ACROSS AFRICA (Two volumes in one)

First complete (two volumes in one) American Edition of this important account of the Livingstone Relief Expedition of 1873-75 which was sponsored by the Royal Geographical Society.

[v]-xvi, [15]-508, [8]ads. Original gilt-stamped pictorial cloth. Complete with the original 29 full-page wood-engraved plates (incl. frontis.) & 4 double-page spreads. Large folding partly coloured map in front pocket showing author\'s route. Numerous b/w illustrations throughout the text.

Cloth is thread-bare on the corners and at the head and tail of the spine. Front and back free-EPS have a few small tears on the edges and a corner piece has been torn off the front free-EP. Margins are slightly damp-stained but well away from the text throughout. The pages are perfectly flat with no waveyness at all. The last two 32pp sections have a gnaw-mark at the top. The folding map is in close to unopened condition, however age has made the \'rice-paper\' brittle and the creases are therefor extemely delicate and prone to cracking. Internal bindings are tight. Most of the plates are tissue-guarded. The chocolate brown front \'map-pocket\' has an unobtrusive Ex Libris stamp. Apart from the slight damp stain mentioned, the text is remarkably clean throughout with no apparent foxing.

After receiving word that Livingstone was dead in October 1873 shortly after his arrival in Africa, Cameron decided to continue his explorations. He conducted a complete survey of Lake Tanganyika and from there\" braving great difficulties\" travelled southeast through the Southern Congo region and Angola. In 1875 he reached Katombela, north of Benguela on the Atlantic coast, becoming the first European to cross Equatorial Africa from east to west. On his return to England, Cameron was received with much acclamation. He was promoted to be a commander, was made a C.B., was awarded the gold medal of the Royal Geographical Society and was created hon. D.C.L. of Oxford. cfHosken p. 38.