Twelve Hundred Miles In A Waggon

The author and her friends, on their arrival at Cape Town, stayed for some days at Groote Schuur, and after a short trip which included Basutoland, Johannesburg, and Kimberley, started on their trek to the north. Referring to "the South African Republic," Miss Balfour observed "the ever smouldering irritation of the English" in the Transvaal, "at the inequality of treatment they suffered under the Boers," and she refers to "the contempt in which the latter have held the English ever since the war" (1881). The Journey through Rhodesia appears to have been a great success, and the discomforts of early travelling in the new country were met with unvarying good-humour. There is an interesting account of the quarters occupied by Dr. Jameson and Sir John Willoughby in the newly started township of Bulawayo, these gentlemen having put their habitations at the service of the ladies of the party, and there is a description of what existed of the town in those days. Zimbabwe was visited and short trips were made to Victoria and Salisbury, both in their infancy at this period. Many lion stories are related, although no lions were encountered, the author regretfully remarking, "I have spent five months in the country without seeing either lion, crocodile, or hippopotamus. What has been the use of coming to Africa?". After touching at Umtali the party split up, Miss Balfour having decided to return by the East Coast route. Source: (Mendelssohn Volume 1 page 74).

265 pages with 38 line-drawn illustrations, & fold-out map and 32 page list of 'Books On African And Eastern Subjects'. Original red boards, with gilt vignette of ox-waggon on front, gilt spine titles. Dark green end-papers with both hinges cracked but holding; endpapers slightly foxed but internally clean otherwise. Spine is faded, head and foot slightly threadbare, corners bumped, marked and slightly scuffed.