A NARRATIVE OF A VISIT TO THE MAURITIUS AND SOUTH AFRICA (Presentation copy signed by the author)

First edition: 648 + lvi pages appendix, frontispiece View of Table Bay - an etching from a drawing by Thomas Bowler, 2 folding maps - 1 large folding at the end (465 x 890 mm) with the author's travels marked in red, 16 etched plates on India Paper, and 28 woodcuts in the text, full contemporary navy morocco, gilt panelled spine, gilt ruled covers with blind decoration, all edges gilt, a very good copy.

Book plate of Henry Pottinger, Governor of the Cape Colony 1846-47 on front paste-down endpaper.

Presentation inscription by the author to Lady Pottinger reads: ‘Lady Pottinger respectfully presented by Jas Backhouse 1846.’

Extract of a letter inserted loosely in the volume reads: ‘A special feature of this copy is that the 16 etchings, including the frontispiece, have all been printed on India Paper and pasted onto the page. The existence of copies on India Paper seem to be unrecorded. A South African Bibliography, volume 1. page 107. records many copies, but makes no mention of any copies with plates on India Paper. This could be either, because none of these recorded had plates on India Paper, or possibly, simply because of the fact that some of these copies have the plates on India Paper, have not hitherto been noted.’

Mendelssohn (Sidney) South African Bibliography ,volume 1, page 62, 'The book is in the form of a diary and the author seems to have traversed every part of South Africa where there was a mission station or a missionary. In this way he appears to have met every prominent man connected with mission work in South Africa at this time. From June 1838 to December 1840 the author was constantly travelling, visiting almost every inhabited town and district, carefully noting every point of interest in the country and its inhabitants. There is a good description of Kaffraria and of the Basutos, Griquas and Bechuana countries. There is also a narrative of a journey to Great Namaqualand'.