winter miscellany - Gert Jan Bestebreurtje

fascinating today. - ‘One of the most splendid narratives in the litterature of African
exploration’ (Hallet, Africa to 1875, p.110). - A fine set of the rare Dutch edition.
Nissen, ZBI, 617 (English and French ed.); Ibrahim-Hilmy I, p.91 (other ed.); Gay 44
(French ed.); Blackmer Collection 221 (English ed.); not in Tiele.
17 BRUCE, James. Travels to discover the source of the Nile, in the years 1768,
1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773. Edinburgh, printed by J. Ruthven for G.G.J. and J.
Robinson, 1790.
5 volumes. 4to. Contemporary marbled calf with gilt fillets round sides, spines gilt
with red morocco labels (1 label missing; rebacked with the original spines laid down,
some wear to spines and extremities), inner dentelles. With engraved title-vignettes, 3
battle plans, 3 folding maps, 4 leaves of Ethiopian dialects and 55 engraved plates.
€ 4.950,00
First edition. - James Bruce, Laird of Kinnaird (1730-1794), the first European to
undertake an expedition aimed specifically at finding the Nile’s source, failed in his
attempt, but his exploration paved the way for many more travelers who came after
him. In mid-1768 Bruce ascended the Nile from Alexandria and journeyed into the
Ethiopian interior. In 1770 he believed to have found the source of the Nile near
Gondar, the ancient capital of Abyssinia. Still he was mistaken, as he had not reached
the source of the Nile, but only that of its considerable tributary. He descended the
Blue Nile to its confluence with the White Nile at the site of present-day Khartoum.
He was one of the earliest explorers to report this connection between the White and
Blue Nile. The results of Bruce’s travels was a very great enrichment of the knowledge
of geography and ethnography especially of Ethiopia. His very readable account is still
fascinating today. The plates based on Bruce’s own and Balugani’s drawings include
botanical and zoological specimens, antiquities and artefacts. - ‘One of the most
splendid narratives in the litterature of African exploration’ (Hallet, Africa to 1875,
p.110). - (Some foxing and offsetting from plates).
Nissen ZBI, 617; Ibrahim-Hilmy I, p.91; Gay 44; Blackmer Collection 221.
18 BURLAND, C.A. So sahen sie uns. Das Bild der Weissen in der Kunst der farbigen
Völker. Wien, (1968. 4to. Cloth, with dustwrapper. With 90 photographic illustrations
(12 in colours) by W. Forman. 140 pp. € 35,00
19 BURNET, Gilbert. Eenige brieven, behelzende een verhaal van het gene alderaanmerkelijkst
te zien is, en voorviel op een voyagie door Switzerlandt, Italien, een
gedeelte van Duitsland, etc. in den jare 1685 en 1686. In’t Engelsch beschreven .. na de
tweede druk, die op zommige plaatzen door den autheur verbetert en verandert is.
Waar nevens gaat, een Byvoegsel, behelzende eenige aanmerkingen op Switzerland en
Italien, geschreven door een persoon van qualiteit, en aan den autheur medegedeelt.
Amsterdam, Wed. Steven Swart, 1687-1688.
2 volumes in 1. 4to. Contemporary vellum (soiled). 158,(12); (4),97,(7) pp. € 375,00