John Duncan first sailed to West Africa in 1841, as master-at-arms aboard HMS Albert, flagship of the Niger steamship expedition. Ravaged by disease, this anti-slavery mission soon turned into a debacle that nearly cost Duncan his life. Undeterred, Duncan returned to West Africa again in 1844, supported by the Royal Geographical Society (RGS), on a solo expedition to find the legendary Kong Mountains. Duncan"s chosen route took him into the militaristic state of Dahomey where he struck up an unlikely friendship with the charismatic warrior King Gezo, a man whose very name was a byword for unbridled cruelty. Gezo honoured his new friend with the protective title of King"s Stranger and together they drank toasts to Queen Victoria from goblets carved out of human skulls. Although Duncan never found the Kongs, he did become the first European to explore a vast tract of uncharted West Africa, marching through swamps and savannah while hostile tribesmen dogged his footsteps. After incredible hardships and adventures he came perilously close to death yet again. For all his courage, physical strength and amazing exploits, John Duncan was ultimately a tragic figure. Forgotten by history, disdained by the RGS and the British Government, his achievements were quickly overshadowed by the titans of African exploration who followed him, notably his fellow-Scot Dr. David Livingstone, Richard Burton and Henry Morton Stanley. The King"s Stranger warrants a place on the bookshelf of anyone with a genuine interest in exploration.