SIX YEARS OF A TRAMP'S LIFE IN SOUTH AFRICA.

104 pages, published without a title page – catalogued from the pictorial front cover printed on pink paper with a brown cloth spine, commercial advertisements as endpapers, 8 full page plates from sketches, a very good copy.

A South African Bibliography, volume 4, page 83, ‘The book is advertised for sale in Lantern, Jan. 29, 1887, page 10. The South African Library Copy has some figures in pencil in the top left-hand corner: “484 20/12/86”. Some of the illustrations appear to be by W.R. Schöder (the illustration on the cover is signed by him) and others are signed A.D.M (A.D. Menzies?

‘On the 1st July, 1877. I landed in Capetown (sic) after a very enjoyable voyage in the U.S.S. European. The first month or so I boarded in a house in Bouquet Street. I had several letters of introduction with me, which I found, however, to be of comparatively little use. The inhabitants of Capetown are somewhat chary of strangers, especially of my stamp, and, unfortunately, they have ample reason. A month’s idle existence brought me no success in the shape of employment. I began to change my lodgings – a very inauspicious movement for young men. But before leaving I distinguished myself, or “got my name up” as the saying is, by coming home about one in the morning, my nerves being in a very excited state, taking my loaded revolver and blowing our eighteen panes of glass from the back door, which has the effect of bringing down the whole household…...’ Chapter 1.