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Harris, Walter B,
The Land of An African Sultan: Travels in Morocco 1887, 1888, and 1889.
Publisher: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington. London;
Date of Publication: 1889
Stock Code: 14269
Limited Edition, one of 200 copies only, this copy out of sequence. Large octavo. Pp., 338, with 28 illustrations on on India Paper. Publishers’ turquoise blue pictorial cloth, titles in black and gilt to upper board and spine. Top edge gilt, others uncut. A very fresh copy with slight soling to boards and slight fading to spine. Walter Burton Harris (1866 – 1933) was for many years the Times special correspondent to Morocco, his exploits there engendering his reputation as an intrepid traveller. In his Times obiturary states that ”as a traveller in the primitive, largely closed, fanatical Morocco of those days aroused the highest admiration... In one art, that of disguise, he was unexcelled... early exploits such as his ride to Sheshouan and his journey over the Atlas to Tafilelt, were undoubtedly the foundation of that singular popularity which Harris came to enjoy among all classes of the Moors, humblest to highest.' A resident in Morocco from the age of 19 Harris became fluent in French, Spanish and Moroccan Arabic and a a consequence of his dark complexion was able to pass a native and travel in disguise to the previously unexplored interior of the country. He built a palatial villa in Tangier (now the Villa Harris Art Museum) and was deeply imbedded in the politics and upper echelons of the country. For his travel writing he was awarded a fellowship from the Royal Geographical Society. This is his first book and necessarily rare. £950.00