MATABELE LAND AND THE VICTORIA FALLS.

First Edition. Quarter leather with cloth boards. Tooled spine with gilt lettering, Marbled end papers.

4 Fold out Maps, Colour and Black and white plates. Light Foxing in places.

Frank Oates (1840-1975) was born in Yorkshire.

Oates and his brother William arrived in Natal in 1873. After extensive travel in South Africa and Matabele Land, he died of a fever while returning to Tati in February 1975.

His work contains details of flora and fauna and detailed maps.

"At Tamasancha, which was reached on December 10th , Frank Oates, after a short rest, parted from his companions, proceeding forward on the 1th alone towards the Zambezi. The country, from this point, is only varied from sand and thick bush by the occasional occurrence of "pans" or "vleis", the favourite haunts of wading-birds and wildfowl. Soon after leaving Tamasancha one was passed (Flamakin yani) encircled by large trees, and a little later was another (Geruah) about the size of a duck-pond and extremely pretty, surrounded with the greenest of grass, whilst all around it  extended the barren and sandy veldt. About here giraffe and other game was met with, including sable antelope, eland, and wild pig. Fresh Elephant spoor was seen north of Tamasetsie."