A Voyage to Senegal, the Isle of Goree, and the River Gambia
London: J. Nourse and W. Johnston, 1759.
First Edition. Hardcover. Good. 8vo, pp. xiii, [1], 337, [1]; engraved folding map (light offsetting); worm track in the lower fore-margin of the first gathering (not touching text), otherwise a very good copy in modern brown buckram. "Although destined for the church, [Adanson] gave up his studies for those of natural history and in 1748 he sailed to Senegal. He remained in the country for five years studying not only the flora and fauna but also the climate and the language of the natives. During his stay he was responsible for tracing the River Senegal for a considerable distance into the interior, drawing maps of the surrounding region, as well as compiling dictionaries of the native languages ... [His book] contains a wealth of original material in addition to his theories for classification of plants and animals" (Howgego, I, p. 7). Cox I, p. 383.
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