Travels through Central Africa to Timbuctoo

First published in 1830, this two-volume work documents the expedition to Timbuktu of Réné Caillié (1799–1838), the first European explorer to visit the city and return alive. Volume 2 covers his time in Timbuktu and his impressions of the city, concluding with an account of his journey home.

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French explorer Réné Caillié (1799–1838) was the first European to document a successful expedition to Timbuktu, Africa's elusive 'city of gold'. Europeans were not welcome there, and until Caillié's expedition no explorer had returned alive. Encouraged by the 10,000 francs offered by the Société de Géographie to the first non-Muslim to bring back information on the city, he set out from Senegal in 1824 and eventually reached Timbuktu in 1828. His travels are recounted here in this two-volume work, first published in English in 1830. Volume 2 covers the final part of his journey to Timbuktu, where he stayed for two weeks. Including his impressions of the peoples, tribal conflict, slavery, customs and commerce, the volume concludes with an account of his journey home across the Sahara Desert, and his survival in spite of suffering from fever and fatigue. Vividly written, Caillié's work remains a landmark in the history of African exploration and adventure.