Itinerary: 'From CAPE NEGRO [i.e. Cabo Negro in modern Angola]…as far as the Isthmus of Suez'. Roughly follows the African coast south to the Cape of Good Hope, and then north to complete a circumnavigation of Africa, including islands such as Madagascar, Mauritius, and the Seychelles. Titled 'Æthiopian Africa' in Pennant's Literary Life (1793).

Pennant mentions working on the African volumes of the 'Outlines' in letters to Richard Bull dated from 23 August 1788, and seeking prints to illustrate them in a letter dated 17 February 1791: see 'Curious Travellers Editions' [https://editions.curioustravellers.ac.uk/], item ID 1080, 1082 & 1121.

Pennant thanks Philip Stephens 'secretary to the Admiralty' (1723–1809) for supplying him with relevant journals and papers, in particular the journal of 'a voyage of survey from Cape Negro, as low as the bay of St. Helena', p. 4. Pennant also mentions being shown a drawing of Indigenous people ('Boschmen') dancing on the Eastern Cape by William Paterson (1755–1810), an image apparently suppressed by Paterson, p. 173. This presumably refers to the plates included in Paterson's 'Narrative of Four Journeys' (London, 1789).

The text includes further details on the zoological dispute between Pennant and James Bruce (1730–1794) about the 'Zerda' [Fennec Fox], also involving Joseph Banks, pp. 157-164.

Outline views of 'The Cape of Good Hope N by W 1/2 W Dist 6 Leagues' (p. 45) and 'Table Bay S by W to SSW Distance 18 Miles...' (p. 57). Two views 'of the Island of Johanna [Ndzwani/Anjouan]' in the Comoro Islands, are by John Henry Grose (b. 1732?), 'on board the Huntington when lost 13th April 1774' (pp. 228–229).

Some natural history illustrations include: a baboon, (pp. 150-151); a dodo (pp. 222-223); 'Double Cocos', (pp. 232-234); a 'Manati' [Manatee] 'Drawn by U[t]rich Mole on board the Norfolk on the Island of Rodrigues, 1761', copy (p. 225). Original in the collection of Joseph Banks, held by the British Museum, BM 1914,0520.714.

Full itinerary and index in rear of volume. Also indexes to the 'Quadrupeds of Africa' and 'Birds of Africa', covering all three African volumes.