THIS ITEM IS 

A MAP OF WESTERN EQUATORIAL AFRICA

DATED 1861

SHOWING THE COUNTRY EXPLORED BY

P.B. DU CHAILLU

DURING THE YEARS 1856, 57, 58 & 59

PUBLISHED BY JOHN MURRAY 1861

MEASURES 19" x 15"

ORIGIALLY WAS FOLD OUT PAPER - NOW BEEN FIXED ON LINEN BACK

Explorations and Adventures in Equatorial Africa is a seminal 1861 travel narrative and anthropological study written by French-American explorer Paul Du Chaillu. The book chronicles his travels through Gabon and Central West Africa between 1855 and 1859. 

Core Achievements & Discoveries

• Confirmed Gorillas Exist: Du Chaillu was the first modern European to confirm the existence of living gorillas. Prior to his trip, Westerners only knew of them through ancient folklore and skeletal remains. 
• First European to See Pygmies: He verified the existence of the Central African Pygmy peoples. He documented their cultures, hunting methods, and everyday customs. 
• New Species Identification: He identified multiple new animal species. These included the hammer-headed bat, the giant otter shrew, and the African pygmy squirrel. 
• Mapping Key Waterways: He successfully charted the Ogowe River system, detailing how several regional rivers connected to it. 

Cultural Impact & Controversy

When Du Chaillu returned to Europe and North America with his stuffed gorilla specimens, his claims caused a massive public sensation. Because the book was released shortly after Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species in 1859, Du Chaillu's accounts of gorillas became central to the fierce Victorian debates over human evolution. While some contemporary scientists initially doubted his colorful stories and aggressive hunting claims, his zoological specimens were eventually vindicated and purchased by major institutions like the Natural History Museum in London.

THE MAP IS IN GOOD CONDITION THERE ARE A FEW SMALL TEARS AONG THE FOLDS AND TINY HOLES - DEEPER TAN AT BOTTOM MARGIN

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