ADAMS (Robert). - Lot 35

ADAMS (Robert). The Narrative of Robert Adams, a sailor, who was shipwrecked on the western coast of Africa in 1810, was held in slavery for three years by the Arabs of the Great Desert, and lived for several months in the city of Timbuktu. London: William Blmer and Co. for John Murray, 1816. — in-4, 269 x 213: map, xxxix, 231 pp. Half-calf in tan with corners, decorated ribbed spine, marbled edges (contemporary binding). First edition of this account recounting the story of Robert Adams, a 25-year-old American sailor who claimed to have been enslaved in North Africa (1810–1814) following a shipwreck. Freed thanks to the British consul, he reportedly made his way to London, where, while begging, he was “discovered” by the Company of Merchants Trading with Africa, to whom he recounted his adventure, which was subsequently published in this 1816 volume. Although riddled with inconsistencies, his story gained credibility thanks to the support of influential English figures, including government officials with financial interests in Africa. Today, this account is widely regarded as a fabrication and rejected by historical scholarship, although it is sometimes cited as an example of “white slavery.” The edition is illustrated with a large fold-out map of North Africa. Scuffs and wear, split hinges, missing caps, rounded corners. Scattered foxing spots.