Published in 1867, Sir Samuel Baker's journal describes his expedition to Africa in search of the source of the Nile. Baker (1821 93), one of the most important British explorers of the nineteenth century, undertook a twelve-month journey to examine every individual tributary to the Nile, accompanied throughout by his wife Florence (whom he had first encountered in an Ottoman slave market). Reflecting his passion for exploring and his strength of character, Baker's highly descriptive, witty and fluid writing records his dangerous and difficult project, telling fascinating stories of the native people as well as relaying the facts of his exploration. From his hunting expeditions with the Hamran Arabs to his extensive journeys on camel-back and his life at camp, Baker's experiences are far removed from today's world, and his vivid descriptions provide the reader with an invaluable insight into what life was like in Africa in the mid-nineteenth century.

The botanist and mining engineer John Miers (1789 1879) published Travels in Chile and La Plata in 2 volumes in 1826. The work is an account of his travels and residence in Chile between 1818 and 1825 and his investigations into the cultural, political, geographical and botanical aspects of the country. Richly illustrated with maps and his own drawings, the work is most valuable for the data it contains from Miers' research into the plants and birds he found there, including drawings and descriptions of many species previously unknown to the West. Volume 1 also contains the main travel account of his journey from England to Chile, geographical descriptions of the places he explored there, and an account of his plans and negotiations to build a copper-refining plant. The work is a rich source of botanical information and offers an insight into Victorian perceptions of Chile.

The botanist and mining engineer John Miers (1789 1879) published Travels in Chile and La Plata in 2 volumes in 1826. The work is an account of his travels and residence in Chile between 1818 and 1825 and his investigations into the cultural, political, geographical and botanical aspects of the country. Richly illustrated with maps and his own drawings, the work is most valuable for the data it contains from Miers' research into the plants and birds he found there, including drawings and descriptions of many species previously unknown to the West. Volume 2 also gives an account of Chile's political and economic history; its religion and culture; its trade, agriculture and mining; and contains an appendix listing the plants and animals he examined. The work is both a rich source for geographical and botanical information and offers an insight into Victorian perceptions of Chile.

The first English version of Bernier's 1670 work since its initial translation from the French in 1672, Irving Brock's 1826 edition vastly improved his predecessor's work. Francois Bernier (1625?-1688) trained as a physician at Montpellier and left France for Syria in 1654, travelling to Egypt and finally to India ('Hindustan'), where he spent twelve years as the court physician to the Great Mogul Aurangzeb. Celebrated and influential, his Travels shaped European opinions and knowledge of India. Brock provides a biography in his preface to Volume 1, where he also outlines the volumes' contents. Volume 1 narrates civil war, describes the government and finances of the court, and the army, and closes with detailed descriptions of Delhi and Agra. Including Brock's many interventions to relate the narrative to imperial Britain, this work will be of interest to scholars of post-colonialism, of early modern travel and of Asian and European encounters.

The first English version of Bernier's 1670 work since its initial translation from the French in 1672, Irving Brock's 1826 edition vastly improved his predecessor's work. Francois Bernier (1625?-1688) trained as a physician at Montpellier and left France for Syria in 1654, travelling to Egypt and finally to India ('Hindustan'), where he spent twelve years as the court physician to the Great Mogul Aurangzeb. Celebrated and influential, his Travels shaped European opinions and knowledge of India. Volume 2 details religious practices, the Great Mogul's journey to Kashmir, and many other topics, concluding with an appendix of north Indian history and a chronology of its rulers. Including Brock's interventions to relate the narrative to imperial Britain, this work will be of interest to scholars of post-colonialism, of early modern travel and of Asian and European encounters.

James Clark Ross (1800-1862) was an explorer who served in the Royal Navy and made his first Arctic trip in 1818 on an unsuccessful mission to find the North-West Passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. On the basis of his polar experience, he was appointed to lead further expeditions, and by 1839 he found himself on the opposite side of the world in the Antarctic, with Joseph Dalton Hooker as his on-board naturalist. This two-volume account of the four-year voyage was published in 1847. Ross' findings led him to the conclusion that there was life on the sea floor to at least 730 metres, and the work is an important contribution to the development of oceanography and scientific knowledge about the Antarctic. Volume 1 covers Ross' journey from England to the Antarctic Circle, detailing the oceanic and climatic observations made along the way.

