Travels in South Africa

(Cape Town: Struik, 1974) 0869770446. Full title of original reads "Travels in South Africa, Undertaken at the Request of the Missionary Society." Number 626 of an edition limited to 1000 copies. Volume 47 in the Africana Collectanea Series, a text facsimile of the London edition of 1815. 8vo; original green rexine, lettered in gilt on spine, with gilt publisher's device to upper cover; pictorial dustwrapper; pp. (viii) + xvi + 400 + (ii), incl. index; frontis. portrait; folding map. Edges of dustwrapper very slightly curled; a little foxing to edges and endpapers. Very good condition. "The Rev. John Campbell was instructed by the Directors of the Mission Society in London to visit South Africa and personally inspect the different settlements. Over a period of 17 months, from his arrival in 1812, this man with his pleasant disposition and keen interest in everyone and everything, recorded much interesting information on matters outside the missionary field. After visiting the Moravian missions at Groenekloof and Genadendal, he travelled to Bethalsdorp and he gives a vivid account of the dangers and hazards of ox-waggon travel in mountainous country. From here he crossed the Orange River to Griquatown and the other mission stations for half-caste Hottentots, where he had meetings with the Hottentot chiefs. After travelling further north to Kuruman, he describes his return journey which took him westwards through the desert parallel to the Orange River and finally south along the coast to Cape Town." .