My Life With Stanley’s Rear Guard – Herbert Ward – 1891 Signed 1st Ed.

My Life With Stanley’s Rear Guard – Herbert Ward – 1891. A relatively uncommon 1st edition in hardcover. Inscribed from the author to artist Seymour Lucas, their bookplate pasted to front EP. Signed by Herbert Ward, an extremely rare signature. On the first prelim page is the signature of the Earl of Bellmore, dated 1930. At that time, Armar Lowry-Corry was the 5th Earl of Bellmore, an Irish nobleman. This book then became part of the renowned Esmond Bradley Martin collection. Martin was a noted conservationist and geographer, spearheading the fight against ivory trading in Africa for many years. Overall, a long and interesting provenance. “After several years of a distinguished career in Africa, Ward was preparing to return to England when Stanley, who was assembling the Emin Pasha relief expedition, appointed him as a lieutenant and placed him under the command of Major Edmund Barttelot in the expedition’s Rear Guard. The Rear Guard was supposed to have resupplied Stanley’s expedition, but disease and the treachery of the Chief Tippu-Tib kept them from making their rendezvous. By the time Stanley returned to find them, two of its officers and more than 100 of its porters had died. Considerable blame was being spread among the various parties involved, along with accusations of ineptitude, vice and corruption. Herbert felt his character, and that of others, had been maligned for their part in the fiasco. This is his side of the story, written so that the public could come to a fair and impartial judgment of their own.” Blue cloth boards with reddish text and illustration on front cover. Cover with edge wear, scuffing, and bumping. Internally, paper fully cracked at front hinge and partially cracked at rear hinge. A few spots with separation at block. Some discoloration to floral EPs. Overall, good condition. The book is exactly as pictured. Any questions, please ask.