James Clark Ross (1800-1862) was an explorer who served in the Royal Navy and made his first Arctic trip in 1818 on an unsuccessful mission to find the North-West Passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. On the basis of his polar experience, he was appointed to lead further expeditions, and by 1839 he found himself on the opposite side of the world in the Antarctic, with Joseph Dalton Hooker as his on-board naturalist. This two-volume account of the four-year voyage was published in 1847. Ross' findings led him to the conclusion that there was life on the sea floor to at least 730 metres, and the work is an important contribution to the development of oceanography and scientific knowledge about the Antarctic. Volume 2 continues the story of the expedition, which eventually reached 78S, and discovered the deep bay in the southern ocean now called the Ross Sea.

Originally published in 1897, this two-volume work chronicles the polar expedition of Norwegian scientist Fridtjof Nansen (1861 1930), who came closer than any previous explorer to the North Pole. Beginning on board his boat, the Fram, which was deliberately driven into pack-ice off Siberia in order to drift north, Nansen and his companions later resorted to sleds and kayaks. Running to over six hundred pages, Volume 1 includes descriptions of the expedition's preparation and equipment, the farewell to Norway and voyage through the Kara Sea, ending with the party's second autumn on the ice. The Fram served as an oceanographic-meteorological-biological laboratory during its time in the Arctic and Nansen eventually published six volumes of scientific observations. He later became Norwegian delegate to the League of Nations, directing humanitarian projects, and is famous for receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1922 as well as for his polar achievements.

Originally published in 1897, this two-volume work chronicles the polar expedition of Norwegian scientist Fridtjof Nansen (1861-1930), who came closer than any previous explorer to the North Pole. Beginning on board his boat, the Fram, which was deliberately driven into pack-ice off Siberia in order to drift north, Nansen and his companions later resorted to sleds and kayaks. Volume 2 describes the journey over the ice - setting out with 28 dogs, 3 sledges and 2 kayaks - and ends with an account of the return journey. (It also includes Captain Otto Sverdrup's report of the expedition.) The Fram served as a laboratory during its time in the Arctic, and Nansen eventually published six volumes of scientific observations. He later became Norwegian delegate to the League of Nations, directing humanitarian projects, and is famous for receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1922 as well as for his polar achievements.

Major Dixon Denham (1786 1828) and Lieutenant Hugh Clapperton (1788 1827) were British explorers famous for their explorations in Africa. Between 1822 and 1825, they set out to investigate the lower course of the River Niger and the swamps and forests of the Guinea Coast, accompanied by the physician Dr Walter Oudney (1790 1824), who sadly died of a fever during the expedition. This important book, first published in 1826, brings together the memoirs of all three explorers to document their mission, which represented the first complete crossing of the Sahara by Europeans in recorded history. Diverse and insightful, it recounts phenomena such as the transportation of slaves from the Sudan, the salt industry in the heart of the desert, and encounters with native tribes. Providing unique insights into pre-colonial Africa, these vivid recollections remain of great interest to historians of Africa, cultural anthropologists and geographers alike.

Charles Henry Robinson (1861 1925) was a Cambridge scholar who, during the 1890s, published several books on the language, literature and culture of the Hausa people of West Africa. This study, published in 1896, documents his pioneering fieldwork during which, in three months, he travelled 1500 miles across rivers, mountains, villages and towns. Public interest in the Hausa was high at the time, due to their recruitment as troops by Britain in the Ashanti conflict, and by France to consolidate French power in Madagascar. However, Robinson argues against the perception of the Hausa as primarily a warlike people, despite their formidable strength in battle. In this vivid account of his time among them, he portrays the Hausa as successful traders who excelled above all in commercial endeavours. Exploring enterprises from textiles and tobacco to hunting and river transportation, Robinson gives fascinating first-hand insights into this important African community.

Sir Richard Francis Burton (1821 1890) was an explorer who began his career in the Bombay army in 1842. While in India he developed his linguistic talent, mastering more than forty different languages and dialects. He turned to writing books in the 1850s and over the remaining forty years of his life published dozens of works and more than 100 articles. In this two-volume work, published in 1860, Burton discusses geographical and ethnological matters, while also giving space to the 'picturesque points of view which the subject offers' in recounting his journey to Zanzibar and around the lakes in present-day Tanzania. In Volume 1 Burton begins his expedition on the island of Zanzibar before moving inland to explore the Kingani and Mgeta Rivers. He crosses the Usagara mountains and ends the volume in Unyamwezi, 'the far-famed land over the moon'.

Sir Richard Francis Burton (1821 1890) was an explorer who began his career in the Bombay army in 1842. While in India he developed his linguistic talent, mastering more than forty different languages and dialects. He turned to writing books in the 1850s and over the remaining forty years of his life published dozens of works and more than 100 articles. In this two-volume work, published in 1860, Burton discusses geographical and ethnological matters, while also giving space to the 'picturesque points of view which the subject offers' in recounting his journey to Zanzibar and around the lakes in present-day Tanzania. Volume 2 sees Burton arrive at Lake Tanganyika, and much of this volume is dedicated to his exploration of this freshwater lake and investigation of the way of life of the inhabitants of its shores. He also includes an appendix of commerce in the region.

