The Sources of the Nile:

London: James Madden,, 1860. First edition of this thorough and uncommon monograph on the geography of the Nile basin, based on findings and data from the expeditions by Burton and Speke. It "gives the best existing summary of what had been done and fancied on the subject up to that date" (Proceedings, p. 160). Charles Tilstone Beke (1800–1874) was an English traveller and geographer, who went to Abyssinia (now Ethiopia) from 1840 to 1843. He "correctly divined that the principal source of the Nile River must lie in the equatorial highlands of east Africa and that the Blue Nile was a tributary to the White" (ODNB). His theory was later published in An Essay on the Sources of the Nile in the Mountains of the Moon (1848). In the preface to this work, Beke comments: "I need not dwell on the gratification which I have experienced in seeing the soundness of my hypothesis now at length established, so as to entitle it to be recognized as the true theory of the Sources of the Nile in the Mountains of the Moon... The fundamental cause of the erroneous notions prevalent respecting Africa is that Europeans have always approached that continent in the wrong direction". He had previously pointed out that the Nile basin could be reached with relative ease from the Zanzibar coast, instead of the Mediterranean. This advice was followed by Burton and Speke thus proving Beke's theory of the source of the Nile. Octavo. With 5 engraved maps (4 full-page and one folding), engraved folding panorama. Original maroon pebbled cloth, spine lettered in gilt, boards elaborately blindstamped. Spine ends repaired, spine and boards sunned and lightly mottled, folding map with old tape repairs to recto and verso, largely unopened, small chip to edge of contents page, spots of worming. A good copy. Gay 2606. Proceedings of the Liverpool Literary & Philosophical Society, vol. 21, 1867.