8vo. 426pp, [2]. With a photographic portrait frontispiece, a further 177 photographic plates. Without the geographical map. Later blue buckram, lettered in gilt. Original publisher's pictorial wrappers bound-in. A trifle rubbed, spine sunned. Armorial bookplate of Henry Courtney Brocklehurst to FEP. Presentation copy, inked inscription to recto of front blank fly-leaf: 'To Colonel Brocklehurst / who understands the charm / of Africa unsploit by white people / and the dumb language of it animals! / R. Franchetti. / [?] 16-7-1933.'

The first edition of Italian explorer Raimondo Franchetti's (1889-1935) entertaining account of his travels in the Danakil region of northeastern Ethiopia. His sympathetic understanding of the indigenous population encouraged many of the Ethiopian tribal chiefs to join an alliance with Italy before hostilities commenced in 1934.

Henry Courtney Brocklehurst (1888-1942) British Army officer (killed in action in Burma during the Second World War) and brother of Sir Philip Lee Brocklehurst (1887-1975), Antarctica explorer and member of Shackleton's Nimrod Expedition.