Narrative of an expedition into the interior of Africa, by the River Niger in the steam-vessels Quorra and Alburkah in 1832, 1833 and 1834, Laird, MacGregor and R A K Oldfield. Published by Richard Bentley, London, 1837. First Edition. Two volumes rebound in one. 8vo up to 9½” tall. Volume 1: 451pp., Volume 2: 447pp. plus Vocabulary. 6 engraved plates including chart of the river Quorra. Bound in brown cloth with green label to spine. In very nice condition with light wear to boards with occasional spotting to contents. Bookplate of John Ralph Willis (1938-2007), a prominent African American educator and art collector.
An account of the 1832-1834 expedition into the African interior, a “technical and exploration venture” to the confluence of the Niger and Benue Rivers: “Of the forty-eight white men who began the venture in 1832, only nine survived when it ended in 1834”–DNB. Laird and Oldfield were two of these nine; Laird would become known as the first European to voyage up the Benue. William Allen was also among the survivors.
