HOUGHTON (Major Daniel) - PARK (Mungo). - Lot 17

HOUGHTON (Major Daniel) - PARK (Mungo). Travels and Discoveries in the Interior of Africa. Paris: Tavernier, Year VI [1797]. — 2 parts in one 8vo volume, 192 x 124: (4 ff.), 243 pp. poorly bound, 343, 3 maps. Grain-textured calfskin, smooth spine with decoration, blue edges (contemporary binding). First edition of Lallemant’s French translation of Daniel Houghton’s letters, originally published in the second issue of the *Mémoires de l’African Society* (1793). Major Daniel Houghton had been commissioned by this society to explore Africa to determine the source of the Niger River and to visit Timbuktu and Hausa. His mission failed: he perished while attempting to penetrate western Sudan. He was replaced by Mungo Park (1771–1806), who became the first Westerner to explore the Niger—his account appears in the second part of this volume. The edition is illustrated with three fold-out maps: “Sketch of the Northern Part of Africa, drawn in 1790 and corrected in 1793. By Major Rennell ” – “Sketch of the route followed by Major Houghton to Bambouk and the one he intended to follow to Timbuktu, as well as the route of the Slatees or slave traders from Gallam to Bambara, by J. Rennell ” - “The route taken by Mr. Park from Pisania on the Gambia River to Silla on the Joliba or Niger River, and his return via the southern route to Pisania after an absence of 18 months. Derived from the English map by Mr. J. Rennell. ” A fine copy in a contemporary binding, from the library of cartographer Jean-André Dezauche. Craquelure at the hinge of the back cover. Small tears, with no missing sections, on the maps. Provenance: Jean-André Dezauche, with bookplate.