Du Niger au golfe de Guinée par le pays de Kong et le Mossi, tome 1 (de 2)

In the waning years of the 1800s a French naval officer set out to chart the uncharted lands between the Niger River and the Gulf of Guinea. Backed by the colonial administration and driven by a mix of personal ambition and national rivalry, he embarks on a two‑year trek that aims to connect French outposts across a patchwork of kingdoms, markets and river valleys. The narrative opens with meticulous preparations—light yet valuable cargo, recommendations from high‑ranking officials, and a stubborn desire to travel with a minimal entourage.

As the convoy snakes through bustling towns like Bakel, Kayes and Ouolosébougou, the officer records the rhythms of daily life, the barter of coral and silk, and the stark poverty that shadows the thriving trade. Encounters with local merchants, the fierce reputation of Samory’s forces, and vivid sketches of rivers and hills bring the landscape to life. Through careful observation and occasional frustration, the account offers a rare, on‑the‑ground glimpse of a frontier that was still largely a mystery to European maps.