Beschreibung:

AFRICA] STANLEY, HENRY MORTON [SIR]. In Darkest Africa or the Quest, Rescue, and Retreat of Emin, Governor of Equatoria . London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington, 1890. First edition, one of a few special author's copies, signed by Stanley; the signed edition statement is printed in red on the verso of the half-title in the first volume. The copies for presentation otherwise conform in format and binding to the 250 large-paper copies. Two volumes, publisher's green morocco, vellum sides lettered and tooled in gilt, top edges gilt. 11 3/8 x 9 inches (29 x 22 cm); (4), xv, (9), 529 (3) pp.; (6), xi, (1), 472, (2) pp. 2 steel-engraved portrait frontispieces; 2 photogravure plates on India paper; 36 wood-engraved plates on india; 6 etchings by M.G. Montbard (all but two signed by the artist in pencil); 4 colored maps and plans-the 2 larger folding maps mounted on linen as issued; one leaf of autograph facsimiles; and numerous wood-engraved illustrations on India paper. The illustrations are mounted as issued. Some fading to the spine of the first volume, some wear to the leather spines (but a sound set overall), some soil and wear the vellum, both volumes with the early ownership inscription of W. H. Spottiswoode on the endpapers. One of the great travel accounts of the period, written by Stanley almost immediately after his return to Cairo, the month following the rescue of Emin Pasha (Isaak Eduard Schnitzer). It was this expedition that largely cemented the supremacy of Leopold II of Belgium over the Congo, which became in effect his personal fiefdom. Stanley was knighted in 1899. C