Dahomey and the Dahomans: Being the Journals of Two Missions to the King of Dahomey, and Residence at His Capital, in the Years 1849 and 1850

London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, 1851. First Edition. First printing. Octavo (21cm). Two volumes in brown cloth, stamped in blind and gilt; blue and white printed endpapers with publisher's advertisements; xii,244pp; [vi],248pp; 10 tinted lithographs, some with hand coloring, and 3 black and white lithographs. Errata slip in vol. I, following contents. Binder's ticket of Remnant & Edmonds, London, to rear pastedown of vol. I. Ownership inscriptions of F. J. Young to front endpaper versos. Unfaded and straight, frayed at spine ends, vol. I with tear to cloth over rear joint and minor perforations to paper over interior hinges, vol. II starting split to front joint, short tears to cloth over both joints, and short (2-in) crack to rear hinge; occasional spots of browning but generally clean: Very Good.

A Royal Naval officer's journals of visits to Dahomey (a kingdom located in what is now southern Benin), published with an antislavery intent: "It is the object of the author...to illustrate the dreadful slave hunts and ravages, the annihiliations and exterminations, consequent on this trade; and to bring prominently before the British public the sacred service they are rendering" through their efforts to halt the slave trade (p.iv, vol.I). NOT IN ABBEY.