AFRICA & AMERICA. TRAVEL & EXPLORATION. An archive of manuscript correspondence & documents

AFRICA & AMERICA. TRAVEL & EXPLORATION. An archive of manuscript correspondence & documents comprising: a passport for James Church to conduct a "journey of exploration in the interior of Africa", departing from the Pashalic of Tripoli to Central Africa, signed by George Frederick Herman, 11 June 1853; an uncoloured steel-engraved map of Africa published by George Cox, 1 January 1853, worn, 35 x 40cm; a passport for James F. Church to travel to Central America on the Public Service, 21 September 1857, lithographic signature of the Earl of Clarendon; an Autograph Letter Signed by Trelawny Saunders [Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society], 3 January 1855, on RGS letterhead, relaying information from Dr. Vogel & Dr. Barth [Eduard Vogel & Heinrich Barth, notable German explorers of Africa], "Macguire [John Maguire] does his utmost to assist me, and is making likewise accurate observations with the compass on the road. He is still tolerably weak and suffers greatly from erysipelas on both his feet, besides the sun has terribly burnt him in such a degree, that the skin is hanging down in pieces from his face & neck...He told me that Church had tried till the last moment to persuade him to return home likewise, and to leave me alone."; ALS by Trelawny Saunders on RGS letterhead to James Church, 17 June 1856, "The secretary wishes to know, whether with the permission of your Superior Officers, you are disposed to join the proposed expedition to Eastern Africa under Captain Burton [Sir Richard Francis Burton].", plus a note concerning Vogel's allegations of secret correspondence, ungentlemanly conduct and extortion, and another letter, 14 August 1856, indistinctly signed, "I mentioned to Captain Burton, who called here to-day, the fact of your having objected to form one of the party, and he was very sorry to be deprived of your services," and then requesting that Church visit Colonel Sykes at East India House; ALS by John Maguire, headed Kuka [capital of Bornu, Nigeria], 5 November 1856, "I thank the Lord I am still alive and likely to live to say farewell to this damnable country of filth and fanaticks...Dr Vogel left here for Wadai on the 1st day of this year from which place he has never returned and report says he was murdered two days from Wara the Capital"; ALS by George Frederick Herman, 1 June 1853, being a lengthy expedition memorandum for James Church & Edward Sweeney on 14pp, and a shorter memorandum similar, 26 July 1853, for Church & Maguire; ALS by James Church, 11 July 1856, a lengthy letter defending his own good conduct during the expedition into Central Africa, and outlining the poor conduct of others, including Dr Vogel who "spent several hours a day in company with a female who was the slave of his servant Massoud, by whom he was said to have been purchased for 80 dollars"; a manuscript copy of a character reference for James Church, Royal Engineers, 1868-69, describing his expeditions, including his role as photographer in Central America to determine the feasibility of constructing a railroad across the continent; ALS by Charles Thurston Thompson [early British photographer], 29 July 1859, attesting to James Church having studied photography under his direction; correspondence to James Church on British & Foreign Anti Slavery Society letterhead, 11 January 1856, "I have received & laid before the Committee the interesting narrative of your visit to the interior of Africa, & the Committee think it would do good were it published in our Reports. As there are statements in it, however, implicating Drs Barthe & Vogel in slave-trading, the Committee deem it desirable to have your permission to publish the same, which I therefore now solicit on their behalf." (14)