British Central Africa (Pic Heavy)

[Plynkes]

Do you have an original copy or a facsimile? I'm hesitant to get the latter.

I don't actually own a copy. Modern editions of books like this tend to be just the text, which is not my preferred way of reading them (especially with a book with this many quality images), and I wouldn't know where to get an original. But the whole book is on line HERE (I believe it is in the public domain by now) and that's where I half-inched the pictures from. God bless those Canadian librarians.

Great post overall, but I love the Sikh officer figure, where's he from? (I mean the manufacturer - please don't say "The Punjab" )

Redoubt American Civil War Zouave officer with some of the fancy lacework removed from his jacket, and with a Foundry Sikh head plonked on top. He comes without a head (you're supposed to pick a suitable Civil War one from a bunch of options) so he's almost perfect for converting. I've got a sprue of Perry plastic Zouaves waiting in the wings for him to boss about when I get around to it. He was really just a trial run, but I think he came out okay. Think I will give him some Sgt. Major stripes when I do his lads, though. That will finish him off nicely.

[Dr Mathias]

Thank you for the link, what a great resource.

[Hobbit]

A bit disappointed, I was hoping you'd discovered a new source of Sikhs - lovely conversion job though.

Agree that there is some fantastic online resource material out there - I've picked up the equivalent of many thousands of pounds worth of books from the online libraries that I simply would never have gotten access to any other way.

[KevinH]

Some lovely source material there, thanks.

Especially like the Sikh stuff.

[aecurtis]

"One for the hobbits and stoners among us."

Or for the Bena Riamba, which is a rather jolly force to play in ItHoA; pity it didn't cross over to DitDC.

Fabian (who points out that the Bena Riamba, or Bene Diamba, go in for ritual nudity, which must surely add to their appeal!) is a good recent commentator.  He relies extensively on Wissmann, but his study may still be worth considering:

http://books.google.com/books/about/Out_of_our_minds.html?id=Gmw9OdaFyIcC

From the publisher: 'Explorers and ethnographers in Africa during the period of colonial expansion are usually assumed to have been guided by rational aims such as the desire for scientific knowledge, fame, or financial gain. This book, the culmination of many years of research on nineteenth-century exploration in Central Africa, provides a new view of those early European explorers and their encounters with Africans. "Out of Our Minds" shows explorers were far from rational--often meeting their hosts in extraordinary states influenced by opiates, alcohol, sex, fever, fatigue, and violence.'

What's not to like?

Allen

[Ignatieff]

"One for the hobbits and stoners among us."

Or for the Bena Riamba, which is a rather jolly force to play in ItHoA; pity it didn't cross over to DitDC.

Fabian (who points out that the Bena Riamba, or Bene Diamba, go in for ritual nudity, which must surely add to their appeal!) is a good recent commentator.  He relies extensively on Wissmann, but his study may still be worth considering:

http://books.google.com/books/about/Out_of_our_minds.html?id=Gmw9OdaFyIcC

From the publisher: 'Explorers and ethnographers in Africa during the period of colonial expansion are usually assumed to have been guided by rational aims such as the desire for scientific knowledge, fame, or financial gain. This book, the culmination of many years of research on nineteenth-century exploration in Central Africa, provides a new view of those early European explorers and their encounters with Africans. "Out of Our Minds" shows explorers were far from rational--often meeting their hosts in extraordinary states influenced by opiates, alcohol, sex, fever, fatigue, and violence.'

What's not to like?

Allen

Well said......