Through the dark Continent or The sources of the Nile around the great lakes of Equatorial Africa and down the Livingstone river to the Atlantic ocean [...]. Maps and illustrations.

2 vol. 8vo: 2 front. and 43 pl. (text n.c., small tears on folded maps with 1 browned on reverse).

Publisher's binding by Leigthon son and Hodge: brown pictorial cloth gilt, flat spines (cloth to upper joint of vol. I partly split, some small wears, corners dulled).

First edition on Stanley's Anglo-American expedition to Central Africa between 1874 and 1877. The discovery of the course of the Congo was one of the many geographical problems solved during this expedition. Illustrated with 2 portraits of Stanley (before and after the journey), 10 maps of which 2 large folding in packets at the end, 33 plates and many vignettes in the text or full-pages (scenes of everyday life or during the expedition, music instruments, views like the outfall of Victori Nyanza...).