ROGER (Jacques-François). Kelédor: A History of Africa. Paris: A. Nepveu, 1828. — 8vo, 207 x 127: XVI, 271 pp. Half tan calf, decorated ribbed spine, mottled edges (binding circa 1860). A rare first edition of this account, divided into 8 books, by Baron Jacques-François Roger (1787–1849), a naval captain and the first civil governor of the colony of Senegal. In the form of an authentic chronicle, blending fiction with research based on concrete evidence, the author provides a valuable account of Black Africa and the living conditions of Africans, thereby laying the groundwork for a new approach to this continent, which was little known at the time. Its originality lies in the fact that Roger describes peoples he lived among in their own lands for several years, rather than in the context of slavery. Through the story of Kelédor’s life, he highlights the history, the richness, and the diversity of Senegal—a country where nature, climate, flora, and fauna contrast radically with those of Europe, and where the populations exhibit radically different customs, cultures, and social structures depending on their geographic location. Starting on page 205, the book includes valuable explanatory notes. A very fine copy, very well preserved and free of foxing. Some minor wear from handling. Provenance: Digby Sheffield Neave, with bookplate.