STANLEY, Henry Morton (1841-1904). In Darkest Africa; or, The Quest, Rescue, and Retreat of Emin, Governor of Equatoria. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1890.

2 volumes, demy 4to (288 x 225mm). Titles in red and black, engraved frontispieces on india paper (closed tear repaired to frontis in vol. I, small dampstain to top margin in vol. II), 2 photogravure portrait plates, 4 colored maps, 3 of which folding with the 2 largest on linen as issued, 6 etchings in sepia by M.G. Montbard signed in pencil, 36 plates on india paper, and 103 in text engravings also on india paper (spotting to maps verso, plates gently toned and some with marginal spotting). Original half chocolate morocco, vellum sides over beveled boards with gilt-lettering and central flag with fern device gilt on upper covers, 6 compartments with 5 raised bands, gilt-lettered in 3 compartments, top edges gilt, others uncut (some sunning and spotting to covers, light rubbing to extremities, front inside hinge of vol. I discreetly repaired, front board fore-edge bumped on vol. II). Provenance: Librairie de Nobele (ticket).

FIRST AMERICAN EDITION, LIMITED ISSUE, number 239 of 250 copies from the “Demy Quarto de Luxe” edition SIGNED BY STANLEY on the limitation. In January 1887, Stanley set out on an expedition to rescue the Ottoman-German naturalist and one-time governor of Equatoria Emin Pasha. Following a particularly treacherous and difficult route which included a five-month journey through the Ituri rainforest and having lost two-thirds of the party, Stanley eventually convinced Emin Pasha to leave Equatoria in 1889.