Beautifully rebound by hand (so expect imperfections, not machine-perfect results) in soft full leather. Each volume has a frontispiece and engraved title page. Illustrated with steel engravings on plates and a folded map at the end of volume 1. The text pages are generally creamy white and for the most part free of foxing. The illustrated plates, as is common with this edition, have foxing. In Volume 1, pages 7-10 and the plate at page 10 are in facsimile. In Volume 2, the plates at pages 46, 55 and 112 are in facsimile.
A narrative of Steedman's travels during his ten years of residence in the Cape during which he explored most of the Cape Colony and Kaffraria. The work also gives an overview of many early expeditions in South Africa with sketches of native races and their history and wars, the pioneer colonists of Natal. Steedman was a keen collector and naturalist, his name being given to a species of meerkat: Cynictis Steedmanii. During his travels Steedman collected over 300 animals, including some that had not yet been described, as well as ethnographic specimens. In 1833 he returned to England and arranged an exhibition of his animals in the Colosseum, Regent's Park, London. The Appendices (213 pages) include a letter and journal by Mr. A. G. Bain, who accompanied Dr. (afterwards Sir A.) Smith's expedition into the interior as far as Philippolis, and gives an account of the journey, and much valuable matter respecting the Kat River and other settlements in Kaffraria, and the Kaffir outbreaks and wars up to this period. There is also an account of the wreck of the Grosvenor in 1782. The narrative contains much information respecting the wreck of the vessel, the expeditions in search of the survivors, the descendants of shipwrecked Europeans on the Caffrarian Coast, there is also a steel engraving of the disaster, from a painting by Smirke. (Mendelssohn, Royal Geographical Society of London)
Travels in South Africa Undertaken At the Request of the Missionary Society, Being a Narrative of a Second Journey in the Interior of That Country
Reverend John Campbell
With a hand-colored aquatint frontispiece to each volume, 9 additional hand-colored aquatint plates (the 10th is a facsimile)(12 total plates), and large folding map (facsimile).
Rebound by hand (so expect imperfections, not machine-perfect results) in soft full leather.
The facsimile plate, see last photo
February 15, 1863:
When I first met [Speke and Grant] they were walking along the bank of the river towards my boats. At a distance of about a hundred yards I recognised my old friend Speke, and with a heart beating with joy I took off my cap and gave a welcome hurrah! I hardly required an introduction to his companion, as we felt already acquainted.
At the first blush on meeting them I had considered my expedition as terminated by having met them, and by their having accomplished the discovery of the Nile source; but... Speke and Grant with characteristic candour and generosity gave me a map of their route, showing that they had been unable to complete the actual exploration of the Nile, and that a most important portion still remained to be determined... The natives and the King of Unyoro (Kamrasi) had assured them that the Nile from the Victoria N'yanza, which they had crossed at Karuma, flowed westward for several days' journey, and at length fell into a large lake called the Luta N'zige; that this lake came from the south, and that the Nile on entering the northern extremity almost immediately made its exit, and as a navigable river continued its course to the north. Both Speke and Grant attached great importance to this lake Luta N'zige, and the former was much annoyed that it had been impossible for them to carry out the exploration. As it happened, it was impossible for Speke and Grant to follow the Nile from Karuma:—the tribes were fighting with Kamrasi, and no strangers could have got through the country. Accordingly they procured their information most carefully, completed their map, and laid down the reported lake in its supposed position, showing the Nile as both influent and effluent precisely as had been explained by the natives.
Speke expressed his conviction that the Luta N'zige must be a second source of the Nile, and that geographers would be dissatisfied that he had not explored it. To me this was most gratifying. I had been much disheartened at the idea that the great work was accomplished, and that nothing remained for exploration; I even said to Speke, "Does not one leaf of the laurel remain for me?" I now heard that the field was not only open, but that an additional interest was given to the exploration by the proof that the Nile flowed out of one great lake, the Victoria, but that it evidently must derive an additional supply from an unknown lake as it entered it at the NORTHERN extremity, while the body of the lake came from the south.
February 20, 1863:
On the 20th February [the Pethericks] suddenly arrived from the Niambara, with their people and ivory and were surprised at seeing so large a party of English in so desolate a spot.
On the 26th February, Speke and Grant sailed from Gondokoro [to England].
Facsimiles of the Richard Bentley, London, 1835 First Edition: 2 volumes: bound in navy blue, marbled end papers. A handsome set, as-new and unread, well-made and ready for your reading pleasure and collection.
The original first editions are extremely rare, and as of this listing, I could not find any sets available for sale anywhere. These facsimile volumes are the next best thing to owning the first editions.
Facsimile reprints of the Sampson Low, London, 1886 First Edition: 2 volumes: bound by hand, with hand-marbled end papers. Sepia-toned color frontispiece portrait of Kerr tipped-in, as well as a large facsimile fold-out map; facsimile of original cloth front cover also tipped-into each volume. Since the volumes are hand-made they have imperfections, so expect such.
The original first editions are scarce and expensive, so this facsimile reprint is the next best thing.