Hausaland Or Fifteen Hundred Miles Through The Central Soudan Signed By The Author

Published by Sampson Low, London, UK. Date: 1896. 1st edition. Original green cloth gilt. Size: 15.8cm x 23cm. Pp. xv + folding map + 304. Copy of H.R.H The Duke Of Albany, Prince Charles Edward (Duke of Saxe-Coburg and grandson of Queen Victoria) with his armorial bookplate to the front paste-down. Includes a tissue-guarded frontispiece portrait of the author, 16 black and white plates, 15 illustrations within the text and a folding colour map. Charles Henry Robinson (1861-1925) was the first student of the short-lived Hausa Association, formed in 1891 to promote the study of the Hausa Language and people. Hausa is an African language originating in Niger and northern Nigeria and spoken widely in West and Central Africa as a lingua franca. The Association sponsored Robinson to stay in northern Nigeria from 1894 to 1895 to gain more experience in the language. On his return he not only published an anthology of Hausa texts, a Hausa grammar and a dictionary, but also this account of his journey and the Hausa States and the language and customs of the people. The book includes chapters on the River Niger, The Hausa Association, Loko to Kafi, Zaria, Slavery and Slave-raiding, Native Medicines, Fauna and Flora, Native Customs, Bida to Egga, and Egga to Liverpool. Inscribed: ‘from the author, May,19, 1898’. Correction of a word from ‘hundred’ to ‘thousand’ in ink by the author on page 16. He has also added ‘Hon. Canon of Ripon’ beneath his name to the title page. Cloth bright and clean with only very minor marks and wear to the spine and edges. Minor crack to the paper of the front hinge but binding very nice and tight. Short closed tear to the hinge of the map which has been neatly repaired to the reverse with archive tape. Neat inscription to the verso of the front endpaper. Pages very nice and clean. A very good indeed, tight, clean copy. Very scarce signed.