In Darkest Africa or the Quest, Rescue, and Retreat of Emin, Governor of Equatoria. STANLEY, Henry M.

First US edition of Stanley's famous account of his expedition to relieve Emin Pasha (Eduard Schnitzer), the beleaguered governor of equatorial Sudan. It contains some of his most celebrated writing, especially his account of the tortuous 450-mile passage through the dense Ituri rain forest. Stanley's dealings with Emin Pasha (who proved resistant to being "rescued"), his abandonment of his own rear column, and his wider motives for his mission have long come under suspicion, but the book remains a classic of African exploration. In the course of the journey Stanley met Roger Casement, then in service on the Congo, discovered the great snow-capped range of Ruwenzori, the Mountains of the Moon, a new lake which he named the Albert Edward Nyanza, and a large south-western extension of Lake Victoria. Translations of In Darkest Africa appeared quickly in French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Dutch. Howgego IV S60; Speake, pp. 1132-35. 2 vols, octavo. Portrait frontispieces, 44 engraved plates (1 in colour), 3 large folding colour maps bound in, numerous illustrations in text. Contemporary brown half morocco by Strikeman & Co., spine with raised bands tooled in gilt, compartments with gilt ornaments and lettering, brown marbled boards, marbled and gilt endpapers, top edges gilt, others trimmed. Minor rubbing to calf, chip to head of vol. I spine, p. 224 in vol. II with slight tear not affecting contents, maps clean and bright. In very good condition.