Old Cape Highways

An octavo (150mmX220mm) hardcover book in the original publisher’s blind-ruled, green cloth binding with a pictorial dust-wrapper showing early European graffiti, both in Fair to Good condition. The first ten pages contain preliminary material plus 202 pages of text. Frontispiece consisting of a facsimile of a portion of Van Meerhoff’s diary plus notes; 2 maps and a sketch map; 5 folded maps and 11 pages of photographs; facsimiles of old graffiti in the text of 3 pages. Blue silk marker ribbon. Scattered foxing on the end-papers and margins. There is a lengthy dedication on the front free end-paper (half-title) from the author to Mr A.L.W. Hofmeyr of Sea Point, who was his constant companion on his exploratory travels. The author mentions, in the dedication, that this copy was one of the first received from the printers. This is probably why the cover is of green rather than brown cloth. A previous reader marked pages and references with a fluorescent marker pen.

Dr. Mossop was an enthusiastic explorer of long abandoned and forgotten roads of the old Cape Coloy. He mentions nine early travellers whose notes or diaries were consulted. One of them was Pieter Van Meerhoff, a surgeon employed by the Dutch East India Company who was another avid explorer. He also married Eva or Krotoa, the Khoikhoi girl who had been taken into the Van Riebeeck household and acted as an interpreter.