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DAVIDSON, John. Notes taken during travels in Africa. London, J.L. Cox and Sons, 1839.4to. Contemporary half calf, spine gilt (sl. rubbed). With lithographed frontispiece and 2 lithographed plates drawn by J.G. Wilkinson after John Davidson, printed by P. Gauri. (6),218 pp. Privately printed; with armorial bookplate of James Liege Hulett. - John Davidson (1797-1836), an English adventurer, embarked at Falmouth on 1834, taking with him the freed slave Edward Donellan. On arrival at Tangier the British consul begged Davidson to give up his visit to Timbuktu on account of the tribal warfare being waged on the edge of the Sahara, but the explorer pressed on regardless. He arrived at Fez and left for the desert, passing through Marrakesh, and eventually reached the Wadi Num (Noun or Assaka). In the region of Tindouf he was shot dead and his possessions stolen. Donellan continued with the caravan to Timbuktu and was never heard of again. Davidson's letters and most of his journal found their way back to Britain and were privately published in 1839 (Howgego II, p.159). The fine plates depict two views of Wadnoon and one of the river Draha. - A fine copy. Playfair & Brown, 609. [Boeknr.: 33563 ]