[ELTON, James Frederic.] H.B. COTTERILL [editor]. Travels and Researches among the Lakes and Mountains of Eastern and Central Africa. From the Journals of the late J. Frederic Elton. London: John Murray 1879.
8vo. Original pictorial cloth, spine lettered in gilt; pp. xxii, 417, 32, wood-engraved plates and illustrations in the text, 3 folding maps (one in colour); cloth a little rubbed, very few minor spots internally, a very good copy.
First edition of this exploration of Central Eastern Africa with reports on the Arab slave trade.
Elton joined the army and served in India, China, and Mexico before being sent to Natal, where he spent two years travelling. In 1873, he was appointed political agent at Zanzibar, then in 1875 British consul in Portuguese territory, with residence at Mozambique. He undertook numerous expeditions aimed at the suppression of the slave-trade. In 1877, he made two journeys from Mozambique, the first taking him to the Makua country and then north into the Zanzibar mainland territory. In July that year he departed again from Mozambique for the Zambesi and Shiré rivers and reached Lake Nyassa, exploring the surrounding region. From here he attempted to establish a route to Quiloa on the east coast, but he died of malaria while on the journey on the 19th December 1877.
Elton was particularly fond of the Makua people of Mozambique and Tanzania, whom he described as 'very respectable', trustworthy and intelligent. However, he was worried that they were vulnerable to attacks by Arab slavers, and only the British Empire could protect them.
SKU: 2105710