78/2898 [Africa]. Park, M. Reize in de binnenlanden van Afrika, gedurende de jaren 1795, 1796 en 1797. Benevens een aanhangsel behelzende aardrijkskundige ophelderingen over Afrika; door den majoor Rennel. The Hague, J.C. Leeuwestijn, 1801-1802, 3 parts in 2 vols., XVIII,284,(8); (4),261,(9); XXVIII,322,(6)p., stipple-engr. oval frontisp. portrait by L. PORTMAN, 2 (of 3) fold. engr. maps, 5 (fold.) plates, 1 fold. plate w. engr. score, contemp. unif. gilt hcalf. - BOUND WITH: Houghton, D. and Park, M. Reize en ontdekkingen in de binnenlanden van Africa. Haarlem, F. Bohn, 1800, (2),X,242p., 3 fold. engr. maps.

- First title lacks 1 map. Upper joint of second vol. starting and top of spine sl. dam.

= Ad 1: Rare copy of the first Dutch edition of Mungo Park's classic Travels in the Interior Districts of Africa (London, 1799). Cf. Cox I, p.394f; Henze IV, p.14; Kainbacher II, p.168; Gay 2788; Howgego P21: "In 1794 Park offered his services to the African Association, the intention being to follow the route pioneered by Daniel Houghton across West Africa in an attempt to reach the River Niger. (...) His offer was accepted and it was decided to recruit fifty more men to act as his escort. (...) Park eventually left Pisania (2.12.95) with an English-speaking Mandingo guide called Johnson, a slave called Demba, a horse and two asses, food supply for two days, an umbrella, a sextant, a compass, a thermometer and four firearms. (...) He reached Sego (= Segou) on the River Niger on 20.7.96, where he was at last able to confirm that the river flowed towards the east. (...) [He] arrived back at Pisania on 10.6.97 (...). Warmly received in London, Park spent the next year writing his immensely popular Travels in the Interior of Africa (1799) (...)." Ad 2: The very rare first Dutch edition. Cf. Henze II, p.635 (Houghton), IV, p.14 (Park) and p.579-580 (Rennell). Cf. Gay 2788, listing i.a. the first edition published in London, 1797.