The Nile Tributaries of Abyssinia and the sword hunters of the Hamram Arabs

Description:

First edition. 'A classic of exploration and big game hunting' (Czech).

Sir Samuel White Baker (1821-1893) was a British explorer, soldier, big game hunter and author. This famous work, complements Baker’s earlier book The Albert Ny'anza, Great Basin of the Nile. In The Nile Tributaries of Abyssinia, Baker describes the fourteen months he spent exploring the tributaries of the Nile (1861-1862), including the Atbara, Settite, Dinder rivers. During these extraordinary travels he was accompanied by his wife Florence (1841-1916). Baker was able to show that the rich sediment of the Nile originated from these rivers.

He hunted big game including, buffalo, giraffe, elephant, lion and hippopotamus. He spent some time with the Hamran Arabs of Northern Abyssinia, where he recounts witnessing them hunting elephants with swords (which is illustrated in the vignette to front cover and plate facing p. 438). He then explored the river Rehad to its confluence with the Blue Nile, travelling on to Khartoum.

"Sir Roderick Murchison, president of the Royal Geographical Society, acknowledged the importance of Baker's explorations and his discovery that the Nile sediment was due to the Abyssinian tributaries. Additionally, Baker gained experience as an African explorer, mastered Arabic, and learned to use the astronomical instruments which were vital for determining geographical locations" (ODNB).

Czech p. 15. [Bibliographical note: Plate facing p. 485 (Horns of the Maarif Antelope) is not called for in the list of illustrations, and 'The Coor' is incorrectly stated to be at p. 235 (it actually occurs on the same plate as 'The Bayard', facing p. 213)].

Condition

8vo, orig. blue cloth, double gilt-ruled frame to front cover (blind to rear) enclosing gilt vignette of an elephant hunt, spine with gilt title and giraffe motif. Spine slightly darkened; light rubbing/minor wear to extremities; mild bumping to two corners. Some foxing/browning to endpapers, title page and frontispiece. Small armorial bookplate 'Mc K Murray' with motto 'ex bello quies'. Very good. A well-preserved copy.