Author: Riley, James (1777–1840)
An Authentic Narrative of the Loss of the American Brig Commerce: Wrecked on the western cost of Africa, in the month of August, 1815. With an account of the sufferings of her surviving officers and crew, who were enslaved by the wandering Arabs on the great African desart, or Zahahrah; and observations historical, geographical, &c. made during the travels of the author, while a slave to the Arabs, and in the empire of Morocco—1st Edition
This work stands as one of the most culturally seismic and emotionally arresting survival chronicles in early American maritime history. This true first edition details the harrowing account of Riley and his shipwrecked crew, who were cast away on the desolate coast of Western Africa in 1815, only to be captured and enslaved by wandering nomadic Sahrawis in the unforgiving Sahara Desert. Riley's visceral descriptions of starvation, dehydration, and captivity captivated a young nation and directly fueled early transatlantic anti-slavery sentiment—most famously inspiring a young Abraham Lincoln, who read the book as a teenager and later cited it as one of the most influential works of his youth. For the book archaeologist, this exceptional octavo volume is a marvel of period material culture, boasting a crisp stipple-engraved frontispiece portrait of Captain Riley. Adding an incomparable layer of human history, this specific artifact bears the elegant, sweeping contemporary inscription “George Sidney’s Book” in iron-gall ink across the title header, offering us a physical connection to the early 19th-century readers who originally treasured this legendary tale of endurance and redemption.
Illustrations & Plates: Embellished with a copperplate frontispiece portrait of Captain James Riley (engraved by Michele Pekenino) and 6 of the 9 additional copperplate engravings detailing scenes of African geography and desert survival. (Lacking 3 Plates)
We provide detailed photographs to allow you to assess the book's condition and aesthetic appeal.
