeditions of the late 19th century. A centrepiece for any collection focused on African exploration, 19th-century travel, or historic first editions

Condition

2 vols, 8vo, finely bound in half calf, recent calf spines and corners, raised bands with gilt rolls and gilt tooling either side, contrasting leather title pieces; orig. marbled boards retained, slightly rubbed with minor wear to edges, orig. marbled endpapers, aeg. Original owner's name to flyleaves, dated 1890. An interesting copy with four related contemporaneous newspaper cuttings (loosely inserted). Three relate to reports of the scandalous behaviour of members of Stanley’s rear column; namely the accusation that Edmund Musgrave Barttelot (1859-1888) had grievously ill-treated African workers, bit a woman, and attempted to poison an Arab chief, and that James Sligo Jameson (1856-1888) was involved in paying associates of the slave trader Tippu Tib to procure a slave girl to observe the practice of cannibalism. The fourth cutting (Nov. 1890) reports on how Stanley celebrated Thanksgiving in 1889, 1888 and 1887 in Darkest Africa.