Famously the first European to cross Africa from the East to the West coast from 1873-75, Cameron also took reception of David Livingstone's body during his expedition. His travel account was widely circulated in Europe, with translations published in France, Germany and Portugal, and was cited by abolitionists such as Lavigerie and Louis Ruffet. Cameron uses the issue of the slave trade and his British nationality to attempt to gain favour, by presenting England as "the black man's friend", who "wished to see all men free, and was doing her utmost to stop the slave-trade on the coast" (vol I, 129). He describes the disasterous effects of the slave trade as a "blot on the boasted civilization of the nineteenth century" (vol I 152-53), but also sees a commercial opportunity for Britain to intervene and open a market in Africa "which would give employment to thousands of the working classes" (153). Observing the number of slave caravans making their way towards the West coast of Africa, Cameron claims that an illegal slave trade still continued, and notes the presence of slave traders in Portuguese Angola.

Two volumes (volume II is also available online: http://www.archive.org/stream/acrossafrica00camegoog#page/n9/mode/2up ) Another edition was published in 1885. Includes a map of Cameron's route, illustrated plates, and reproductions of hand-written letters.