Sir George Steuart Mackenzie (1780 1848) was a Scottish baronet whose interests included chemistry and geology. This work, first published in 1811, is his account of his voyage to Iceland in 1810 for the purposes of mineralogical research. Accompanied by physicians Henry Holland and Richard Bright, Mackenzie surveyed volcanoes, geysers and the other geological features of the island. In addition to reporting the results of the expedition's scientific exploration, this charming and evocative journal describes the history, culture, attire and cuisine of the islanders. Also included are Richard Bright's observations on the zoology and botany of Iceland and a survey of the health of the population by Henry Holland, who introduced smallpox inoculation during his visit. Written in an easy, accessible style, this account brings to life the sights, smells and tastes of the tour and the often rudimentary accommodation and travel conditions.

Sir Richard Burton (1821-1890) the famous Victorian explorer, began his career in the Indian army in 1842. While in India he developed his linguistic talent, mastering more than forty different languages and dialects. He turned to writing books in the 1850s and, over the remaining forty years of his life, published dozens of works and more than one hundred articles. Burton wrote this two-volume work, published in 1863, while working as the British consul in Fernando Po (modern-day Equatorial Guinea), West Africa. In Volume 1 Burton describes his journey to Abeokuta, the capital of the Egba tribe of the Yoruba nation (which was located in the south-west of present-day Nigeria). Burton gives detailed descriptions of the people he meets - including the king - and considers the relationship between the Egba and British in the context of the latters' ambitions in West Africa.

Sir Richard Burton (1821 1890) the famous Victorian explorer, began his career in the Indian army in 1842. While in India he developed his linguistic talent, mastering more than forty different languages and dialects. He turned to writing books in the 1850s and, over the remaining forty years of his life, published dozens of works and more than one hundred articles. Burton wrote this two-volume work, published in 1863, while working as the British consul in Fernando Po (modern-day Equatorial Guinea), West Africa. In Volume 2 Burton discusses his expedition to the mountains on the coast of Cameroon, where he climbed to the peak of Mount Cameroon, an active volcano. This volume also has extensive appendices that include lists of plants collected on his expeditions, notes about the wildlife living in the mountains, and observations about the climate and temperature of the region.

Sir Richard Burton (1821 1890) the famous Victorian explorer, began his career in the Indian army in 1842. While in India he developed his linguistic talent, mastering more than forty different languages and dialects. He turned to writing books in the 1850s and, over the remaining forty years of his life, published dozens of works and more than one hundred articles. He spent part of his career as British consul in Fernando Po (present-day Equatorial Guinea) in West Africa, and used this as an opportunity to explore the region. In 1861, he was sent on a mission, recounted in this two-volume work of 1864, to Dahomey (present-day Benin) to urge the king to put a stop to the local slave trade. In Volume 1 Burton tells of his voyage along the West African coast and arrival in Dahomey, where he is presented to the king.

Sir Richard Burton (1821 1890) the famous Victorian explorer, began his career in the Indian army in 1842. While in India he developed his linguistic talent, mastering more than forty different languages and dialects. He turned to writing books in the 1850s and, over the remaining forty years of his life, published dozens of works and more than one hundred articles. He spent part of his career as British consul in Fernando Po (present-day Equatorial Guinea) in West Africa, and used this as an opportunity to explore the region. In 1861, he was sent on a mission, recounted in this two-volume work of 1864, to Dahomey (present-day Benin) to urge the king to put a stop to the local slave trade. In Volume 2 Burton discusses the human sacrifices that were taking place while he was there, and the negotiations with the king about slavery.

Hugh Clapperton (1788 1827) was a former naval officer who was determined to explore the course of the River Niger. In 1822 he set out on an expedition to trace the river by approaching it through North Africa, though this proved unsuccessful. Three years later, Clapperton tried again, with plans to start in West Africa, and the young explorer Richard Lander (1804 1834) joined his party. They arrived in Badagry (in present-day Nigeria) and eventually crossed the Niger at Bussa, before reaching Sokoto (in north-west Nigeria), where Clapperton died from an attack of dysentery. Lander returned to England and published this two-volume account of the journey in 1830. Volume 1 recounts the voyage out, travel inland through Africa, and arrival at the river, while describing the people encountered in a part of Africa that was barely known to Europeans during this period.

