London: John Murray, 1818. First edition. Quarto. Contemporary straight-grain red half morocco gilt over green marbled boards. Folding map and 13 plates (1 hand-colored). Book ticket of Thomas Gray, Glasgow to front pastedown, neat near-contemporary brown ink ownership inscription of W. & R. F. Robertson to head of title. Some wear to spine and extremities, map offset (as usual), however a remarkably clean copy internally for a book so prone to foxing and toning. A Very Good plus copy.

Full title: Narrative of an Expedition to Explore the River Zaire. Usually called the Congo, in South Africa, in 1816. To which is added the journal of Professor Smith.

An important early account of the Congo. After an eventful life in which he helped found the colony of New South Wales and subsequently was captured and imprisoned by the French on his voyage home, Tuckey was appointed Commander for the Congo expedition in 1815. During the voyage questions about Tuckey's health were raised, and after his repeated denials he died on 4 October 1816 near Moanda. He himself still travelled as far as the Cooloo cataracts and the land that lay just beyond. While the expedition's main objective of exploring a connection between the Niger and Congo rivers failed, the 300 mile trip up the Congo was important for the ethnographic and geographic information attained. Very Good + (Item #8101)