Africa or Libia Ulteriour Where are the Countries of Saara Desert the Countrie of Negroes and Guine with the Circumjacent Countries and Kingdoms

Scarce map of northwestern Africa highlighting British claims to the gold and slave trades.

This detailed map of northern Africa covers the continent from the equator to Morocco and the Mediterranean Sea. Interior details are spurious, showing a classical ‘barbell’ course for the Niger River connecting Guarde and Borno Lakes, the latter of which approximates to the modern day location of Lake Tchad. Pictorial topography and illustrations of small animals are also scattered throughout.

Place names are concentrated heavily along the coast lines, reflecting the emphasis on maritime trading in the region. This was no coincidence, as evidenced by the dedicatory cartouche in the lower right corner. ‘To ye Hono.bl ye Governour, Sub Gouvernour, Deputy Gouvernor, & Court of Assistants of ye Hono.bl Company of Royall Advernturers of England tradeing into Africa’.

The Company of Royal Adventurers Trading into Africa was founded by Charles II (also a significant investor) in 1660 on the restoration of the monarchy. The king’s brother, James, was the governor mentioned in the dedication, hence the favorable terms of the charter, stating it ‘had the whole, entire and only trade for buying and selling bartering and exchanging of for or with any Negroes, slaves, goods, wares, merchandise whatsoever’ for 1,000 years.

It wouldn’t make it quite that long, however, as heavy debts forced the company to surrender the charter in 1672, when it was re-organized as the Royal African Company. The map was engraved by Francis Lamb and published in Richard Blome’s Geographical Description of the Four Parts of the World around 1674.