Dahomey as it is; being a Narrative of Eight Months’ Residence in that Country. Also an Appendix on Ashantee, Skertchly, J. Alfred. Published by Chapman and Hall, London, 1874. First Edition. 8vo up to 9½” tall., xxii, 524pp. with three coloured lithographs including frontispiece, 5 additional plates; folding map; Glossary of Dahoman words and titles. Pictorial green cloth with gilt and black titles. Covers and spine detached in one piece with first signature detached and later signatures loose. Boards are worn with split to head of spine and tear to lower spine; rubbing to corners exposing boards. Foxing to preliminaries and sporadic foxing thereafter.
in 1871, English entomologist Alfred Skertchly left England for a zoological expedition to Dahomey (Benin today), on the West Coast of Africa. He was unexpectedly detained by King Gelele for the purpose of instructing the king in the use of some guns. Skertchly was held for eight months although treated as royalty. During that time, he had the opportunity to study and record the customs of the people.
