Narrative of an expedition to the Zambesi and its tributaries; and the Discovery of the Lakes Shirwa & Nyassa, 1858-1864

New York: Harper & Brothers, 1866. 8vo. xxii, 638 pp., plus 6-page publisher’s catalogue. FIRST AMERICAN EDITION. With double-page frontispiece of the great cataracts of the Zambesi, 12 full-page plates, 1 large folding map and text illustrations throughout. Brown textured cloth, exterior slightly faded and rubbed, spine nicked; text is slightly toned but clean. Item #15250

First American edition of Livingstone’s account of his Zambezi expedition to examine the natural resources of southeastern Africa and to determine the navigability of the Zambezi River. He explored the Shire River, a stream leading to Zambezi and discovered Lake Nyasa along with the Rovuma River and Lake Chilwa. The expedition met with many difficulties. The Zambezi turned out unnavigable past the Cabora Bassa rapids and in addition, he lost his wife Mary to malaria. Livingstone became greatly concerned with the slave trade while exploring Lake Nyasa He encountered marches of manacled slaves and with the entire countryside devasted by warring and slave raiding made a great impact on him. Nevertheless, some of the scientists on the expedition contributed collections of botanic, ecological, geological and ethnographic materials on their return home.

David Livingstone (1813-1873) was one of the greatest of all African missionaries, explorers, and antislavery advocate. He made geographical discoveries for European knowledge, inspired abolitionists of the slave trade, revealed that the interior of the African continent was not an arid wasteland, and provided new incentives for European colonization of Africa.

Price: $350.00