A Narrative of a Visit to the Mauritius and South Africa

Published in 1844, this detailed account of a missionary's travels contains vivid descriptions of the people, wildlife and landscape encountered.

James Backhouse (Author)

9781108076425, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 25 September 2014

760 pages, 27 b/w illus. 2 maps
21.6 x 14 x 4.2 cm, 0.95 kg

James Backhouse (1794–1869) came from a family of accomplished naturalists and horticulturalists. As a Quaker, he spent several years in Australia engaged in missionary and humanitarian work, after which he returned to England via Mauritius and South Africa. The present work, first published in 1844, is adapted from his journals of that journey, providing a rich and personal account. It contains vivid descriptions of the people he encountered, particularly the indigenous communities and those involved in the slave trade, which he found revolting and unchristian. Backhouse's horticultural interests are evident in the detailed botanical observations he made, the value of which led to a genus of shrub being named after him: Backhousia. This work contains illustrations based on original sketches made by Backhouse during the trip, and appendices which include letters and texts relating to the mission, as well as a map of South Africa.

Introduction
1. Voyage to the Mauritius
2. Prison in Port Louis
3. Grand Rivière
4. Voyage to the Cape of Good Hope
5. Cape Town
6. Houw
7. Zuurbraak
8. Wagon upset
9. Krom Rivier
10. Cattle and bones
11. Uitenhage
12. Zondag Rivier
13. Weather
14. Villages
15. Departure for Caffraria
16. Burns Hill
17. Deliberateness of the Caffers
18. Motives for returning toward the Cape Colony
19. Mount Coke
20. Bank of the Great Fish River
21. Departure from Graham's Town
22. Departure from the Kat River
23. Griquas
24. Witte Bergen
24b. Country
25. Wild animals
26. Sending to buy corn
27. Journey to the Kuruman
28. Departure from Griqua Town
29. Departure from Beaufort
30. Conference with E. Cook
31. Extreme heat
32. The Amse river
33. Drought
34. Uitkomst
35. Friends' School
36. Meeting in Cape Town
Appendices A-G.

Subject Areas: Historical geography [HBTP]