The Kilima-njaro Expedition: A Record of Scientific Exploration in Eastern Equatorial Africa and a General Description of the Natural History, Languages, and Commerce of the Kilima-njaro District

London: Kegan Paul, Trench, and Co. , 1886 . First edition. Cloth. Good. 9" by 5.5". H H Johnston. A scarce copy of Harry Johnston's account of the scientific expedition to Mount Kilimanjaro in 1884. Harry Johnston was a British explorer and colonial administrator, prolific author of travel books on African subjects. He was a key player in the colonisation of most of Africa by seven Western European powers towards the end of the nineteenth century. The present volume is the first edition, first impression of Johnston's report on the scientific expedition of 1884 to Mount Kilimanjaro. He was appointed leader of the expedition by the British Association. With sketches of the natural history of Easter Equatorial Africa, as well as of the languages and economy of the area. During the expedition, he concluded treaties with local chiefs, which were then transferred to the British East Africa Company. Illustrated with a frontispiece, six maps, of which two folding in colour, and one full page in colour, fourteen full page plates and numerous other figures in text by the author. Collated, complete. From the library at Julian Park, Hertfordshire, belonging to Audrey Pleydell-Bouverie (1902-1968). Audrey was the youngest daughter of an Anglo-American lumber and steel millionaire, sister to Edward James, a key figure in the Surrealist movement, and the illegitimate granddaughter of King Edward VII. Her passion for literature is displayed by her impressive library.She was an English socialite known for her beauty and for charming various wealthy men, she was included in The Book of Beauty by Cecil Beaton. A patron of the arts, she assisted Viscount Carlow financially in the publication of limited editions of numerous works by leading literary figures such as T E Lawrence, James Joyce, Wyndham Lewis, and others. A hedonist, she was recognised as one of the 'Bright Young Things'.  In the original publisher's full cloth binding. Externally sound with some shelf wear and bumping and chipping to the tail of the spine and extremities, some loss to the head of the spine. Inscribed to the verso of the front free endpaper, 'G Wilkinson Prize for Geography' dated 1888. Internally, the front and rear hinges are only slightly loose, generally firmly bound. With a minor light spotting to the first and last few leaves, otherwise the pages are generally bright and very clean throughout, with only a minor staining mark to the frontispiece, not affecting any other leaf. Illustrated with a frontispiece, six maps, of which two folding in colour, and one full page in colour, fourteen full page plates and numerous other figures in text by the author. Collated, complete. Good