Impressions Of South Africa

Third edition, revised throughout.

The new prefatory chapter (vii-xliv) laying out the revisions made, notes on the state of each province prior to the war, and Britain's position both legal and practical: "The British authorities at the Cape seem indeed to have thought that the unyielding attitude of the Transvaal Government worked much mischief in the Colony, being taken by the English there as a defiance to the power and influence of Britain, and so embittering their minds" (p.xxiii). "Suspicions of British good faith were known to pervade the Boer mind, and would give an ominous colour to every demand coming from Britain" (p.xxv).

The book consists of 27 chapters covering all aspects of the country from its physical features to climate, wildlife, flora, political divisions, history of the Hottentots, Bushmen, Kafirs, Zimbabwye (sic) the Dutch, British, Boers, The Great Trek, travel and communications, from Cape Town to Bulawayo, Matabililand and Mashonaland, Manicaland and Portuguese territory, social characteristics of the British Colonies, political situation in the Transvaal, as well as two appendices: The Transvaal Convention of 1881, and 1884; and three colour fold-out maps at the end.

Condition: the contents are clean throughout, binding in very good condition, leather boards very good (though rubbed, with wear at edges and hinges), page edges marbled, ruled edges, gilt spine with floral motif and five raised bands. The index pages have some smudging and spotting to the inner margins, otherwise a very good copy.