[Set of the illustrations from Archibald Dazel's 'History of Dahomy, an Inland Kingdom of Africa; Compiled from Authentic Memoirs'.[Frontipiece map] Dahomy and its Environs By R. Norris. [&] Plate I. The King of Dahomy's Leveé. [&] Plate II. Armed Women, with the King at their head, going to War. [&] Plate III. Victims for Sacrifice. [&] Plate IV. Public Procession of the King's Women &c. [&] Plate V. Last day of the Annual Customs for Watering the Grave's of the King's Ancestors. [&] Plate VI. Adahoonzou Cuts off 127 heads to complete the Ornament of his Wall.
[Map] R. Norris del.t. Woodman & Mutlow Sculp.t. [Plates] Chesham sculp.
Engraved map with six engraved numbered plates only, as called for. Map 230 x 465mm, 9 x 18¼; plates 215 x 250mm, 8½ x 9¾". Map laid down.
Archibald Dalzel (1740–1811), adventurer and Governor of the Gold Coast (now Ghana), compiled this work from his own experiences and those of others including Robert Norris, a slave-trader. His arguement in favour of the slave trade was that raiding of Dahomean villages for slaves was saving them from the greater evil of being human sacrifices, which he illustrates here. Despite this stance the 'History of Dahomy' was the standard text about the country, consulted by Sir Richard Burton for 'A Mission to Gelele, King of Dahomé' (1864) & George MacDonald Fraser for his Flashman novel, 'Flash for Freedom!'.
[Ref: 17775] £1,000.00
Engraved map with six engraved numbered plates only, as called for. Map 230 x 465mm, 9 x 18¼; plates 215 x 250mm, 8½ x 9¾". Map laid down.
Archibald Dalzel (1740–1811), adventurer and Governor of the Gold Coast (now Ghana), compiled this work from his own experiences and those of others including Robert Norris, a slave-trader. His arguement in favour of the slave trade was that raiding of Dahomean villages for slaves was saving them from the greater evil of being human sacrifices, which he illustrates here. Despite this stance the 'History of Dahomy' was the standard text about the country, consulted by Sir Richard Burton for 'A Mission to Gelele, King of Dahomé' (1864) & George MacDonald Fraser for his Flashman novel, 'Flash for Freedom!'.
[Ref: 17775] £1,000.00