1899 Kingsley - ORIGINAL SIGNED MANUSCRIPT - Africa Start Price USD 15,000.00 Current Price USD 15,000.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Monday, October 27, 2008 End Time Wednesday, November 26, 2008 Location North of Seattle See more about '1899 Kingsley - ORIGINAL SIGNED MANUSCRIPT - Africa' Description       1.888.656.2006   or   1.604.922.2444       questions@voyager-press.com Search by Topic Africa America - North America -South Arabia - Middle East Arctic - Antarctic Asia - Central Asia - China & Japan Asia - Southeast Australia & Pacific Bibliographies Europe Globes Graphic Arts Literature Maps & Prints Mountaineering Natural History Russia Sciences Signed & Inscribed Sir Richard F. Burton      KINGSLEY, Mary Henrietta Thirty Two Page Signed and Dated Manuscript in the Author's Hand of the First Chapter: Introductory to English West African History of Kingsley's Third and Last Book: The Story of West Africa London, 11 March 1899 Folio. 32 Single Pages, written in the author's own hand, signed by her in full, dated 11 March 1899, addressed to herself with postage stamp and postmark. Contained in a full red morocco leather clamshell box for extra protection. This is the handwritten manuscript comprising the first chapter of her last and very rare book the Story of West Africa, which was part of the Story of the Empire series and edited by Howard Angus Kennedy. The manuscript is accompanied by a copy of the 169 page book published in 1900. Mary Henrietta Kingsley (October 13, 1862 - June 3, 1900) was an English writer and explorer who greatly influenced European ideas about Africa and African people. This is Kingsley's third and last book which is the rarest of the trio and unknown to most collectors. Kingsley died in South Africa as this book was being published which may explain its rarity. On return to England in 1895 from her first trip to Africa , Mary Kingsley settled into her brother's London home and began work on writing her book Travels in West Africa. The first book was a best seller, and she immediately set about writing a second containing all the material discarded earlier for lack of space. West African Studies was published, again by Macmillan, in 1899. At the same time, Kingsley became more active in various campaigns against colonial intervention in Africa. Kingsley was quite influential, with direct access to the Colonial Office, and British colonial policy after 1890 showed a greater concern for retaining African social institutions. In 1899, while planning her third trip to West Africa, Kingsley wrote to one of her few intimate friends, Matthew Nathan, an officer of the Royal Engineers, who became the Governor of Sierra Leone. The letter included the portentous comment: "I went down to West Africa to die. West Africa amused me and was kind to me and was scientifically interesting - and did not want to kill me just then. I am in no hurry. I don't care one way or the other, for a year or so." Instead of West Africa, Kingsley departed in 1899 for South Africa; to collect specimens of fresh-water fish from the Orange River. On arrival at Cape Town, she was plunged into the thick of the recently declared Anglo-Boer War. She immediately went to the Army's Principal Medical Officer and offered her services. Apparently annoyed by her persistent application, and in an attempt to discourage further enquiries he suggested she try nursing Boer prisoners at a nearby camp in Simon's Town. Undeterred by an outbreak of typhoid and dysentery, Kingsley took up the post. She started smoking, and drank wine instead of water, in an attempt to avoid the contagion. But she failed, and on 3 June 1900 at the age of 37 she died of typhoid fever. Kingsley's last request was to be buried at sea. Her coffin was taken out into False Bay by torpedo-boat and, with full military and naval honours, interred. An original manuscript of the almost unknown third book by one of the most famous Victorian Woman Travel Writers. Not in Hess/Coger.   Powered by eBay Turbo ListerThe free listing tool. List your items fast and easy and manage your active items. Place a Bid!