An original handwritten letter by South Africa's greatest historiographer.
The letter, written in 1915 when Theal was 78, is addressed to his sister whom he tells of his struggles in finding extant primary sources in the great archives of the world regarding Bartolomeu Dias's epic voyage of discovery around the Cape of Good Hope. He also tells her that he is keen to deliver a lecture at Stellenbosch, but, due to feeling rather frail at the age of 78, he may not be able to do so.
'Dear Sis,
In reply to your letter of yesterday's date, I have to state that unfortunately there is not a single original document in existence relating to the voyage of Dias. I hoped to have found something relating to this voyage in Lisbon, but found there was nothing there. I made enquiries also at the great libraries in London, Paris, the Hague, and Rome, but everywhere was told that no such documents were in existence. I had great expectations of getting something in the Vatican library at Rome, because the kings of Portugal usually reported everything of interest that occurred to the pope, but there also I was disappointed.
Our sources of information concerning the voyage of Dias are therefore confined to the histories written in the sixteenth century, and of these the great work of Joao de Barros stands pre-eminent.
You will find all that he says of this voyage in the original Portuguese and in an English translation by myself in the sixth volume of the records of South Eastern Africa, which I presume you have in your library.
Until very recently no one has disputed the dates given by Barros, but a few years ago a gentleman named Marenstein in a paper read before the Royal Geographical Society in London questioned their accuracy, and gave his reasons for so doing.
I considered these reasons most carefully, and cannot accept Mr. Marenstein's conclusions.
You will find the whole matter treated of in my volume Willem Adriaan van der Stel and other Historical Sketches, which will most likely be in the Stellenbosch library.
I have some other books in which the voyage of Dias is mentioned, but they are in Portuguese only. You will be very welcome to see and use them any time you can favour me with a call.
I have not had my photograph taken for many years, and have not a single copy that I know of.
I should of course be very pleased to deliver a lecture at Stellenbosch, but I am entirely unfit to do so. I am 78 years of age, and am feeling somewhat frail, besides which every moment of my time that I can devote to it is given to revising and enlarging my work on South Africa, the fourth edition of which I hope will soon be in the press.
I am dear sis, yours very truly, Geo. M. Theal.'
- Overall Condition: Very Good
