IN DARKEST AFRICA
OR THE
QUEST, RESCUE, AND RETREAT
OF
EMIN
GOVERNOR OF EQUATORIA

HENRY M. STANLEY

SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON, SEARLE AND RIVINGTON
1890

First edition.
Stanley's epic account of one of the greatest feats in African travel. In February of 1887 Stanley led a party from the mouth of the Congo to rescue Emin Pasha, the Governor of Equitoria appointed by General Gordon, and abandoned in command of the Egyptian Army when the Mahdi overran the Sudan.
Leaving a rearguard at Yambuya Stanley crossed five hundred and forty miles of absolutely unknown country, much of it dense tropical forest. "For five months the party were hidden under this 'solemn and foodless forest', scarcely ever seeing the open sky, or a patch of clearing [until reaching the Albert Nyanza on 13 December] where Stanley expected to find Emin. The governor, as it turned out, was by no means anxious to be rescued. Relief, in his view, did not include being relieved of his governorship or coming away as a fugitive, for nearly three months the relief column awaited him in vain [before Stanley left to join his decimated rearguard, collect its remnants on the shores of Lake Albert in January 1889 and march to the coast]. In the course of the journey he discovered the great snow-capped range of Ruwenzori, the Mountains of the Moon, besides a new lake which he named the Albert Edward Nyanza, and a large south-western extension of Lake Victoria.
On his way down to the coast Stanley had concluded treaties with various native chiefs which he transferred to Sir William Mackinnon's company and so laid the foundation of the British East African Protectorate. On the morning of 4 December 1889 the expedition finally reached the Indian ocean. Emin Pasha promptly had transferred himself to the German service and Stanley returned home without him. Thus, the expedition had failed to achieve it primary object. It had, however, accomplished great things. Of his original 646 men, only 246 survived.

23 x14 cm. 2 Volumes, xv + 529 pp + 15 plates + folding colour map and xv + 472pp + 23 plates + 3 colour maps (2 folding). Illustrated endpapers.

Very good condition. Some mild foxing throughout (as usual). Tear to the edge of map at the start of volume 2, but otherwise clean and tidy. Binding sound, all plates and maps present.