Hugh Clapperton (1788 1827) was a former naval officer who was determined to explore the course of the River Niger. In 1822 he set out on an expedition to trace the river by approaching it through North Africa, though this proved unsuccessful. Three years later, Clapperton tried again, with plans to start in West Africa, and the young explorer Richard Lander (1804 1834) joined his party. They arrived in Badagry (in present-day Nigeria) and eventually crossed the Niger at Bussa, before reaching Sokoto (in north-west Nigeria), where Clapperton died from an attack of dysentery. Lander returned to England and published this two-volume account of the journey in 1830. Volume 2 describes the death of Clapperton and Lander's eventual return to England, after a series of events including a near-drowning and an offer of marriage to the daughter of a Yoruba king.

Sir Richard Francis Burton (1821 1890) was a British explorer, writer and ethnologist best known for his travels in Asia and Africa in the nineteenth century. This is his account, originally published in 1863, of his mission to investigate mortality in West Africa. In Volume 1 he describes his departure from England, with accounts of the landscapes, buildings, cultures and cuisines that characterized his journey from Liverpool through Madeira and Tenerife, before recalling his first impressions of Africa on arriving in Bathurst on the Eastern Cape. In the final two chapters he recounts his findings in Sierra Leone and Cape Palmas, revealing how the positioning of settlements exposed their inhabitants to disease, adverse weather conditions, poverty and malnourishment. Set within a fascinating historical, political and cultural context, and written in vivid detail, Burton's memoirs remain of great interest and relevance to anthropologists, historians and geographers today.

Sir Richard Francis Burton (1821 1890) was a British explorer, writer and ethnologist best known for his travels in Asia and Africa in the nineteenth century. This is his account, originally published in 1863, of his mission to investigate mortality in West Africa. In Volume 2 he continues to recount his explorations, from Cape Palmas through to Cape Coast, the Gold Coast, Accra, Lagos and finally Fernando Po. Through his vivid and sometimes grim recollections, Burton reveals West Africa's culture, traditions, and living and working environments, showing how slaves were exploited in the gold trade, dwellings were overcrowded and unclean, and poverty and starvation were rife, in the midst of enduring inequality between Europeans and native Africans. Providing a broad historical, political and cultural background to his findings, Burton lends a unique insight into nineteenth-century Africa, which remains of great relevance to anthropologists, historians and geographers today.

Described by one commentator as 'a man of sterling common sense, intellectual rigour and ability', the distinguished naval officer Sir Adolphus Slade (1804 1877) was one of the best-informed and engaging travel writers of the nineteenth century. Later in his career he was to spend 17 years on secondment to the Turkish navy, heading its administration and improving its efficiency, but already in his twenties, having served in Russia and South America, he was keen to commit his observations of foreign lands to paper. First published in 1832, Slade's two-volume account of his travels in the Mediterranean and Turkey responded to the public's appetite for colourful chronicles. It contains descriptions of fashions, superstitions, dignitaries and despots, and covers topics ranging from antiquities and architecture to piracy and cricket. Volume 1 describes the early part of his journey, including his impressions of the Bosporus, the Danube delta and Sevastopol.

Described by one commentator as 'a man of sterling common sense, intellectual rigour and ability', the distinguished naval officer Sir Adolphus Slade (1804 1877) was one of the best-informed and engaging travel writers of the nineteenth century. Later in his career he was to spend 17 years on secondment to the Turkish navy, heading its administration and improving its efficiency, but already in his twenties, having served in Russia and South America, he was keen to commit his observations of foreign lands to paper. First published in 1832, Slade's two-volume account of his travels in the Mediterranean and Turkey responded to the public's appetite for colourful chronicles. It contains descriptions of fashions, superstitions, dignitaries and despots, and covers topics ranging from antiquities and architecture to piracy and cricket. Volume 2 includes Slade's impressions of the Tartars, the Cossacks, the plague, Constantinople, and the habits of Muslim women.

Recommended an open-air life from an early age as a cure for physical and nervous difficulties, the indefatigable Isabella Bird (1831 1904) toured the United States and Canada, Hawaii, New Zealand, Australia, the Far East, India, Turkey, Persia and Kurdistan. Her accounts of her travels, written in the form of letters to her sister, were bestsellers. In 1875 she published her account of six months in the Hawaiian archipelago. During this time she explored the islands on horseback, visiting volcanos, climbing mountains, and living with the natives. The book includes considerable detail about the lifestyles, customs, and habits of the people she encountered, and of the geography and geology of the islands. Her enthusiasm for Hawaii and its people is evident from her vivid descriptions, but she disliked the restrictive atmosphere of the foreign settlements. The book includes outlines of the history and economy of the islands.