Large map of Africa showing the extent of European knowledge in the mid-18th century. Much of the interior of the continent remains entirely 'unknown', though the author has attempted to divide the continent into its general regions and kingdoms. This map is a reduced version of J.B.B. D'Anville's ground-breaking map of Africa which only included features known by D'Anville to be true. He is often considered the first truly scientific cartographer.



A table in the lower-left corner lists the European colonies, some of which are described by small snippets of text on the map. Ascension Island, for example, is described thus: "Here the English ships refresh coming home from E. India & the mariners leave theire letters corked up in a bottle". The island of Socotra (off the coast of Somalia and Yemen) is amusingly described as the source of the "best aloes".



Original hand-colour. [AFR6022]