Bold adventure across an untamed Africa, told with the sights, sounds, and grit of a pioneering expedition.
This nonfiction account follows A. Donaldson Smith’s first expedition from Somaliland to Lake Rudolf, revealing the challenges of long travel, the people he meets, and the remarkable landscapes he encounters along the way.
In lucid, first-person narration, the journey unfolds from Aden to Berbera and into the highlands and deserts of the Horn of Africa. Readers will witness logistics, diplomacy, and daily life on the march, and will gain a window into the cultures of the Konso, Boran, Amara, and other communities encountered high in the mountains and along river valleys. The narrative pairs travel lore with practical observations, from trading trades to the toll of fever and fatigue on explorers and their helpers.
- Vivid, ground-level travel writing that brings place, people, and peril to life.
- Close-up portraits of many cultures and their trades, dress, and customs.
- Descriptions of wildlife, landscape features, and early scientific notes from field work.
- A mix of adventure, exploration, and natural history in a historic expedition context.
Ideal for readers of exploration history, African travel narratives, and firsthand accounts of epic expeditions of the late 19th century.