James Kingston Tuckey: 'Narrative Of An Expedition To Explor...

Hammer

£150

James Kingston Tuckey: 'Narrative Of An Expedition To Explore The Zaire River, Usually Called The Congo. In South Africa. In 1816; To Witch Is Added, The Journal Of Professor Smith; Some General Observations On The Country And Its Inhabitants; An Appendix: Containing The Natural History Of That Part Of The Kingdom Of Congo Through Which The Zaire Flows', London, John Murray, 1818, 1st edition, engraved folding map frontis (with a couple of neat tape repairs verso) + 13 engraved plates (of which 1 hand coloured depicting squid etc) as called for, 4to, lxxxii,498pp, "withdrawn" inkstamp verso title page, no other markings, contemporary marbled paper covered boards, recased modern half morocco, oxblood morocco gilt title label to spine. Tuckey sailed with the Royal Navy and explored various parts of Africa during his career, and searched for a connection between the Congo and Niger Rivers of western and central Africa aboard the schooner Congo in 1816. The crew was unsuccessful, struggling to navigate rapids and eventually dying of fever. Although the expedition failed it inspired interest by the British to continue African exploration. The accounts of the expedition gleaned from officer's reports, incomplete journals, etc., provided useful information on the natural history and inhabitants of the region.