Description

East Africa and Its Big Game: The Narrative of a Sporting Trip from Zanzibar to the Borders of the Masai by Captain Sir John C. Willoughby – Deluxe Leather-Bound Edition This is the highly collectible Briar Patch Press leather-bound edition (1990) of East Africa and Its Big Game by Captain Sir John C. Willoughby, a foundational work in African big game hunting literature. Elegantly bound in black leather with gold gilt page edges, raised bands, and a silk ribbon marker, this limited edition (1 of just 500 copies) is a standout addition to any Africana or sporting library. Willoughby’s memoir details his adventurous expedition from Zanzibar into the virgin hunting grounds at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro and the borders of Masailand during the 1860s-a region then largely untouched by European hunters. Condition: Excellent. Features: Full leather binding, gold gilt page edges, patterned endpapers, illustrated with black-and-white plates, limited edition (run of just 500), and a silk ribbon marker. Collector’s Note: Highly sought after by collectors of classic African adventure and hunting books. A beautiful and distinguished volume for any collector or enthusiast of African exploration and big game hunting. Detailed Contents Summary “East Africa and Its Big Game: The Narrative of a Sporting Trip from Zanzibar to the Borders of the Masai” by Captain Sir John C. Willoughby is a pioneering account of one of the earliest English sporting expeditions into the interior of East Africa. Written at the suggestion of the Prince of Wales and first published in 1889, the book chronicles Willoughby’s journey from Zanzibar through the Taveta forest and into the vast, unspoiled plains surrounding Mount Kilimanjaro-a region then under the shadow of the warlike Masai and little known to Europeans. Willoughby describes the selection of this remote area specifically because, due to the Masai’s fearsome reputation and frequent cattle raids, it had remained largely uninhabited and un-hunted. The narrative follows Willoughby and his party as they travel over 250 miles inland, establishing a base camp near Kilimanjaro and venturing out into virgin territory in search of big game. The account is filled with vivid descriptions of the landscape, the challenges of travel, and thrilling hunts for elephant, rhinoceros, buffalo, and other iconic African wildlife. The book is notable for its detailed observations of the region’s fauna, including an appendix listing the animals and game birds of the Kilimanjaro plains. It is illustrated with numerous black-and-white plates from the author’s own photographs and features a large, fold-out color map tracing the expedition’s route. Willoughby’s engaging storytelling provides rare insight into East Africa before European colonization, capturing both the adventure and the natural beauty of a now-vanished wilderness. This edition is a leather-bound, gold gilt page edge copy in excellent condition-a truly distinguished and collectible volume for any Africana or big game hunting library.