Black Africa. François Crozat (1858-1893),... - Lot 201 - Conan Belleville Hôtel d'Ainay

Black Africa. François Crozat (1858-1893), physician and explorer. Period manuscript copy, probably non autograph. Kinian [Mali], December 1890-January 1891. 95 pp. large in-folio (3 books). Horny pages, a little fragile paper, some tears. Fascinating account of his voyage of exploration through the Mossi [Sudan - Mali] to Ouagadougou, 600 kilometers east of Sikasso (southern Mali), where he was based. Leaving with 5 porters on 1 August 1890, he went to Bobo-Dioulasso on the Black Volta, went down the river via Ouoroukoy and Lanfiera, then managed to thwart the threats of the Islamic populations and arrived in Ouagadougou, capital of the Mossi, where he was well received by the Naba Bocary, with whom he signed a treaty of friendship. He returned to Sikasso on 20 November. Excerpts: "I was leaving in fairly good conditions. My staff, since Souri, had remained intact; however, one of the porters, named Thiédian, showed the first symptoms of Guinea worm on the day of departure. I had to entrust him to my host in Sattiri the following day. I found him cured on my return. The animals, a little tired on arrival in Bobo-Dioulassou, had resumed, except for one of the last two oxen which I had to abandon. I replaced it by three porters that I hired until Ouoroukhoy. Among these porters was a man from the Mossi, named Abdul Laï, whom I had had the good fortune to meet and to determine to follow me. He was of great service to me on the way, by his knowledge of the ways, and to the Mossi by his knowledge of the language. Indeed, the only language spoken there is the Mossi language. His services would have been even greater, if I had been able to make him renounce the excessive shyness which made him afraid of everything and which did not leave him several times but to create trouble for me. As soon as the day of my departure from Bobo-Dioulasow had been fixed, Guimbi had wanted to show me my stages herself.