THE NORTHERN GOLDFIELDS DIARIES OF THOMAS BAINES

Government Archives of Southern Rhodesia, Oppenheimer Series No. 3.

3 volumes, Vol. I First Journey 1869-1870; Vol. II First Journey 1870-1871; Vol. III Second Journey 1871-1872.

[277+321+257] 855 pages continuously paginated, 5 maps - 4 folding, 3 frontispiece - 1 colour, 6 colour plates, 23 half-tone plates, numerous text illustrations, original red buckram gilt – spines faded, corners slightly bumped, top edges gilt, other edges uncut, contents bright, a good set.

‘With varied experience as artist and explorer behind him, Baines led a prospecting party into Southern Rhodesia to investigate reports of gold-finds. Arriving at the Matabele headquarters during the troubled interregnum between the death the old chief Moselekatse and the election of Lobengula, he describes the intrigues attending the finding of a successor and the rights with which the new king was inducted. In 1871 he returned to Natal. There he received instructions from the his London directors to back and obtain a written grant, in addition to the verbal permission he had already secured, to seek and work the auriferous reef. Though once again successful, he was so ill that before he could lead up a working party he died in Durban in 1875.’ Editor’s note.