To the Gold Coast for Gold: A Personal Narrative

by Richard Francis Burton, Verney Lovett Cameron

Overview

First published in 1883, this travel memoir chronicles the journey into West Africa undertaken by explorers Richard Burton (1821–90) and Verney Lovett Cameron (1844–94) in 1881. The mission for the two men was to assess the mining potential of the west coast, first observed by Burton in a publication that had appeared twenty years earlier. Volume 2 starts with the men in Sierra Leone and describes the journey to Axim, 'the gold port of the past and the future' in Ghana. The subsequent chapters describe various expeditions made out of Axim and the examination of some mines. The journey was cut short by the Foreign Office, who feared for the safety of the two explorers. Burton returned to Europe with a large collection of plant and animal specimens, and the pair sent 151 plant species, lists of which are included in the appendices, to Kew Gardens.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781108031424
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	06/02/2011
Series:	Cambridge Library Collection - African Studies
Pages:	390
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.50(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Richard Francis Burton (1821-1890) was an English explorer, author, translator, linguist, and orientalist. Though he published over forty books and countless articles during his life, only two were original works. He is best known for his translations, in particular his translations of One Thousand and One Nights and The Kama Sutra.

Table of Contents

Preface; 1. Preliminary: Trieste to Lisbon; 2. From Lisbon to Madeira; 3. A fortnight at Madeira; 4. Madeira (continued) - Christmas - small industries - wine - Tenerife; 5. To Tenerife, La Laguna, and Orotava; 6. The routine ascent of Mount Atlas, the 'Pike' of Tenerife; 7. The Spanish ascent of the repulse of Nelson from Santa Cruz de Tenerife; 8. To Grand Canary - Las Palmas, the capital; 9. The Cochineal - the 'Gallo' - Canary 'Sack' - adieu to the Canaries; 10. The ruined river-port and the tattered flag; 11. Sierra Leone: the change for the better.